The ship La Normandie was the fastest ship in the fleet of the French shipping company CGT (Compagnie Générale Transatlantique), also known as the French Line.

La Normandie was launched in 1883, after successfully reaching speeds of over 17 knots during trials. Her speed had a two-fold benefit, meaning CGT shipping held on to the highly lucrative French mail contract, while also giving the company the opportunity to capture the prestigious Blue Riband of the Atlantic – awarded to the ship that had achieved the fastest Atlantic crossing time.

La Normandie was not as successful as had been hoped once operating as a passenger ship. Her transatlantic speed was not fast enough to attain the Blue Riband, although she became a popular passenger ship and crossed the Atlantic for almost 20 years. La Normandie worked on a shorter route when her transatlantic days were over and was finally sold for scrap in 1911.