In cooperation with our partners songfestival.web-log.nl, we present to you a different 2006 Eurovision Song Contest participant each day. Now it's time for the next finalist: France!
Final, spot 19 in the running order
Performer: Virginie Pouchin
Song: Il était temps
Lyrics: Corneille Nyungura
Music: Corneille Nyungura
Official website: –
Best result: 1st in 1958, 1960, 1962, 1969, 1977
Broadcaster: France 3
Multimedia: video / audio
France and the Eurovision Song Contest
France is one of the seven founder members of the Eurovision Song Contest, having submitted two entries to the very first edition in 1956. French viewers did not have long to wait for a first victory, which came along in 1958, and was quickly followed by four more wins, the last one in 1977. Since then, however, France has come close but not close enough, memorably drawing on points with Sweden in 1991 but losing out on the number of10 points awarded, in a breathtakingly close finish.
France 3 was responsible for this year's Eurovision Song Contest selection process, and used a casting show format with singer selected from several sources including open national auditions. In a Eurovision special, the singers were whittled down group by group until Virginie Pouchin was one of the three finalists selected to sing a song composed by Corneille Nyungura. Although the song had already been written, and Virginie actually performed it after winning, she complained that it was unsuitable for her voice and a new entry was swiftly prepared by the same writer.
Virginie Pouchin
At 26 years of age and hailing from the Ardeche, Virginie made a living as a hairdresser and part-time singer before being discovered by France 2's casting show Entrée des Artistes, and going on to win the show. She was subsequently entered into sister channel France 3's Eurovision Song Contest selection, winning over viewers with her rendition of Céline Dion's Pour que tu m'aimes encore.
Il était temps
Devenir, Comme seule raison de résister
Tenir, élever le ton pour exister
Ça se dit ça se chante facilement
Mais mon refrain aujourd’hui c’est
Il était temps qu’enfin le ciel se rappelle de moi
Il était temps enfin une trêve ma chance a moi
Il était temps Il était temps
Courir après l’idéal ça vaut le coup
Souffrir . Oh quel régal quand c’est un rêve au bout
Ça se dit ça se chante facilement
Mais mon refrain aujourd’hui c’est
Il était temps qu’enfin le ciel se rappelle de moi
Il était temps enfin une trêve ma chance a moi
Il était temps Il était temps
J’y croyais plus
J’ y croyais plus d’ailleurs j’ai du mal a le croire encore
Il était temps qu’enfin le ciel se rappelle de moi
Il était temps enfin une trêve ma chance a moi
Il était temps Il était temps
Il était temps pourvu que ça reste
Et si ça ne dure pas
Je serais heureuse de dire aux enfants
Que j’y ai touché une fois dans mon temps
Il était temps…
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