Sophie Thalmann (born 7 May 1976) is a French former beauty queen, model and television presenter. She was titled Miss Lorraine in 1997 and Miss France in 1998. She is the 68th Miss France.
Sophie Thalmann was born in Bar-le-Duc in the department of Meuse. She grew up in a modest family, her father is an owner of a driving school and her mother is a seemstress. She studied in Nancy and passed a DEUG in cultural mediation and communication. She then studied at the European Institute of Cinema and Audiovisual.
In 1996, at age 20, Sophie Thalmann won the title of Miss Meuse. That same year, she nearly won the title of Miss Lorraine and received the title of first runner-up. In 1997, she finally won the title of Miss Lorraine in Bar-le-Duc, which qualified her for the Miss France election on 13 December 1997. While she began studying audiovisual in Nancy, she was elected Miss France at age 21 in Deauville in front of 15 million viewers.