www.champanelle.net telephone phone telefono Saint-Genès-Champanelle 63122 France

Evolution of subscribers to phone
of Saint-Genès-Champanelle - period 1920-1974

Before World War II, only one minority of people could afford to have the phone at home, less than 10 homes for one population of about 300 households or a percentage tiny 3%. Until 1939, these are the big families bourgeoises, the squires, and a few hoteliers who take advantage of this comfort.

After 1945, the small businesses that develop in villages, cafés and hotels, dairymen, bakers, butchers, then some craftsmen, then the 2 summer camps, will increase the number subscribers but few individuals among them.

In 1950, a public post appeared in Thèdes, that is to say at a private individual who in exchange for allow access to the public, did not pay a subscription.

In 1954, a second public post was opened in Chatrat, then another in Pardon in 1960, Beaune-le-Chaud
and Berzet will have theirs in 1973.

In 1971, a dental surgeon is reported to Theix and it is only the following year that we find a doctor based in Saint-Genès-Champanelle; previously, from 1930 to 1960, there was a doctor from Ceyrat who reported to the Champanelloises and Champanellois, Doctor ATTAIX.

The town hall will have the telephone, number 10, after the second world war. (1st appearance noted from 1947).

Firefighters appear in the directory in 1972, but what were they called before? We called the town hall, a resident told us, and this one was sending someone...

We will have the number of the Romagnat gendarmerie than in 1972 as well as the numbers of INRA employees who settle in the Red Coast.

For 4 to 5 years, Father Bachelard, parish priest of the parish will have number 11, from 1947 to 1950.
The Family Allowance colony set up at the Château de Theix, will appear in 1954 and that of the Children's Work in the Mountain in 1956, in the pavilions that had housed prisoners Russians at the end of World War II.

In 1954, pharmacists appeared in Theix with the number 20.
The Center for Zootechnical Research and Veterinarians has an issue in 1968.

In 1960, the Compagnie Sablière de la Seine begins the exploitation of a quarry at Puy de la Vache since she gets number 24.
The Fontfreyde quarries are already marked in 1912 in the new directory of Puy-de-Dôme but not don't feel the need to have the phone.

Between 1958 and 1960, the gas station of Monsieur Mijoint in Theix obtains number 13. A Manson, begin mining a quarry that will have number 2.

In 1960, only 4 subscribers out of 30 did not reference to their professional activity in their listing in the directory. These 30 followers don't represent all the same in 1960 than of the population.

From 1922 and at least until 1960 appears in the General Directory of the Center a public display, private entrepreneur, whose profession today replaced by the big billboard companies, was to organize public postings in the villages of the common, according to the request of customers wishing to make the advertisement. This posting was subject to a tax municipal, and a stamp on the displays allowed to control the payment.

The year 1968 is fatal to wheelwrights, farriers and teachers which disappear from the General Directory of the Centre.

In 1969, the great revolution was the appearance of 6-digit numbers automatic telephone: no need for switchboard now except to Manson who will not switch in the automatic only 3 years later in 1972, the year the number of subscribers will increase to 66 to reach 91 in 1973. The democratization of the telephone began to be a reality, estimating an average of 4 people per household, we go up to about 25% of households owning the phone in 1973 and maybe more, the average number of children having been higher than 4 at that time.

Nowadays the mobile phone and the communications via internet shuffled the cards and we can no longer make statistics. These data come from of different editions of the New Yearbook of Puy-de-Dôme and the General Directory of the Centre. They are of relative accuracy, their update being irregular and non-exhaustive.

listed crosses	59
old postcards of the commune	156
old postcards except commune	47
old postcards of Puy de Dôme	118
associations listed on the commune	186
Gordon-Bennett Cup	74