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Compagnie Générale de Navigation sur le lac Léman (CGN)
 
 
CGN Page 1: Paddle Steamers - 1822-1886
 
 
This page is one of a series devoted to postcards and photographs of the Compagnie Générale de Navigation sur le lac Léman (CGN), and its predecessors. A list of ships shown on this page is shown below. The ship reference numbers relate to those used in the book Schiffart auf dem Genfersee, by Meister, Gwerder and Liechti, the primary reference work on the Geneva steamers. Below this is the Fleet List - Part 1 in chronological order. There is a table of individual ship histories on the CGN Header Page.
 
When the US consul to France, Edward Church, arrived in Geneva, he was amazed to find that there were no steam boats in service on the lake. He obtained a concession to initiate such a service from the Cantons of Vaud and Geneva, and ordered a wooden hull to be built by Mauriac in Bordeaux, plus an engine and boiler from Liverpool. On Wednesday 28th May, 1823, the Guillaume Tell (1), the first steamer on Lake Geneva, was completed, entering service on the 18th June. Edward Church soon sold his interest to a combination of buyers from Geneva and Bordeaux, and in 1824 the Société du Bateaux à Vapeur le Guillaume-Tell was formed. The success of Guillaume Tell (1) prompted the formation a a rival concern, the Enterprise du Winkelried, whose steamer Winkelried (1) entered service in 1824. The two concerns combined in 1829, to form the Compagnie Genevoise des Bateaux à Vapeur Réunis.
 
 
Ships on This Page:-
1: Guillaume Tell (1) (1823-36)
2: Winkelried (1) (1824-1842)
3: Léman Remorquer (1826-1829)
4: Léman (1) (1826-1837) - later Léman (2)
5: Aigle (1) (1836-1841) - later Aigle (2), Simplon (1)
6: Léman (2) (1838-1856) - ex-Léman (1)
7: Helvétie (1) (1841-1918)
8: Aigle (2) (1842-1860) - ex-Aigle (1), later Simplon (1)
8: Simplon (1) (1860-1874) - ex-Aigle (1), Aigle (2)
9: Guillaume Tell (2) (1853-96)
10: Ville-de-Nyon (1853-1856) - later Italie (1)
10: Italie (1) (1856-1875) - ex-Ville-de-Nyon
11: Hirondelle (1856-1862)
12: Rhône No.1 (1855-1883)
13: Aigle (3) (1857-1918)
14: Rhône No.2 (1857-1865) - later Chillon
14: Chillon (1857-1865) - ex-Rhône No.2
15: Léman (3) (1857-1927) - later Léman (4)
15: Léman (4) (1942-1989) - ex-Léman (3)
16: Dranse (1859-65) - later Mont Blanc (1)
16: Mont Blanc (1) (1859-65) - ex-Dranse
17: Chablais (1) (1866-1873)
18: La Flèche (1866-1872) - later Ville de Genève, Guillaume Tell
18: Ville de Genève (1872-1893) - ex-La Flèche, later Guillaume Tell
18: Guillaume Tell (3) (1893-1912) - ex-La Flèche, Ville de Genève
19: Bonivard (1868-1925)
20: Winkelried (2) (1871-1918)
21: Mouche No.1 (1874-1885) - later Abeille
21: Abeille (1885-1901) - ex-Mouche No.1
22: Mouche No.2 (1874-1885) - later Ville d'Evian
22: Ville d'Evian (1885-1901) - ex-Mouche No.2
23: Mouette (1875-1907)
24: Mont Blanc (2) (1875-1893) - later La Suisse (1), Evian
24: La Suisse (1) (1893-1910) - ex-Mont Blanc (2), later Evian
24: Evian (1910-1940) - ex-Mont Blanc (2), La Suisse (1)
25: Cygne (1875-1910)
26: Mouche No.3 (1875-1885) - later Ville de Vevey
26: Ville de Vevey (1885-1897) - ex-Mouche No.3
27: Jura (1879-1905)
28: Simplon (2) (1879-1915) - later Guillaume Tell (4)
28: Guillaume Tell (4) (1915-1917) - ex-Simplon (2)
29: Dauphin (1882-1917)
30: France (1886-1933)
 
CGN Pages:-
CGN Header Page
CGN - Page 1 - Paddle Steamers 1822-1886 - this page!
CGN - Page 2 - Paddle Vessels 1887-2004
CGN - Page 3 - Screw Motor Vessels
CGN - Page 4 - The 2004 Fleet
CGN - Page 5 - The 2005 Fleet
CGN - Page 6 - The 2006 Fleet
 
Associated Pages:-
2004 Holiday on Lake Geneva
2005 Weekend in Geneva
Ferry Postcards
Cruise Ship Postcards
Ocean Liner Postcards
Simplon Postcards Home Page
www.sub-rec.ch - Underwater images from lac Leman including wrecks of Cygne, Rhone (1), Simplon (1), etc
 
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CGN Fleet List - Page 1
 
 
1: Guillaume Tell (1) (1823-36)
 
When the US consul to France, Edward Church, arrived in Geneva, he was amazed to find that there were no steam boats in service on the lake. He obtained a concession to initiate such a service from the Cantons of Vaud and Geneva, and ordered a wooden hull to be built by Mauriac in Bordeaux, plus an engine and boiler from Liverpool. On Wednesday 28th May, 1823, the Guillaume Tell (1), the first steamer on Lake Geneva, was completed, entering service on the 18th June. Guillaume Tell (1) was about 25m long and carried 200 passengers. Edward Church soon sold his interest to a combination of buyers from Geneva and Bordeaux, and in 1824 the Société du Bateaux à Vapeur le Guillaume-Tell was formed. The success of Guillaume Tell (1) prompted the formation a a rival concern, the Enterprise du Winkelried, whose steamer Winkelried (1) entered service in 1824. The two concerns combined in 1829.
 
 
A modern art card of Guillaume Tell (1), the first steamboat on Lake Geneva.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
2: Winkelried (1) (1824-1842)
 
The success of Guillaume Tell (1) prompted the formation a a rival concern, the Enterprise du Winkelried, whose vessel of that name entered service in 1824. Her wooden hull was again built by Mauriac of Bordeaux, and the boiler and machinery also came from the UK. In 1829, Enterprise du Winkelried, merged with their rivals, the Société du Bateaux à Vapeur le Guillaume-Tell. Winkelried was withdrawn in 1842. Winkelried (1) was 29m long and carried 300 passengers.
 
 
A contemporary print of Winkelried (1).
 
A contemporary print of Winkelried (1) at Vevey-Marché in 1825.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
4: Léman (1) (1826-1837)
6: Léman (2) (1838-1856)
 
In 1824 a company was formed in Lausanne to compete with the Geneva- based steamers Guillaume Tell (1) and Winkelried (1). The Léman (1) was built by Boulton & Watt of Birmingham, using their own machinery, and was launched on Saturday 15th July 1826, entering service on Sunday 23rd July. Following the arrival of the Aigle (1) in 1836, Léman (1) was totally rebuilt by Escher Weiss of Zurich, effectively returning as a new ship, generally referred to as the Léman (2). Léman (1) was 36.9m long and carried 500 passengers, dimensions which were unchanged when the new iron hull was built becoming Léman (2). She retained her original engines by Boulton & Watt, although nominal power increased from 60hp to 76hp (higher pressure boiler?).
 
 
A contemporary print of Léman (1).
 
A modern art card of Léman (1).
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
5: Aigle (1) (1836-1841)
 
Aigle (1) was the last wooden-hulled steamer built for Lake Geneva, hull and engines being built by Miller and Ravenhill in London. She was owned by the Compagnie Genevoise des Bateaux à Vapeur Réunis, owners of Guillaume Tell (1) and Winkelried (1). Aigle (1) was 36.9m long and carried 500 passengers. Despite being relatively new, the new iron hull of Léman (2) showed the future, and Aigle was similarly rebuilt between 1841-1842. The new iron hull for Aigle (2) was also supplied by Miller and Ravenhill. Subsequent history is covered on this link.
 
 
A contemporary print of Aigle (1).
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
7: Helvétie (1) (1841-1918)
 
Helvétie (1) was built for a new operator, the Compagnie de l'Helvétie, by Ditchborne & Mar of the UK, who also built her engines. Her had the latest Scotch boilers and oscillating engines, and was very economical compared to her predecessors. In 1858 she was in an accident with Aigle (2) near Nyon, and 16 people died. The captain was blamed and the company had to pay a fine, which caused it to fail. A new company Société de l'Helvétie, was formed to continue services. A few years later, she was owned by Compagnie du Bateau à Vapeur l'Helvétie. In 1872 she was totally rebuilt, receiving new boilers and machinery from Escher Weiss. The following year, she was bought by the new Compagnie Générale de Navigation sur le lac Léman (CGN). In 1880, Helvétie (1) received a wheelhouse ahead of her funnel. She survived until 1918, when she was sold for scrap.
 
 
A contemporary print of Helvétie (1) at Lausanne-Ouchy.
 
A modern art card of Helvétie (1), as built.
 
An early photograph of Helvétie (1), c.1860.
 
Photograph of Helvétie (1), as rebuilt in 1872.
 
Postcard of Helvétie (1), at Thonon-les-Bains.
 
Postcard of Helvétie (1), and Cygne (left), at Geneva.
 
Postcard of Helvétie (1), at Clarens.
 
Postcard of Helvétie (1), at Geneva, with later white hull, received in 1910.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
8: Aigle (2) (1842-1860)
8: Simplon (1) (1860-1874)
 
Aigle (1) had been built as the last wooden-hulled steamer of Lake Geneva, hull and engines being built by Miller and Ravenhill in London. Despite being relatively new, the new iron hull of Léman (2) showed the future, and Aigle (1) was rebuilt with an iron hull by her original builders Miller and Ravenhill between 1841-1842. The new Aigle (2) was longer at 50.5m, and retained her Miller and Ravenhill engines. These were later replaced by more modern 2-cylinder compound oscillating engines by Escher Weiss. She could carry 700 passengers, 200 more than in her original format. In 1860, Aigle (2) was sold to the Compagnie des Chemins de fer de la Ligne d'Italie an renamed Simplon (1). On the creation of Compagnie Générale de Navigation sur le lac Léman (CGN), in 1873, Simplon (1) was hired for one year. She was then out of use until bought by CGN in 1879 for use as a pontoon in Jardin-Anglais at Geneva, surviving in this form until 1935, when she was taken out into the lake and scuttled. She was replaced as a pontoon by the France.
 
 
Photograph of Aigle (2) at Geneva.
 
Photograph of Simplon (1) (ex-Aigle (1), Aigle (2)) and Hirondelle (behind) at Geneva in 1862.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
9: Guillaume Tell (2) (1853-96)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
10: Ville-de-Nyon (1853-1856)
10: Italie (1) (1856-1875)
 
Photograph of Italie (1) at Geneva.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
11: Hirondelle (1856-1862)
 
Hirondelle was the first steamer on Lake Geneva of totally Swiss construction, built by Escher Wyss of Zurich in 1856.
 
 
Photograph of Hirondelle, at Geneva in 1860.
 
Enlarged image from the photograph of Hirondelle, at Geneva in 1860.
 
Photograph of Simplon (1) and Hirondelle (behind) at Geneva in 1862.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
12: Rhône No.1 (1855-1883)
 
Photograph of Rhône No.1 at Geneva.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
13: Aigle (3) (1857-1918)
 
Aigle (3) at Ouchy.
 
Aigle (3) at Geneva.
 
Aigle (3) at Geneva.
 
Aigle (3) at Geneva, with Général Dufour passing.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
14: Rhône No.2 (1857-1865)
14: Chillon (1857-1865)
 
Photograph of Rhône No.2.
 
 
Photograph of Chillon at Geneva.
 
Photograph of Chillon at Morges.
 
Photograph of Chillon.
 
Photograph of Chillon at Geneva.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
15: Léman (3) (1857-1927)
 
Early photograph of Léman (3) at Geneva.
 
Early photograph of Léman (3) at Montreux.
 
Postcard of Léman (3) at Thonon-les-Bains.
 
Photograph of Léman (3) at Geneva, with Winkelried (2) behind.
 
Postcard of Léman (3) at Geneva - Winkelried (2) is behind her.
 
Postcard of Léman (3) at Geneva - Winkelried (2) is behind her.
 
Photograph of Léman (3).
 
Photograph of Léman (3) with white hull.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
16: Dranse (1859-65)
16: Mont Blanc (1) (1859-65)
 
Mont Blanc (1) at Geneva.
 
Photograph of Mont Blanc (1).
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
17: Chablais (1) (1866-1873)
 
Chablais (1) at Geneva.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
18: La Flèche (1866-1872)
18: Ville de Genève (1) (1872-1893)
18: Guillaume Tell (3) (1893-1912)
 
Ville de Genève (1) at Geneva.
 
Guillaume Tell (3) at Evian-les-Bains.
 
Photograph of Guillaume Tell (3).
 
Guillaume Tell (3) at Geneva.
 
Postcard of Guillaume Tell (3).
 
Postcard of Guillaume Tell (3) and Winkelried (2) at Geneva.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
19: Bonivard (1869-1925)
 
A contemporary painting of Bonivard.
 
An early photograph of Bonivard.
 
Postcard of Bonivard leaving Montreux.
 
Postcard of Bonivard leaving Montreux.
 
Postcard of Bonivard at Ouchy.
 
Postcard of Bonivard at Evians les Bains.
Click to open larger image in new window
 
Postcard of Bonivard at Evians-les-Bains.
 
Postcard of Bonivard leaving Vevey.
 
Postcard of Bonivard arriving at Vevey.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
20: Winkelried (2) (1871-1918)
 
Postcard of Winkelried leaving Geneva.
 
Postcard of Winkelried leaving Geneva.
 
Postcard of Winkelried at Le Bouveret.
 
Winkelried at Villeneuve.
 
Winkelried at Geneva, with white hull.
 
Postcard of Winkelried (2) in white at Geneva, behind the Guillaume Tell (3).
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
23: Mouette (1875-1907)
 
Postcard of Mouette at Geneva, with Simplon (2) in left background.
 
Postcard of Mouette at Geneva, with Simplon (2) in right background.
Original photograph taken a few minutes after the one above.
 
Postcard of Mouette at Geneva.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
24: Mont Blanc (2) (1875-1893)
24: La Suisse (1) (1893-1910)
24: Evian (1910-1940)
 
Mont Blanc (2) was the first saloon steamer on Lake Geneva. She was an unattractive ship with little sheer and an upright funnel. Mont Blanc's career was cut short by a boiler explosion in 1883. She was completely rebuilt, appearing as the more attractive La Suisse (1). La Suisse (1) was renamed Evian in 1910, to release the name for the new flagship the La Suisse (2).
 
There is a complete history of this ship on this link
 
 
Photograph of Mont Blanc (2) leaving Geneva.
 
A contemporary print of the explosion on Mont Blanc (2).
 
 
 
Postcard of the rebuilt La Suisse (1) at Geneva.
 
Postcard of the La Suisse (1) at Villeneuve.
 
Postcard of the La Suisse (1) at the Quai du Mont-Blanc, Geneva, now used each day by the La Suisse (2).
 
Postcard of the La Suisse (1) at the Quai du Mont-Blanc, Geneva, now used each day by the La Suisse (2).
 
 
 
Postcard of the Evian - renamed in 1910 to release the name for the new flagship La Suisse (2).
 
Postcard of the Evian (ex-La Suisse (1)).
 
Postcard showing both Evian and Lausanne (1) leaving Geneva.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
25: Cygne (1875-1910)
 
A modern art postcard of Cygne.
 
Cygne and Helvétie (1) (right) at Geneva.
 
Cygne at Geneva.
 
Cygne at Geneva.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
26: Mouche No.3 (1875-1885)
26: Ville de Vevey (1885-1897)
 
Photograph of Ville de Vevey.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
27: Jura (1879-1905)
 
Photograph of Jura.
 
Photograph of Jura at Geneva.
 
Photograph of Jura at Geneva.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
28: Simplon (2) (1879-1915)
28: Guillaume Tell (4) (1915-1917)
 
Simplon (2) was renamed Guillaume Tell (4) in 1915 after work started on Simplon (3).
 
 
Postcard of Simplon (2) at Montreux.
 
Photograph of Simplon (2).
 
Postcard of Simplon (2) at Geneva.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
29: Dauphin (1882-1917)
 
Photograph of Dauphin, with original funnel and without wheelhouse.
 
Photograph of Dauphin, with wheelhouse.
 
Photograph of Dauphin, with new funnel and fixed cover aft.
 
Photograph of Dauphin, with white hull.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
30: France (1886-1933)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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