1929
Radio
Normandie was one of the most successful commercial radio stations in
Europe in the years between the two world wars. It was based in the
small French coastal town of Fécamp, which became one of the evocative
names on radio dials. From its origins in the Radio Club de Fécamp, a gathering of enthusiasts founded in
January 1924, it was granted licence EF81C by the French PTT (telegraph
authority) in 1926 and on 18 November that year became a fully-fledged
broadcaster as Radio Fécamp. The original equipment is shown in the picture on
the right.
The driving force was Fernand Le Grand, who enjoyed a personal fortune from the
manufacturing of the liqueur Bénédictine, which was the town's main industry.
In 1928 a new transmitter gave the fledgling station a range of 100 km, enough to cover not only Normandy and much of north-west France but also to reach across the Channel to southern England. In 1929 Radio Fécamp became Radio Normandie. It occupied several buildings in the coastal town of Fécamp, the principal one being the villa Vincelli la Grandière [main picture above]. Maison de la Radio was closer to the town centre [below left]. The transmitter array was on the cliffs to the west of the town [below right].
Photos: Radio Club de Fécamp
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Page created 3 September 2001