SS France was the world’s longest passenger ship when it entered service in 1961.
The French Line’s SS France entered service in February 1962 after being launched in 1960 at the Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard in Saint-Nazaire. At 1,035 feet, or about 315.7 metres, it was the longest passenger ship then built.
France operated as both a transatlantic liner and a cruise ship. Its size reflected the demands of a changing travel market: it had to provide fast scheduled service between Europe and North America while also accommodating cruise passengers. The rise of jet aircraft soon made regular liner crossings less commercially attractive.
The ship was withdrawn from French Line service in 1974 and later returned to operation as the cruise ship Norway. It was renamed Blue Lady near the end of its life and was eventually scrapped. SS France is distinct from SS Normandie, the earlier French Line flagship that held the speed record in the 1930s.