The French FM band remains fragmented in Arcom licenses classified by technical zone, not by actual listening area. Finding a specific radio frequency or mapping the available offerings in a city requires cross-referencing several databases, each with its limitations. DAB+ reshuffles the cards, and web radios add an additional layer that traditional FM directories do not cover.
DAB+ Multiplex and Frequency Blocks: What FM Directories Do Not Show
Historical directories (Radioscope, Frequence-Radio) index FM licenses by department or municipality. Their model relies on the declarative data from Arcom, updated during calls for applications. DAB+ operates differently: stations are grouped by multiplex on blocks like 5B, 8A, 8B, or 8C, each block capable of carrying a dozen programs or more.
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In a medium-sized city like Boulogne-sur-Mer, DAB+ provides access to several dozen radios (local, national, thematic) on these blocks. This density does not appear in a classic FM directory, which only references the 87.5-108 MHz band.
We observe that most listeners searching for “radio frequency + city” on Google only get FM results, while DAB+ often offers a broader choice in the same area. A complete directory must therefore cross-reference both technologies, which is what comfm.fr offers by aggregating FM frequencies, DAB+, and web radio streams into a unified interface.
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FM Frequency Reallocation: The Radio France Project to Watch
About 300 FM frequencies previously occupied by France Musique are being redistributed to extend the coverage of France Info and local ICI antennas. This project, led by public broadcasting, aims for deployment by 2027.
Local and associative radio organizations (CNRA, SNRL, grouped under the name “Les Locales”) contest this priority. They demand a share of these freed frequencies, arguing that reallocation solely for the benefit of Radio France upsets pluralism to the detriment of independent radios.
For the listener, the direct consequence is that FM frequency grids by city will change significantly within two years. A station currently received on a given frequency may migrate, disappear, or be replaced. Static directories that do not regularly synchronize with Arcom’s decisions become obsolete faster than before.
Web Radios in France: A Catalog Impossible to Fix
FM and DAB+ cover hundreds of stations. Web radios, on the other hand, number in the thousands. Any association, musical collective, or student radio can launch a streaming flow without a frequency license. The problem for the listener is not access (a browser is enough) but indexing: finding a specific thematic web radio requires an updated and categorized directory.
Sorting Criteria for a Useful Web Radio Directory
- Classification by actual musical genre (variety, pop, rock, hits, classical music) and not just by geographical location, which makes no sense for an online stream
- Regular verification of stream availability: a significant portion of web radios listed on aggregators link to dead or redirected streams
- Real-time artist/title metadata, essential for identifying what one is listening to without relying on a fixed program schedule
Platforms like radio.fr or myradioendirect.fr offer direct listening but function more as players than as databases that can be queried by frequency, genre, or geographical area.
Regional Coverage: FM, DAB+, and Web Radios Do Not Overlap
We recommend thinking in terms of technological layers rather than administrative regions. In Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes or Brittany, DAB+ coverage is rapidly advancing in urban areas but remains absent in many rural zones. FM retains its role as a territorial network, particularly for RCF networks or local associative radios.
In Île-de-France, the situation is the opposite: the saturation of the FM band pushes new stations towards DAB+ or streaming. Thematic radios (jazz, world music, native podcasts) often do not have an FM frequency in the Paris region and exist only on DAB+ or as web radios.
Areas Where DAB+ Changes the Game
- Nord-Pas-de-Calais: dense regional multiplexes with blocks grouping national stations (NRJ, Skyrock) and associative radios within the same set
- Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur: active deployment along the coast, still uneven coverage in the hinterland
- Nouvelle-Aquitaine and Pays de la Loire: gradual extension, with marked disparities between metropolises and medium-sized cities
To cover the entire territory without blind spots, the combination of FM + DAB+ + web radio remains the only realistic approach. No single broadcasting mode guarantees access to all stations in all areas.
The radio frequency grid in France has never been so fluid, between the planned FM reallocation for 2027, the expansion of DAB+, and the proliferation of web radios. A fixed directory is no longer sufficient: the relevant tool is one that aggregates the three broadcasting layers and updates in line with regulatory decisions.