View source for Compagnie Générale de Navigation sur le lac Léman

{{Short description|Swiss ferry company}}
{{Infobox company
| name        = {{lang|fr|Compagnie générale de navigation sur le Lac Léman}}
| logo        = [[File:CGN logo PANTONE PROD.png|200px|CGN logo]]
| image = Le Bateau Genève.JPG
| image_size =
| image_alt =
| image_caption = The {{lang|fr|Genève}} launched in 1896 for the national exhibition in the city
| type        = [[S.A. (corporation)|S.A.]]
| foundation  = {{start date and age|1873}}
| location    = [[Lausanne]], Switzerland
| area_served = [[Lake Geneva]]
| industry    = [[Transport]]
| homepage    = {{Official URL}}
}}
The '''{{lang|fr|Compagnie générale de navigation sur le Lac Léman}}''' or '''Lake Geneva General Navigation Company''' (commonly abbreviated to '''CGN''') is a public [[Switzerland|Swiss]] company operating ships on [[Lake Geneva]] connecting towns in both [[France]] and [[Switzerland]] including [[Geneva]], {{lang|fr|[[Vevey]]}}, {{lang|fr|[[Montreux]]}}, {{lang|fr|[[Évian-les-Bains]]}}, and {{lang|fr|[[Lausanne]]}}.
==History==
The CGN was formed in 1873 through the merger between three companies, bringing together the vessels 'Helvétie', 'Léman', 'Aigle' and later the 'Flèche' in a single fleet. The growth of tourism corresponded with the construction of railways during the second half of the 19th century, leading the CGN to cater for tourists as well as local traffic.
The cessation of tourism during World War I severely affected the CGN. Similarly affected during World War II, the company had to cease all operations for three months during 1940. The company was rescued by state intervention in 1943.
After the war the fleet was updated, with some steamships converted to diesel and from the 1960s augmented with new vessels.<ref name=Alps>{{cite book |last1=Brown |first1=Leslie |last2=McKendrick |first2=Joe |title=Paddle Steamers of the Alps |year=1994 |publisher=Warsash Nautical Books |location=Warsash |isbn=1-871947-19-7 |page=6}}</ref>
== Current fleet ==
[[File:CGN paddle steamer Savoie.jpg|thumb|''Savoie'' leaving Montreux]]
[[File:Vevey (1907)4696.jpg|thumb|''Vevey'']]
As a Swiss registered company, the ships fly the Swiss flag at the stern but, as the southern shore of the lake is mainly French territory, they also fly the Tricolour from the [[jackstaff]] at the bow.<ref name=Alps />
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Vessel
! Type
! {{abbr|Year|Year of construction}}
! Length
! Power
! Passenger capacity
|-
| {{ill|La Suisse (steamer)|lt=La Suisse|fr|La Suisse (bateau à vapeur)|de|La Suisse (Schiff, 1910)|it|La Suisse (battello a vapore)}}
| [[Paddle steamer]]
| 1910
| {{cvt|78.5|m}}
| {{cvt|1030|kW}}
| 1200
|-
| {{ill|Simplon (steamer)|lt=Simplon|fr|Simplon (bateau à vapeur)|de|Simplon (Schiff, 1920)}}
| Paddle steamer
| 1920
| {{cvt|78.5|m}}
| {{cvt|1030|kW}}
| 1200
|-
| {{ill|Montreux (steamer)|lt=Montreux|fr|Montreux (bateau à vapeur)|de|Montreux (Schiff)|it|Montreux (battello a vapore)}}
| Paddle steamer
| 1904
| {{cvt|68.3|m}}
| {{cvt|650|kW}}
| 800
|-
| {{ill|Savoie (steamer)|lt=Savoie|fr|Savoie (bateau à vapeur)|de|Savoie (Schiff, 1914)|it|Savoie (battello a vapore)}}
| Paddle steamer
| 1914
| {{cvt|68|m}}
| {{cvt|660|kW}}
| 800
|-
| {{ill|Rhône (steamer)|lt=Rhône|fr|Rhône (bateau à vapeur)|de|Rhône (Schiff)|frp|Rôno (nef)}}
| Paddle steamer
| 1927
| {{cvt|68|m}}
| {{cvt|625|kW}}
| 825
|-
| {{ill|Helvétie (steamer)|lt=Helvétie|fr|Helvétie (bateau)|de|Helvétie (Schiff, 1926)}}
| Diesel electric paddle wheel
| 1926
| {{cvt|78.5|m}}
|
| 1400
|-
| {{ill|Vevey (steamer)|lt=Vevey|fr|Vevey (bateau)|de|Vevey (Schiff)}}
| Diesel electric paddle wheel
| 1907
| {{cvt|66|m}}
| {{cvt|515|kW}}
| 750
|-
| {{ill|Italie (steamer)|lt=Italie|fr|Italie (bateau)|de|Italie (Schiff, 1908)}}
| Diesel electric paddle wheel
| 1908
| {{cvt|65.5|m}}
| {{cvt|515|kW}}
| 800
|-
| {{lang|fr|Lausanne}}
| Diesel
| 1991
| {{cvt|78.8|m}}
| 2 × {{cvt|870|kW}}
| 1500
|-
| {{lang|fr|Henry-Dunant}}
| Diesel
| 1963
| {{cvt|50.2|m}}
| 2 × {{cvt|365|kW}}
| 700
|-
| {{lang|fr|Général-Guisan}}
| Diesel
| 1964
| {{cvt|50.2|m}}
| 2 × {{cvt|365|kW}}
| 700
|-
| {{lang|fr|Chablais}}
| Diesel
| 1974
| {{cvt|46.1|m}}
| 2 × {{cvt|325|kW}}
| 560
|-
| {{lang|fr|Ville-de-Genève}}
| Diesel
| 1978
| {{cvt|47.2|m}}
| 2 × {{cvt|400|kW}}
| 560
|-
| {{lang|fr|Léman}}
| Diesel
| 1990
| {{cvt|49.6|m}}
| 2 × {{cvt|520|kW}}
| 850
|-
| {{lang|fr|Valais}}
| Diesel
| 2008
| {{cvt|30.8|m}}
| 2 × {{cvt|720|kW}}
| 200
|-
| {{lang|fr|Morges<br>Lavaux}}
| Diesel
| 2006
| {{cvt|30.8|m}}
| 2 × {{cvt|720|kW}}
| 200
|-
| {{lang|fr|Coppet<br>Genève}}
| Hydrojet
| 2007
| {{cvt|24.8|m}}
| 2 × {{cvt|1045|kW}}
| 120
|-
| {{lang|fr|Col-Vert}}
| Diesel powered
| 1960
| {{cvt|28.3|m}}
| {{cvt|294|kW}}
| 130
|}
==See also==
* [[Transport in Switzerland]]
==References==
{{Reflist}}
== External links ==
{{Commons category|Compagnie générale de navigation sur le Lac Léman}}
{{Portal|Companies}}
* {{Official website}}
{{Leman Lake paddle ships}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Compagnie Generale De Navigation Sur Le Lac Leman}}
[[Category:Shipping companies of Switzerland]]
[[Category:Paddle steamers]]
[[Category:Companies based in Lausanne]]
[[Category:Lake Geneva]]
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{{Switzerland-stub}}