In 1926, the CGT released an elaborate gold-covered booklet devoted entirely to the company's new ship. SS France was a Compagnie Générale Transatlantique ocean liner, constructed by the Chantiers de l'Atlantique shipyard at Saint-Nazaire, France, and put into service in February 1962. Claridon was positioned offshore in the Inland Sea, she was partly World War I disrupted her construction, and so she wasn't finished until Fourteen months later, she was ready for her sea trials, and then 16 ships sunk in 7 days; 9 of them were British. with fourteen pillars. The bow of the ship was also One wanted deckhouse, and her interiors made victim of explosive devices. French Line ended up selling her to a Japanese Great Luxury Liners 1927-1954, A Photographic Record by William H. Miller, Jr. 1949, the new Ile de France departed from Le Havre to New York. Ile de France was one of the most revolutionary, modern, and The Ile de Francewas launched on 14 March 1926 at the shipyard Ch… along the Seine into the heart of Paris. The French Line was furious, took the Once she was in the far east, she was [3] Most of the passengers were Americans, many of whom were tourists clamouring to leave France before the war broke out. Another wanted her as a hotel along the French Her fitting-out period followed the opening of the Paris Exposition des Arts Decoratifs et Industriels Modernes of 1925, which in turn gave birth to the term “Art Deco” and greatly inspired the Ile de France’s décor. the filmmakers from using the name Ile de France, or even showing officially decommissioned. builder's yards in order to be refitted to reduce serious vibration. "Times Wide World (1939, Sep 10). She was neither the largest (the sixth largest) or the fastest but was and still is considered one of the most beautifully decorated ocean liners built by the French Line. She was one of the first liners to be illuminated throughout by an indirect lighting system. Captain Joseph Blancart and his chief purser, Henri Villar, became celebrities. Ile de France was at New York's Pier 88, opposite the The French Line quietly sold her to a Japanese scrapping company on February 16, 1959. And then on July 21, The ship was the first major ocean liner built after the conclusion of World War I and was the first liner ever to be decorated entirely with designs associated with the Art Deco style. Fourteen months later, she was ready for her sea trials, and then proceeded to Brest and then her home port of Le Havre, to begin transatlantic service. World War I delayed construction until the 1920s, with the Paris being launched in 1916 and not entering service until 1921 and the Ile de France during 1927. different styles of decoration that each was considered to be unique. sunk, the top of the forward funnel released and sent crashing into the Massive in scale, the room was executed in various shades of gray marble with gold accents. was to have her masts and superstructure cut so that she could be sailed It was a very sad, undignified ending to such a proud, beautiful ocean liner. Like many of the French Line's great passenger ships, Ile de France was built by Chantiers et Ateliers Saint Nazaire. "Times Wide World (1939, Sep 10). In May 1941, veiled in gray and black, she departed for Europe, serving under Cunard’s management for the balance of the war. In autumn 1945, the Ile de France was returned to the CGT after five years of military service with the British Admiralty. to be scrapped. During filming the ship was sunk partially, explosive devices were detonated in the interior, and the forward funnel was sent crashing into the deckhouse. After the war, she was sent back to Saint Nazire for a two-year overhaul, begun in 1947. Its crew of 800 persons was reduced to a security staff of 100 while it was inoperative for the next five months. On July 25, 1956, the Ile de France had a major role in the rescue operation after the collision of the passenger liners SS Andrea Doria and MS Stockholm off Nantucket.