SS Paris: An Art Nouveau Châteaux

The French Line (Companie Generale Transatlantique, or CGT) operated some of the most distinctive vessels in the 1920s and 1930s.  CGT made their reputation for outstanding service, haute cuisine, and cutting-edge interior decor.  In these respects, French vessels were ahead of the competition.  From the end of World War I, the British lines operated the fastest and largest liners on the North Atlantic (and the colonial routes as well).  The German lines were slowly rebuilding and the Americans ran a fleet of slower but pleasant liners.  These vessels were, however, “dry” and unpopular with fashionable travelers.  The savvy travelers sailed on British or French vessels in those days.

Paris passes Lafayette at sea.

Unlike Cunard or North German Lloyd, the French Line did not build sister ships.  Each vessel was unique and often an improvement over the previous liner.  The France (1912) for instance, was a masterpiece of the use of historic styles and its Louis XIV dinning saloon, outshone anything built by the Sun King himself.  She was the only four-funneled liner in the French service and became known as the “chateaux of the Atlantic.”  The France’s interior design and impeccable service earned her a following and gave stiff competition to British and French vessels.  CGT brochures promised: “France, you know, really starts at Pier 57, New York!”

In the midst of war, the next great CGT liner was launched.  This new ship was larger, marginally faster, but most importantly, incorporated the newest Parisian styles.  The aptly-named Paris was destined for greatness.  When she entered service in 1921, she was the first vessel on the Atlantic decorated in Art Nouveau.  The splendid first class grand staircase foyer and dining saloon was exquisitely modern for the time but also unpretentious.  The design of the Paris marks a key transition away from the Jacobean, Tudor, and Baroque themes common to the vessels built before the 1920s.  There were hints too, of Art Deco, which made a splash six years later in the beloved (and hence copied) lIe de France (1927).

Grand Staircase and foyer.

The most expensive first class suites were named for a city or region and offered an eclectic choice of designs that differed from the Art Nouveau public rooms. Many of the first class staterooms had windows rather than portholes.  An extensive telephone system, a rarity in the early 1920s, served many of the first class cabins. 

1:1250 model of Paris by Mercator and original French Line postcard with private dining room from a first class suite.

The food served on the Paris was considered the best at sea and it was claimed more seagulls followed her in search of scraps tossed overboard. Her first class dining saloon could accommodate 540-- nearly all of the first class passengers-- in a single sitting.

First class dining saloon.

Paris was a popular ship, but feel victim to the Great Depression.  She was sent on cruises and laid up for a time.  In 1929, a fire damaged many blocks of staterooms and she was laid up for a year undergoing repairs.  On April 18, 1939, a second fire broke out.  Despite efforts to control the blaze, she succumbed to the flames and rolled onto her port side.  Almost prophetically, the CGT flagship, Normandie was dry docked nearby and would soon suffer an identical fate. 

Paris (1921-1939)  Built for French Line by Chantiers de l’Atlantique, St. Nazaire, France.  34,569 Gross Tons.  764 feet long, 85 feet wide.  Steam turbines geared to quadruple screw.  Service speed 22 knots.  1,930 Total Passengers (560 First Class, 530 Second Class, 840 Third Class).