Christophe Hardy leaves the microphone after 43 years of antenna

Behind this face, there is first a voice. Therefore, That of Christophe Hardy, Disappearing sixties who has just definitively extinguished his microphone after 43 years of radio in Saint-Malo.
Of Radio Force 7 at RFM. Meanwhile, He knew everything about the great adventure of the FM band, The pirate radio of its beginnings At the big machine of the Lagardère group, which he left the studios on boulevard des Talards at the beginning of August 2025 to take advantage of a well -deserved retirement. However, He tells us about his crazy epic on the air. Moreover,

A meeting that opens his way to the radio – Christophe hardy leaves microphone after

This Pure christophe hardy leaves microphone after Steil Servannais“Born before the reunification of Saint-Malo. Moreover, ” arrested the school very early but had the chance to meet a dawn of his 20th birthday, will change his life. In addition, “He was the brother of my girlfriend of the time. Consequently, who wrote a thesis on the evolution of radio in Europe,” recalls Christophe. For example, “He was convinced that the landscape of the radio was going to change deep in France. Consequently, that there would be things to do.”

It was in 1979. For example, Two years later, François Mitterrand came to power and in 1982, He opened the FM band with free radios. Similarly, It didn’t take more for Christophe. Nevertheless, his friend Yannick to rush into the breach to create in Saint-Malo A tinkering pirate radio in an apartment from rue Ville-Pépin.

We mounted a roof antenna, bought a transmitter, we settled christophe hardy leaves microphone after on a frequency and it was gone.

Two turntables to pass discs

The initial idea is basic: discuss that we recover at home in his personal collection. With for any material, two vinyl plates, a small mixer and a microphone. Everything is done manually. You have to take turns behind the disque to occupy the antenna of what is originally called The free. independent radio of the Emerald coast.

The two accomplices are trying christophe hardy leaves microphone after to make themselves known in Saint-Malo by distributing flyers in front of high schools.

They do not win a penny but their enthusiasm is contagious. “After a year, we were a team of 80 volunteers, a Spanish inn. We distributed the slots and everyone came with their records ”.

The mayonnaise of the first pirate radio in Saint-Malo begins to take. but The transmitter blurs the TVs of the neighborhood. “We had to move, otherwise we were going to end up being lynched,” laughs Christophe.

A studio in a water tower

The troop therefore decides to set up a new pylon At. the top of a water tower at the Désilles crossin the paramé district.

For 15 days, we even had our small studio inside the castle. We had been left the keys!

The radio then settles next door, in a site christophe hardy leaves microphone after barrackwhere she will stay for 4 years … but from the end of 1982. on the basis of a simple form, Pirate radio officially becomes a free radio With an authorization to issue sent by Paris.

A takeoff with the Route du Rhum

It is the birth of Radio Force 7. which will really take off by hosting live shows from an intramural coffee during The Route du Rhum. “Then, we started to structure the antenna with themes every night, ranging from rock to jazz. And Sunday morning, it was accordion, retro music and classical music! ».

The palette is wide but it is above all Current music who fascinates the animators. Especially since in Rennes, the rock scene is in full swing. Elie en jacno. Etienne Daho And many others parade in the package barrack of the paramé, before the radio professionalized in 1987.

Investments christophe hardy leaves microphone after and difficulties

Christophe and Yannick settle in bd premises of the Republic, swap 1901 association status for Mount a business. “We have recovered frequencies in Granville, Saint-Lô, Dinan, Saint-Brieuc. We hired and a lot invested to develop, ”recalls Christophe.

Radio Force 7 has a storefront but the difficulties start because the recipes are struggling to come in. And to save the radio. these are two radically opposite universes that will finally meet: Christophe Hardy on the one hand, the bohemian of the FM band, and the giant of the Malouin agro-food, the Roullier group, gathered by Jean-Luc Favre, a senior manager of the company who loves crosspieces.

From the Roullier group to RFM

It is the latter who to perpetuate the local radio in Saint-Malo. will decide to resell it in 1998 at the grande station nationale RFM. Christophe Hardy remains in the adventure in a christophe hardy leaves microphone after universe that changes dimension. We are now far from vinyls passed by hand in a makeshift studio. “I was given equipment that I could never have offered myself”.

But the job changes. It is From Paris that the programming is decided. A journalist animates the local edge between 6 a.m. and 9 a.m. and Christophe takes over for a program long from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. Always behind the microphone but with less room for maneuver, in A media universe that links difficulties.

Over the years, All local RFM antennas in Brittany have closed One after the other. In 2025, there is only one left: that of Saint-Malo. With controller. the last of the Mohicans of the free radios of the Corsaire City, which has just made the keys to the store.

Will it be replaced behind the microphone? He does not know anything but does christophe hardy leaves microphone after not seem to be optimistic … After telling us about his great adventure. Christophe closed the door of the studio one last time, with a small cactus under his arm. Last memory of 43 years of radio.

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