French Warships built before 1859: Photo Gallery

The French wooden steam line of battle during its brief moment of glory. Shown are four steam 1st and 2nd rank ships of the line moored across from the citadel at Brest in August 1858 during the visit of Emperor Napoleon III and Empress Eugénie. Photo by Alfred Bernier. (Photo: Wikimedia by S. Déniel from ArcMunBrest 2fi04678)

Louis XIV, steam 1st rank ship of the line, at Brest. She became gunnery training ship here circa 1863 and moved to Toulon as such circa 1866. The barge with two big wheels at lower right is a dredge. (Photo: Wikimedia by S. Déniel from ArcMunBrest 1fi00059)

Borda (iii), ex sail 1st rank ship of the line Valmy. Listed as École des aspirants at Brest 1865-1879, then École des élèves to 1890. This ship can be distinguished from Borda (iv) by her three-level quarter galleries. Borda (i) was a 10-gun brig that became Observateur in 1839 when the 110-gun Commerce de Paris became Borda (ii). (Photo: Facebook by Yulen Hernandez on 3.10.2023)

Bretagne (i), steam 1st rank ship of the line, being visited at Naples on 5 May 1862 by King Victor Emmanuel II of Italy. Struck in 1866 after removal of her eight worn out boilers. In the annual fleet lists as Caserne des novices et apprentis marins at Brest 1873-1878, then as École des novices et apprentis marins to 1880. (Drawing: Le Monde Illustré, 17 May 1862, p. 316)

Naval school ships in the Brest roadstead in the 1880s. From top to bottom: Résolue (probably, sail frigate), Bretagne (ii) ex Ville de Bordeaux (ex steam 2-decker, see below), Borda (iii) ex Valmy (sail 3-decker), Bougainville (steam 2nd class aviso), and Souffleur (probably, paddle corvette used as a tug). (Photo: Wikimedia by S. Déniel from ArcMunBrest 2fi11382, also E. Mage album, Souvenir de Brest)

Naval school ships in the Brest roadstead in the 1880s with the tidal current going in the other direction. From top to bottom: Bretagne (ii) ex Ville de Bordeaux, Borda (iii) ex Valmy, and Bougainville. Note the square stern with three-level quarter galleries on Borda (iii) and the round stern with two high balconies on Bretagne (ii). (Photo: Postcard by Neurdein Frères)

Borda (iii), sail 1st rank ship of the line, at Brest. Listed as École des aspirants at Brest 1865-1879, then École des élèves to 1890. This ship can be identified by her three-level quarter galleries. Borda (i) was a 10-gun brig that was renamed Observateur in 1839 when the 110-gun Commerce de Paris became Borda (ii). (Photo: Wikimedia by S. Déniel from ArcMunBrest 2fi02144)

Impérial, steam 2nd rank ship of the line of the later Napoléon class at Brest as originally built. She is being approached by the canot impérial (imperial barge), probably during the visit to Brest in August 1858 by Emperor Napoleon III and Empress Eugénie. Note the steam harbor tug (possibly Élorn) alongside with a canopy over her stern and the ships full armament on one open and two covered decks. From an album of 23 photos by Alfred Bernier presented to the imperial couple. (Photo: Wikimedia from the Museum of Brittany FLMjo219104, inv. 2001.0034.23)

Bretagne (ii). Ex steam 2nd rank ship of the line Ville de Bordeaux with an additional deck, her original round stern, and two high balconies on it. Listed as École des novices et des apprentis marins at Brest 1880-1891. (Photo: Facebook by Navy General Board on 6.9.2025)

Bretagne (ii) ex Ville de Bordeaux at Brest as École des novices et des apprentis marins circa the early 1880s. (Photo: Wikimedia by S. Déniel from ArcMunBrest 2fi06397)

Borda (iv). Ex transport Intrépide, ex steam 2nd rank ship of the line. Listed as École navale at Brest 1890-1913. She has an additional deck and a round stern with two iron balconies. (Photo: Postcard by H. Laurent, Port-Louis)

Borda (iv) ex Intrépide alongside at Brest in 1911 as École navale with reduced rig. (Photo: BNF btv1b53111537d_1)

Algésiras. Ex transport, ex steam 2nd rank ship of the line. Listed as École des torpilleurs at Toulon from 1889 (replacing the transport Japon). Decomm. 1898. École des mécaniciens torpilleurs 1901, accidentally burned 1906. (Photo: Postcard by A. Bougault)

Algésiras. Ex transport, ex steam 2nd rank ship of the line. as École des torpilleurs at Toulon. Like Bretagne (ii) and Borda (iv) she has an additional deck and a round stern with two iron balconies. (Photo: Postcard by Giraud)

Hercule, sail 2nd rank ship of the line, at Brest in 1860. The first of the Tupinier 100-gunners, she was a prison hulk at Brest in 1860-1873. Photo marked at lower left with name of Mme. Geneviève-Élisabeth Disdéri, an early photographer. (Photo: BNF btv1b10853079c)

Fontenoy, transport, ex steam 2nd rank ship of the line. At Brest on 26 December 1883 while being used to transport convicts to New Caledonia. The sponson amidships for the convict latrines is faintly visible. She later became Bretagne (iii). (Photo: Shipscribe)

Bretagne (iii), ex transport Fontenoy, ex steam 2nd rank ship of the line. Listed as École des mousses 1884-1910. (Photo: Wikimedia by S. Déniel from ArcMunBrest 2fi02137)

Bretagne (iii), ex Fontenoy, alongside at Brest as École des mousses. (Photo: Postcard by ND)

Navarin, ex steam 2nd rank ship of the line. Listed as Caserne école des torpilleurs 1887, Atelier de réparation de la direction des défenses sous-marines 1888, Caserne et atelier de la defense mobile to 1890, Batiment central de la defense mobile to 1905, and Service central de la 1re flottille de torpilleurs de l'Ocean to 1908 when replaced by Saône. (Photo: Wikimedia by S. Déniel from ArcMunBrest 3fi120-487)

Navarin, ex steam 2nd rank ship of the line, as batiment central de la defense mobile at Brest. Her equipment includes a small floating drydock for her torpedo boats. (Photo: Wikimedia by S. Déniel from ArcMunBrest 2fi17938)

Guerrière, steam 1st rank frigate, in Nagasaki Bay before her conversion to a transport in 1868-69. (Photo: Shipscribe)

Souveraine, ex steam 1st rank frigate, at Brest. Listed as École de matelotage 1872-1879 and, after relieving the transport Somme as batiment amiral, École de matelotage et batiment amiral to 1892. (Photo: Wikimedia by S. Déniel from ArcMunBrest 3fi017-005)

Souveraine, ex steam 1st rank frigate, at Brest. Listed as École de matelotage 1872-1879 and, after relieving the transport Somme as batiment amiral, École de matelotage et batiment amiral to 1892. (Photo: E. Mage album, Souvenir de Brest, Shipscribe)

Pallas, steam 1st rank frigate, at anchor off Rio de Janeiro with all sails raised (possibly for drying) circa 1882. Photo by Marc Ferrez. (Photo: Facebook by Vladimir Yakubov 15.2.2020, from brasilianafotografica.bn.gov.br, from the Instituto Moreira Salles)

Clorinde, steam 3rd rank frigate. (Photo: Facebook by Yulen Hernandez on 18.9.2023)

This vessel, moored at the citadel at Brest, may be the steam 3rd rank frigate Armorique. (Photo: Shipscribe)

Cornélie, sail 1st class corvette, as bâtiment amiral at Rochefort after 1880 with the former chaloupe canonnière Fronde alongside as bâtiment d'arrière-garde. Cornélie was a sail training ship at Brest before moving to Rochefort in 1879. (Photo: Facebook by Andrey Myatishkin on 18.6.2022 from SHD Rochefort MR_5_G_144)

Cornélie, sail 1st class corvette, at Rochefort with two port service craft in the foreground, the gabare (lighter) Écrevisse ("Crayfish," 1884) and the older bugalet (Breton coaster) Crabe. (Photo: Facebook by Alexandru Ioniță on 18.1.2022)

Galathée, sail 1st class corvette. Listed as annexe to Borda, École des aspirants, to 1877, then annexe to Bretagne, École des novices, to 1892. Photo by Émile Mage. (Photo: Wikimedia by S. Déniel from ArcMunBrest 2fi02193)

Entreprenant, ex 1st class brig, launched in 1849 and re-rigged with 3 masts as a sail transport in 1868. (Photo: USN NH 74954)

Nisus, sail 1st class brig launched in 1859 and re-rigged with 3 masts as a training ship ca. 1864. Listed as annexe, École des élèves/aspirants to 1873, annexe de l'Austerlitz, École des mousses 1875-1894, annexe de la Bretagne, École des mousses 1894-1913, annexe de l'Armorique, École des mousses, 1913-14. (Photo: Shipscribe)

Marne, auxiliary steam transport, as hulk. Listed as Caserne at Brest 1878-1891. Note the funnel aft of the mainmast. (Photo: USN NH 75904)

Yonne, auxiliary steam transport, as hulk. Listed as Ponton caserne at Lorient 1885-94, then bâtiment central de la défense mobile (replacing Bouledogue) to 1905, service central de la 2e flottille de torpilleurs de l'Océan to 1912, and then service central des torpilleurs de Lorient. (Photo: Postcard by H. Laurent, Port-Louis)

Ariège, auxiliary steam transport, iron hull, probably after her reconstruction at Lorient in 1873. (Photo: Facebook by Andrey Myatishkin on 18.5.2023 from SHD Rochefort MR_5_G_1)