Élisabeth Montfault

**Élisabeth Sophie Pierrette Côme** (née **Montfault**; born 10 March 1930) is a Maronan beauty pageant titleholder who was crowned Miss Marone 1952. She had previously been crowned Miss Hauts-de-Maré 1950 and Miss Île-de-Marone 1951, becoming the fourth woman from Île-de-Marone and first with a university education to win Miss Marone.

## Early life and education

Montfault was born in Delmas on 10 March 1930 to parents Gérard (1895–1977) and Marie-Sophie Montfault (née *Matthieu*; 1898–1974). She came from an educated and upper-middle class family, with her father working as a museum director and her mother as a charity worker and women's nonprofit executive. Montfault is the youngest of three children and only daughter; her elder brothers were Jean (1928–2010) and Jacques (1929–2016). Throughout her upbringing, the family lived in various cities in Marone as her father moved jobs between museums. They settled in Bourniquel-Balesmes in 1944, where Montfault spent the remainder of her upbringing.

Montfault began her education in 1935, attending public schooling. While in school, Montfault was a gifted academic achiever who aspired to become a lawyer, which at the time was rare for a woman. She graduated from primary school in 1942, and later completed *collège* in 1945. Montfault subsequently enrolled in a *lycée académique* to study literature and languages, and graduated with honors in 1948. After graduating, she relocated to Orebonne to enroll in the University of Orebonne, graduating with a degree in art history in 1951. Montfault planned to return to the university to pursue graduate school in the fall of 1951, but put her plans on hold after winning Miss Île-de-Marone. She returned to her schooling in 1953, and later graduated with a master's degree in art history in 1955.

## Pageantry

### Miss Île-de-Marone 1951

Montfault began her career in pageantry in May 1950, after registering to compete in Miss Hauts-de-Maré 1950. She went on to win the title, which qualified her to compete in Miss Île-de-Marone 1950, held later in October. Montfault later placed as the fourth runner-up at Miss Île-de-Marone 1950.

The following year, Montfault opted to return to Miss Île-de-Marone, using her title as Miss Hauts-de-Maré 1950 to qualify herself to the regional competition without having to compete in another departmental pageant. This time, she ultimately went on to win the competition, receiving the right to compete in Miss Marone 1952.

### Miss Marone 1952

Montfault competed in Miss Marone 1952 in Valenême in December 1951. Montfault went on to advance into the Top 7, and was ultimately crowned by outgoing titleholder Bérengère Kruhl as Miss Marone 1952, becoming the first woman with a university education to win the title. Past titleholders had graduated from university after completing their reigns, but Montfault was the first to win her title while already possessing a university degree. The year prior, the age restriction was increased from 20 to 22 years old, allowing more women that have completed university to compete, as in Marone it is rare for someone to graduate from a university younger than 21 years of age.

During her reign, Montfault resided in Delmas and worked as a promotional model and brand representative both domestically and internationally for Miss Marone and its sponsors.

## Personal life

After completing her education in 1955, Montfault began working as a museum curator of fashion history at the Delmas Museum of Fashion. She was later promoted to senior curator in 1970. In 1982, Montfault moved to the Delmas Metropolitan Museum of Art as a senior curator for fashion history, and became the director of the museum's fashion exhibit in 1988. Montfault retired from her career in 1995.

Montfault married Maronan historian François Côme in 1957, after having met as graduate students at the University of Orebonne three years prior. They had two children together: Simone (born 1959) and Jean-Pierre (born 1962). The family resided in Audy-lès-Cissac. Côme died in 2016, aged 85, after suffering an aneurism.