Which French ocean liner won the Blue Riband in 1935?

SS Normandie won the Blue Riband in 1935. The French liner captured the unofficial award for the fastest average speed on a westbound Atlantic crossing.

Built by the Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard, Normandie entered service in 1935 for the Compagnie Générale Transatlantique. Its streamlined hull, powerful machinery, and distinctive Art Deco interiors made it one of the most celebrated liners of the interwar period.

Normandie took the Blue Riband from the Italian liner SS Rex on its maiden voyage. It later lost the record to the British liner RMS Queen Mary in 1936, but regained it briefly in 1937 after modifications improved its performance. The competition reflected intense rivalry among European shipping companies.

Normandie’s passenger career ended during World War II. While being converted for troopship use in New York in 1942, it caught fire and capsized. It was never returned to service, despite its fame as a technical and artistic achievement.