Picture History of the French Line - 1997

Front Cover, Picture History of the French Line by William H. Miller, Jr., 1997. Cover Design by Frank J. Moore. GGA Image ID # 2090642b71

From the Publisher

Superb pictorial history of the company's fleet of formidable passenger ships: Ile de France, Normandie, Liberte, Colombie, Antilles, Flandre, France and many more. Over 170 black-and-white photographs document exteriors and interiors, celebrity passengers and shipboard life, while an extensive caption for each vessel give its history, outstanding characteristics, size, speed, builder and other data. A loving tribute that will appeal to the legions of ocean-liner enthusiasts.

Contents

Credits

Introduction, by Brian Chappell

1. Sails, Paddle Wheels, and Steam
2. Size, Luxury, and Style
3. Other Ships, Other Routes
4. Paquebot Extraordinaire: the Normandie
5. Refit, Restoration, Revival
6. Glorious Prize of War: the Liberté
7. Smart New Sisters: the Flandre and the Antilles
8. Other Frenchmen
9. End of the Line: the France of 1961

Bibliography

Index of Ships Illustrated

Back Cover, Picture History of the French Line by William H. Miller, Jr., 1997. GGA Image ID # 2090c455c5

From the Back Cover

For well over a century, the Compagnie Générale Transatlantique—the French Line—reigned as one of the world's most successful fleets of passenger ships. But by the mid-1970s, faced with heavy competition from continent-hopping passenger planes, this company and many other great steamship lines had discontinued mainly passenger service.

This impressive pictorial reference, by noted maritime historian William H. Miller, Jr., includes a wealth of vintage photographs celebrating the legendary French Line. With its origins dating back to 1855, the company was renowned for ocean liners that were not only dazzling in design and decorative beauty but were also admired for the unique, high level of service offered aboard such formidable ships as the Ile de France, Normandie, Liberté, Colombie, Antilles, Flandre and France (whose sumptuous interior earned it the nickname "Château of the Atlantic").

Over 170 excellent black-and-white photographs focus on the ships' exteriors but also offer views of luxurious staterooms, cabins, and lounges, as well as exciting glimpses of such celebrity passengers as Maurice Chevalier, Cary Grant, Kim Novak, and Jane Powell. An informative introduction outlines the glittering history of the Line and its ships, while an extensive caption for each vessel details prominent characteristics, size, speed, builder, and other data.

A nostalgic and loving tribute to the great ships of the French Line, this comprehensive pictorial record will delight marine historians, ocean-liner enthusiasts, and anyone fascinated by the charm of sea travel.

Original Dover (1997) publication. Acknowledgments. Introduction. Captions. Bibliography. Index of ships illustrated. 173 halftones. 116pp. 8 1/2 x 11 1/2. Paperbound.

Index of Ships Illustrated

1. Antilles
2. Champlain
3. Champollion
4. Claude Bernard
5. Colombie
6. De Grasse (1924)
7. De Grasse (1956)
8. Félix Roussel
9. Ferdinand de Lesseps
10. Flandre (1914)
11. Flandre (1952)
12. France (1912)
13. France (1961)
14. Ile de France
15. Kairouan
16. l'Atlantique
17. La Champagne
18. La Marsaeillaise
19. La Touraine
20. Lafayette (1915)
21. Lafayette (1929)
22. Laos
23. Leopoldina
24. Liberté
25. Marrakech
26. Mermoz
27. Mexique
28. Normandie
29. Oregon
30. Paris
31. Pasteur
32. Rochambeau
33. Sampiero Corso
34. Suffren
35. Ville d'Oran
36. Washington

Library of Congress Catalog Listing

• Personal name: Miller, William H., 1948-
• Main title: Picture history of the French Line / William H. Miller, Jr.
• Published/Created: Mineola, NY : Dover Publications, 1997.
• Description: ix, 113 p. : ill. ; 30 cm.
• ISBN: 0486294439 (pbk.)
• LC Classification: HE945.C56 M55 1997
• Portion of title: French Line
• LC Subjects: Compagnie générale transatlantique--History--Pictorial works. Steamboat lines--France--History--Pictorial works. Ocean liners--France--History--Pictorial works.
• Notes: Includes bibliographical references (p. 111) and index.
• LCCN: 97005791
• Dewey class no.: 387.5/06/541
• Geographic area code: e-fr---
• Type of material: Book