La Suisse (2) - Page 2 - Compagnie Générale de Navigation sur le lac Léman (CGN)


Page 2 - Modern Postcards


Compagnie Générale de Navigation sur le lac Léman (CGN)



This page is one of a series devoted to postcards and photographs of the Compagnie Générale de Navigation sur le lac Léman (CGN) steamer La Suisse (2). This page shows modern postcards of the La Suisse (2), issued after WW2. Other La Suisse (2) pages are listed below. There is a table of all CGN individual ship histories on the CGN Header Page.

La Suisse (2) was ordered in September 1908 from Sulzer Brothers of Winterthur. She entered service in May 1910, and became the flagship of CGN, a position held ever since. She was the first 70 metre steamer in Switzerland, making her the largest in the country. She could carry 1500 passengers (now 1350). Her size, but not length, was subsequently exceeded by Simplon (3) and Helvétie (2). She originally had two boilers, providing steam for a 1450 hp 2-cylinder compound engine, which gave a speed of 29.1 km/h.

The keel of La Suisse (2) was modified in 1918, and her boiler was re-tubed in 1927. She received an aluminium canopy for the upper deck at the same time. In 1931, the forward part of this deck was glazed in, but the enclosed smoking saloon was maintained. La Suisse (2) was laid up, like many other large units in the fleet, from 1940-1947, due to the war. She re-entered service in in 1948, and received a refit of saloons in 1952. Her boilers were converted to oil-firing during the winter of 1959-60. The glazed upper deck area was enlarged and modernised, and the smoking saloon removed at the same time. Large windows were also added to the front of the 2nd Class saloon.

During the 1968 season, La Suisse (2) failed several times due to problems with her boilers, which had to be replaced. They were replaced by a single large boiler from Siller & Jamart of Wuppertal. The electrical systems were upgraded from 65 volts to 220 volts at the same time, and she was fitted with an electro-hydraulic steering system. The funnel and wheelhouse were also replaced, La Suisse (2) being a rejuvenated vessel on her return to service in 1971. The single boiler proved far more economical than the the new double installation for Simplon (3) of 1967-68, resulting in the older ship seeing far more service in subsequent years. The engines of La Suisse (2) received major revisions in the winters of 1981-83. Subsequent modernisations included a water-recycling plant in 1984, and a heating system for the glazed upper deck. In 2003 the Association Patrimoine du Leman donated a new figurehead, and the diesel generators were replaced in the same year.

In her early career, La Suisse (2) was based at Geneva for a daily return run along the length of the lake to Bouveret, replacing the La Suisse (1) which was renamed Evian and assigned to secondary services. In the 21st Century she has returned to this rota, leaving Geneva Mont Blanc pier at 9:00hrs each morning in 2005. During much of the 1980s and 1990s, La Suisse (2) was based in Lausanne-Ouchy. She ran a daily lunch cruise to Evian-les-Bains, followed by a circuit of the Upper Lake leaving Ouchy at 14:15 hrs. In some years she then took an evening commuter return to Evian, providing larger capacity than the motor vessels for the returning workers. On Saturdays, this would be extended into an evening dance cruise. Radical changes to the timetable are expected in 2006, with the end of through services from Geneva to Bouveret. La Suisse's route is likely to be curtailed at Vevey, with a connection to Bouveret run by the Vevey, in what is also scheduled to be her last season.


Sections on This Page:-
CGN Official Postcards
Commercial Postcards

La Suisse (2) Pages:-
La Suisse (2) - Page 1 - Historic Postcards
La Suisse (2) - Page 2 - Modern Postcards - this page!
La Suisse (2) - Page 3 - Pre-2004 Photographs
La Suisse (2) - Page 4 - 2004 Photographs
La Suisse (2) - Page 5 - 2005 Photographs

CGN Pages:-
CGN Header Page
CGN - Page 1 - Paddle Steamers 1822-1886
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

Associated Pages:-
Ferry Postcards
Cruise Ship Postcards
Ocean Liner Postcards
Simplon Postcards Home Page

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Page 2 - Modern Postcards


CGN Official Postcards


CGN official postcard of La Suisse.


CGN official postcard of La Suisse.


CGN advertising postcard of La Suisse.


CGN advertising postcard of La Suisse.


One of a series of eight postcards showing each of the surviving paddle vessels, issued in 1998 for the 125th Anniversary of CGN.
This one shows both historic and modern images of La Suisse.








Commercial Postcards


My earliest colour photographic postcard of La Suisse at Geneva.
The photo dates from before 1960, when large windows were added to the front of the saloon.
The card was posted in 1964.




IRIS card 227 of La Suisse.
Bought on board on 13th August 1985 between St Gingolph and Chillon.


J.Cellard card T.11291 of La Suisse at Thonon-les-Bains.


Editions Cellard card E.4310 of La Suisse. This card shows the new wheelhouse of 1971.
The masts have been replaced with lightweight aluminium, with the foremast now mounted on the upper deck.


Editions Cellard card D.5810 of La Suisse.
Variation on the card above.


Postcard showing an impressive line-up at Ouchy (left-right):- La Suisse, Montreux, Rhône and Helvétie. The picture was taken in 1971 or 1972.


Perrochet postcard 1173-1897 of Simplon (3), Helvétie and La Suisse (2) at Le Bouveret.


Perrochet card 5605 of La Suisse.


S.E.C.A. postcard B-2 of La Suisse.


Editions Charlet postcard 006 of La Suisse leaving Lausanne-Ouchy.


Perrochet postcard 6723 of La Suisse at Vevey-Marché.


Pierre Jaeger postcard 5524 of La Suisse at Geneva.


Pierre Jaeger postcard 5696c of La Suisse at Geneva.


Francis Jaeger postcard GE33 of La Suisse at Geneva.


Perrochet postcard 6401 of La Suisse arriving at Ouchy.


S.E.C.A. postcard 3007 of La Suisse leaving Evian-les-Bains.


S.E.C.A. postcard 3006 of La Suisse arriving at Evian-les-Bains.


Perrochet postcard 9633 of La Suisse.


Jacques Straessle postcard 445259-B of La Suisse.


Perrochet postcard 8021 of La Suisse at Lausanne-Ouchy.


Perrochet postcard 11664 of La Suisse at Lausanne-Ouchy.


Postcard PEL342 of La Suisse (left) and Helvétie (2).


Jubin postcard 13070 of La Suisse at St-Gingolph.


Darbellay postcard 20012 of La Suisse at St-Gingolph.


Jubin postcard BBL/EV170 of La Suisse.
Photo: © J.Flammant.


Diffu-cartes postcard 74500 V 2233 of La Suisse leaving Evian-les-Bains.



Postcard of La Suisse at Evian-les-Bains, plus enlarged image of the ship.



S.E.C.A. postcard of La Suisse BBL/EV95 at Evian-les-Bains.


J.P.Francoz postcard EV9101 of La Suisse at Evian-les-Bains.


Vellarc postcard E.247073 of La Suisse at Evian-les-Bains.



Diffu-cartes postcard 74500 V 1476 of La Suisse leaving Evian-les-Bains (plus enlarged view of ship)..



Jaeger postcard 6118 of La Suisse at Montreux.


Photoglob postcard 17282 of La Suisse.



Postcard of La Suisse, with deep black funnel top.


Postcard of La Suisse at Evian-les-Bains, with deep black funnel top.


Les Editions de la Barre postcard of La Suisse at Ouchy.


Restored bow scrollwork on La Suisse, added in 2003.


Restored stern scrollwork on La Suisse, added in 2003 - compare with earlier view.



Simplon Postcards issue sp1203 (released October 1995) of La Suisse at Vevey.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, August 1995.


Simplon Postcards issue very limited edition postcard (25 copies - printed by the Royal Mail) of La Suisse at Ouchy.
Photo: © Ian Boyle.







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