January 2023 marked 50 years since the branch facilities in the Normandy region of France first began operating. The dedication of these facilities was held about six months later, on June 9, 1973.

Prior to the construction of the Normandy facility, France Bethel operated exclusively from the city of Boulogne-Billancourt, near Paris. However, that facility eventually proved to be too small to adequately care for the steady increase in the number of Kingdom publishers in the country. Additionally, literature was being printed and shipped from the United States to France via the western port city of Le Havre, which was located some 200 kilometers (124 mi) from the branch. Therefore, in an effort to reduce the amount of time, travel, and related expenses, the brothers began searching for a property between these two cities on which to build an annex to the existing Bethel facilities.

The brothers eventually found and purchased a suitable piece of land in the small Normandy town of Louviers, located about 100 kilometers (62 mi) from both Paris and Le Havre. Construction on the annex began in 1972 and lasted eight months.

The number of Kingdom publishers increased steadily in the years that followed. This growth necessitated multiple expansions of the Normandy facility. Thereafter, a nearby piece of land was purchased, additional residence buildings were constructed, and in 1996 the remaining members of the Bethel family serving in Boulogne-Billancourt were moved to Normandy.

Today, there are over 162,000 Kingdom publishers preaching the good news in the 13 countries cared for by the France branch. And while printing operations ceased in Normandy in 1998, the facilities have been redesigned to support other aspects of the Kingdom preaching and teaching work. This includes the translation of Bible-based materials into 24 languages. The branch also cares for various video productions. At present, there are more than 400 brothers and sisters working at the branch.

We delight in seeing Jehovah ‘speed up’ the preaching work in France!—Isaiah 60:22.