Already several weeks that Stéphanie was in danger in Koh-Lanta, The Cursed Totem. After having had a stroke of luck against Benjamin last week – the yellow adventurers voted twice, the duo were tied and were decided by a draw – the 34-year-old croupier finally left the game! Indeed, Stéphanie was eliminated from the council by obtaining five votes against her. She suffered criticism from her comrades, in particular Nicolas who considers her too weak and Bastien who considers her not very active. The pretty blonde opens up about this experience and responds to her teammates with Purepeople.com.
How did you experience your elimination?
I lived it in halftone, a little fatalistic, a little disappointed. On the one hand, I expected it because I was on the hot seat at each board from the beginning, so no huge surprise like for some. And then there is on the other side all the disappointment of leaving this extraordinary adventure. Especially since I didn’t play four events, it was really very hard.
Why do you think your classmates voted against you?
I think the main reason is that I said as soon as I arrived in the adventure that I sucked. And this is my great regret. I shot myself in the foot by telling everyone that I suck at sports. It was a stupid mistake. People see what people say about us. So they heard that I didn’t know how to swim, or do this or that… It gave me an image of someone below and it’s my fault. They underestimated me. However, if we take stock of the events I have played, I was bad in only one. And then, there were adventurers much worse than me.
Nicolas indicates that you are “below the other candidates”, Bastien finds you “far too idle on the camp”… What do you think?
I had an explanation with them both, to try to understand. Nicolas, I think he overcharged me. He says that I’m below when we’ve been together in the yellow team for not that long and that the day of my elimination, I was very good on the immunity test. I even gave the team a lead, and it was finally Alexandra who caused us to lose. So telling me that I suck at the tests is bogus. I think it’s finding excuses to put someone’s name. I wasn’t the worst on the team.
Bastien always complimented me on being very active at camp. But it’s true that on the day of the council, when we spend half the day looking for a necklace and suddenly we’re not working on the camp, Bastien thinks I’m idle. He told me. For me, it’s misunderstanding. Because at this level of the game, he has never been in danger and does not know what it is. I think if in the future that happened to him and he risked seeing his name come out on the council, maybe he would spend half the day looking for a necklace and he would take it badly that we calls him idle. Because looking for a necklace is sporty and boring! It’s a hassle. I’m not idle and I don’t take it well, that’s it (laughs)!
You had proposed a vote against Alexandra, in the end you were the only one to respect it. Why do you think?
Leaving Alexandra was like killing three birds with one stone for me. Save myself, break the trio of blues who were still very close together and finally eliminate an adventurer with whom I had no affinity. For me, that would have been a winning combo. Yannick was on board, he agreed with me on all the reasons I have just given. The problem is that Anne-Sophie was really in doubt, she really had her ass between two chairs. She was stuck between my idea which she thought was good and her desire to keep the strong sporting elements still some time in the adventure. She didn’t give me an answer until she went to counseling, so I didn’t know. Setha and Nicolas were also hesitating. Everyone had led me to believe it was a possibility but no one had assured me of their vote. Honestly, I didn’t expect it to be just my vote against Alexandra. But Yannick voted against Olga because he was angry. He had a vote of emotion, as we often have in Koh-Lanta. Ultimately, it would not have changed anything after the vote. Between those who turn their jackets around, those who indulge their emotions… I was on my own in my strategy!
You shot the black ball several times during events, how did you experience it?
The first time, I said to myself that it had to fall on someone. It was not very serious. The second time, I started to worry a little bit. In life, I’m a little sticky and I said to myself: “Oh no! It’s not going to start following me!” And the third time was a bit like a fourth time for me because I had been stopped on a trial by the doctor. I had seen my teammates win together, lose together, support each other, bond with each other… I saw that I was missing something. That’s why I break down and cry. I feel that this black ball pushes me towards the exit, it was very hard morally.
What did you suffer the most from?
The hardest thing for me are the nights. You should know that in real life I am a pretty little groundhog, I sleep ten hours a night in Paris. My Koh Lanta lasted about fourteen days, and the first ten nights I slept an average of one or two hours. It was hell. I was soaked, my clothes were never dry during the whole adventure. I was chilled. The boys were trying to rub me, to warm me up and we were trying to hug each other. Sleeping with bamboo sticks in your back that hurt, not finding any position… It was horrible.
What was your first gesture on the way back?
I had a small welcoming committee. I had put very few people in the confidence. My little sister, my best friend and my mother were waiting for me. Except that I was in a terrible state. I was very flattered but also at the end of my rope. I told them I loved them and went to bed (laughs). I was not well. I needed to sleep, I was exhausted.
You are compared to Cindy, another adventurer (Koh-Lanta, the war of the leaders in 2019 then Koh-Lanta, The Legend in 2021). How do you live it?
I didn’t see this comparison coming! But I find her very nice. Because Cindy is the kind of woman I like. It’s a big mouth, it is whole and quite frank. It’s not the majority of women. Plus she’s beautiful, so I can’t take it the wrong way (laughs)! She was exceedingly good at Koh Lanta, she was much further than me. So I take it very very well, it’s a nice compliment for me!
What has changed in your life since Koh-Lanta?
Not much. I made some great friends there. And then I get a lot of messages from people who are fans of the show. It’s quite nice. You can relive the adventure by watching the episodes but also share with people and it’s rather funny.
What are your projects ?
I have been unemployed for almost two years. Poker is something I do sporadically. There I have an event at the beginning of April which will last two days. And besides, I am setting up a professional project which will be called Stéphanie in Paris. It’s between the concierge and the tour operator. My goal is to receive foreign tourists in Paris and make them experience Parisian holidays, with a Parisian. I want something very friendly with contact, to show them what a beautiful city we have and how friendly we are, us Parisians (laughs). I’m working on the content, I do everything because I want it to look like me. It will be available within a month maximum I hope.
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