The French Northern Railway (French: Compagnie des chemins de fer du Nord or CF du Nord), often referred to simply as the Nord company, was a rail transport company created in September 1845, in Paris, France. It was owned by among others de Rothschild Frères of France, N M Rothschild & Sons of London, England, Hottinger, Laffitte and Blount. Baron James de Rothschild served as the company's first president from its inception until his death in 1868.