# SS France



## MatthewCox

Hey everyone

I just watched an Air Crash Investigation yesterday that looked into Proteus Airlines Flight 706, the accident involved the former SS France (at the time she was the Norway) which started my interest in the France. She was a great liner and cruise ship, for me especially a while back I learnt that my father saw her at Le Havre in 1976 (he was 11 at the time). So what do you think of her and do any of you remember her as either the France or the Norway?

Thanks again

Matthew


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## IAN M

I saw her in the Forth in 1972. There's picture of her in My Gallery.


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## 5036

I saw her as Norway, on her final visit to the Clyde in 2001.

Some pictures here:
http://www.theqe2story.com/forum/index.php?topic=1364.0


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## holland25

France visited Mauritius in the early 70s as part of a world cruise.One of the stories going around at the time,was that a number of dead husbands were being kept in cold storage while their wives continued on the cruise.


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## William Clark8

Did She not hold the Blue Riband for a while?


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## fred henderson

William Clark8 said:


> Did She not hold the Blue Riband for a while?


No. She was fast, but not that fast. She was a financial white elephant for the French Government, who subsidised her building and made up the ever growing annual operational losses. The loss for 1973 was £10 million and the following year the Government threw in the towel. This led the crew members of the French seamen's union to seize the ship and demand that the Government agree to continue to subsidize their employment before they would release the passengers. Their action eventually collapsed and the Government ignored that it was technically a mutiny. As a result however the transatlantic service was ended earlier than intended.


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## Mariner44

Sailed on the s.s. Norway in the early '90s. Lovely art deco cabins. Lots of original features in the public areas, and the covered promenade deck was so pleasant to walk around. I also saw her as the s.s. France during my apprentice days.


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## Stephen J. Card

nav said:


> I saw her as Norway, on her final visit to the Clyde in 2001.
> 
> Some pictures here:
> http://www.theqe2story.com/forum/index.php?topic=1364.0


Excellent! I was on board, Miami to NY then Clyde to Le Havre then Southampton. Was also on board for the transatlantic 1996 crossing.

The day Greenock we went up to Glasgow to drinks at The Gordon then round to L'Aristo for lunch. A bit of a reunion of old Denholm pals.

The crossing was a bit of rough time... we were sitting for lunch when the captain made announcement, "A small light aircraft had hit one of the World Trade building."

Thanks for the photos too.

Stephen


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## Old Se Dog

*france*

France called in capetown and durban in the 70's if i recall - as you can see by the attached pictures


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