The Art of French Ocean Liners

 Front Cover and Spine, The Art of French Ocean Liners: The Triumph of Art Deco by Guillaume Morel, 2015. Cover Design and Layout by Laetitia Perotin. GGA Image ID # 204712e314

From the Back Cover, Translated from the French 

From the sumptuous lounges inspired by the grand decors of Versailles to the modernism of France in the 1960s and the Art Deco that triumphed aboard Normandy, liners were, for a century, the ambassadors of French luxury and elegance on all the seas of the world. 

There was, of course, the legendary Le Havre-New York crossing aboard the transatlantic liners. There were also many lines to distant lands, such as Egypt, Algeria, Greece, Saigon, and Cuba. 

Monumental staircases, spectacular dining rooms where the culinary art is at its peak, luxury suites worthy of the greatest palaces, music rooms, smoking rooms, swimming pools, and performance halls, nothing is too beautiful for a clientele hungry for comfort and entertainment. 

Through the archives of the Compagnie Générale Transatlantique and Messageries Maritimes - posters, photographs, drawings, watercolors, menus, pieces of goldwork - this book, rich in unpublished documents and tasty testimonies, is an actual invitation to travel. 

Embark as if you were there, on the liners France, Normandie, Paria, Liberie', Champollion, Aramio, André Lebon, Antilleo, or Ile-de-France, and share the daily lives of the passengers, but also that of all those who work in behind the scenes so that each crossing is an unforgettable dream.

Contents

Introduction

The Liner, a Total Work of Art Spectacular

• Construction Sites
• Nostalgia for past Centuries
• The Reign of Art Deco
• The Splendor of Normandy
• Towards Modernity
• Champagne!
• On board the training ships

Prepare for Your Trip

• Brochures and Leaflets
• Posters of Ocean Liners and Steamship Lines
• The Call of the Sea
• Conquering the Seas

The Excitement of the Departure

• The Adventure Begins at the Port
• Goods and Baggage
• Passenger Boarding

The Pleasures of Life on Board

• Occupy the Body and Mind
• A Day Punctuated by Meals
• Have Fun and Dance
• From Dormitories to Luxury Suites
• A Parade of Stars
• Writers, Singers and Boxers

At the Service of Passengers

• Under the Authority of the Commander
• At the Heart of the Machine
• Chefs and Scullions
• Personalized Service
• In the Middle of a Storm
• The Torments of History
• Doctors and Nurses, Health on Board

Stopovers and Destinations

• A Scent of Exoticism
• On Land as at Sea
• Driving in the Middle of the Desert

List of liners and cargo ships cited in the work

Back Cover, The Art of French Ocean Liners: The Triumph of Art Deco by Guillaume Morel, 2015. GGA Image ID # 20474abab6

Compagnie Générale Transatlantique

• Antilles (1953-1971)
• Champlain (1932-1940)
• Charles Roux (1909-1936)
• Chicago (1959-1976)
• Colombie (1931-1964)
• De Grasse (1924-1953)
• Flandre (1952-1968)
• Floride (1862-1874)
• Fort Carillon (1953-1969)
• Fort Pontchartrain (1969-1975)
• Fort Desaix (1953-1969)
• France (1912-1934)
• France (1962-1974)
• Île-de-France (1927-1959)
• Jacques Cartier (1929-1934)
• La Bourgogne (1886-1898)
• La Champagne (1886-1915)
• La Gascogne (1886-1912)
• La Lorraine (1900-1922)
• La Provence (1906-1916)
• Lafayette (1930-1938)
• Lamoricière (1921-1942)
• Liberté (1950-1962)
• Normandie (1935-1939)
• Paris (1921-1939)
• Rochambeau (1911-1934)
• Roussillon (1920-1931)
• Ville d'Alger (1890-1921) / (1935-1966)
• Ville d'Oran (l88o-l92l) / (1954-1965)
• Washington (1864-1899)
• Winnipeg (1930-1941)

Messageries Maritimes

• Amazone (1869-1898)
• André Lebon (1915-1952)
• Annam (1898-1904)
• Aramis (1932-1942)
• Armand Béhic (1892-1925)
• Athos (1915-1917)
• Atlantique (1900-1921)
• Australien (1890-1918)
• Champollion (1925-1952)
• D'Artagnan (1925-1942)
• Explorateur Grandidier (1926-1943)
• Félix Roussel (1931-1955)
• Ferdinand de Lesseps (1952-1969)
• Georges Philippar (1932-1932)
• Jean Laborde (1953-1970)
• La Bourdonnais (1953-1968)
• Laos (1954-1970)
• Lotus (1913-1932)
• Mariette Pacha (1926-1944)
• Paul Lecat (1912-1928)
• Pasteur (1966-1972)
• Pierre Loti (1953-1970)
• Porthos (1915-1942)
• Portugal (1887-1916)
• Sphinx (1915-1943)
• Tonkin (1898-1932)
• Ville de La Ciotat (1892-1915)

De la couverture arrière

Des fastueux salons inspirés des grands décors de Versailles au modernisme du France des années 1960 en passant par l’Art déco qui triomphe à bord de Normandie, les paquebots furent, pendant un siècle, les ambassadeurs du luxe et de l’élégance à la française sur toutes les mers du monde. Il y eut, bien sûr, la traversée mythique Le Havre-New York à bord des transatlantiques, mais aussi une multitude de lignes à destination de contrées lointaines, l'Egypte, l’Algérie, la Grèce, Saigon ou Cuba.  

Escaliers monumentaux, salles à manger spectaculaires où l’art culinaire est à son apogée, suites de luxe dignes des plus grands palaces, salons de musique, fumoirs, piscines et salles de spectacles, rien n’est alors trop beau pour une clientèle avide de confort et de divertissement.  

À travers les archives de la Compagnie Générale Transatlantique et des Messageries Maritimes — affiches, photographies, dessins, aquarelles, menus, pièces d’orfèvrerie... —, ce livre riche de documents inédits et de témoignages savoureux est une véritable invitation au voyage. Embarquez comme si vous y étiez, sur les paqubots France, Normandie, Paria, Liberie', Champollion, Aramio, André Lebon, Antilleo ou Ile-de-France, et partagez le quotidien des passagers, mais aussi celui de tous ceux qui œuvrent en coulisses pour que chaque traversée soit un rêve inoubliable.

About the Author

Guillaume Morel is a journalist. After studying art history at the University of Paris I Panthéon - Sorbonne, he was an editor for the magazine L'Œil and Le Journal des Arts between 2000 and 2006. Since then, it has collaborated regularly with the monthly Connaissance des Arts, which deals with ancient, modern, or contemporary art, painting, sculpture, decorative arts, design, heritage, or photography. He also works for Maison française magazine. In addition to his activities as a journalist, he is the author of the books De terre et d'esprit, le patrimoine spiritual de la Côte d'Or (Somogy, 2007), Art Déco and Les Préraphaélus, published by Editions Place des Victoires in 2013.

Inscription from Louise de Vilmorin Included in this Volume "Helas! il faut vébarguer! GGA Image ID # 204815259e

Library of Congress Catalog Listing

• Personal name: Morel, Guillaume, author.
• Main title: Paquebots : le triomphe de l'art déco : l'art du voyage à la française / Guillaume Morel.
• Published/Produced: Paris : Éditions Place des victoires, [2015]
• Description: 270 pages : illustrations (chiefly color) ; 29 cm
• ISBN: 9782809913071
• LC classification: MLCM 2018/46859 (V)
• Portion of title: Triomphe de l'art déco. Art du voyage à la française
• LC Subjects: Cruise ships--France--History--Pictorial works. Decoration and ornament--Art deco--Pictorial works.
• Notes: Minimal Level Cataloging Plus
• LCCN: 2016390270
• Geographic area code: e-fr---
• Other system no.: (Fr-PaAMA)AAL0696915-0001
• Type of material: Book
• Content type: still image, text
• Media type: unmediated
• Carrier type: volume