The Compagnie Gnrale Transatlantique (CGT), typically known overseas as the French Line, was a French shipping company. Established in 1855 by the brothers ...mile and Issac Preire under the name Compagnie Gnrale Maritime, the company was entrusted by the French government to transport mails to North America. In 1861, the name of the company was changed to Compagnie Gnrale Transatlantique. The company's first vessel, SS Washington, had its maiden voyage on 15 June 1864. After a period of trials and errors in the late 19th century, the company, under the direction of its presidents Jules Charles-Roux and John Dal Piaz, gained fame in the 1910s and 1930s with its prestigious ocean liners such as SS Paris, SS le de France, and especially SS Normandie. Read more