Lives of the Liners: ILE DE FRANCE

ByBill Miller December 28, 2025December 28, 2025

A photo of Ile De France from the William H. Miller collection. — A photo of *Ile De France* from the William H. Miller collection.

One of the most important and innovative liners of all, this ship was perhaps mostly noted for the décor. It introduced Art Deco to the high seas – and a style soon copied and used by many other owners for their ships.

This 43,153-tonner, completed in 1927, was hugely popular on the Le Havre-New York run. Serving as an Allied troopship from 1940 until 1946, the Ile de France was restored as a passenger liner during a two-year refit 1947-49. In the process, the original three funnels were replaced with two of more contemporary design.