Cruisers of the French Navy

French naval Cruisers, Armoured Cruisers, Protected Cruisers, ironclads and light cruisers. Cruiser histories from 1860 to 1945, from the early converted sailing frigates through the Friant class to the De Grasse class. Les Croiseurs navals français, les Croiseurs Blindés, les Croiseurs Protégés, les cuirassés et les croiseurs légers. Les histoires de croiseur de 1860 à 1945, des frégates de voile tôt converties par la classe de Friant au De la classe de Grasse.
Name	Launch Date		Fate
*Converted Sailing Frigates*
Armorique	March 1862		Hulked 1884
Armorique as a training ship, c.1920. A reproduction of this original photo / photo-postcard size 10" x 7" approx available. Order photograph here © Walker Archive. Order Code PFC188
Circe	1860		Stricken 1875
Flore	February 1869		Stricken 1886
Guerriere	May 1860		Stricken 1888
Hermione	1860		Training Ship 1877
Junon	1861		Stricken 1876
Magicienne	December 1861		Stricken 1876
Pallas	1860		Hulked 1883
Semiramis	1861		Stricken 1877
Themis	1862		Stricken 1882
Victoire	1861		Stricken 1880
*Cosmao Class Unprotected Cruisers*
Cosmao	1861		Stricken 1881
Dupleix	1861		Stricken 1887
*Venus Class Unprotected Cruisers*
Minerve	July 1865		Hospital Hulk 1888
Venus	December 1864		Hulked 1887
Venus, 1886. A large image size 10" x 7" approx, is available. Reproduced from the original negative / photo under license from MPL, the copyright holder. A signed numbered certificate is supplied. Price £25. Order photograph here Order Code XMP5332 Original republished © MPL Photograph (Postcard Size). Price £5 Click here to order. Order Code MP5332
*Limier Class Unprotected Cruisers*
D'estrees	1867		Stricken 1891
Hamelin	1866		Hulked 1889
L'Hermitte	1867		Wrecked 1874
Limier	1866		Stricken 1887
Volta	1867		Stricken 1892
*Infernet Class Unprotected Cruisers*
Champlain	1872		Stricken 1893
Dupetit-Thouars	1874		Hulked 1897
Infernet	1869		Stricken 1891
Laclocheterie	1872		Stricken 1901
Laclocheterie, 1886. A large image size 10" x 7" approx, is available. Reproduced from the original negative / photo under license from MPL, the copyright holder. A signed numbered certificate is supplied. Price £25. Order photograph here Order Code XMP5333 Original republished © MPL Photograph (Postcard Size). Price £5 Click here to order. Order Code MP5333
*Sane Class Unprotected Cruisers*
Fabert	1874		Stricken 1899
Sane	1869		Stricken 1892
Seignelay	1874		Wrecked 1892
*Bourayne Class Unprotected Cruisers*
Beautemps-Beaupre	1872		Stricken 1896
Bourayne	1869		Coal-Hulk 1890
Dayot	1869		Foundered 28th February 1888
Duchaffault	1872		Stricken 1896
Duchaffault, 1874. A large image size 10" x 7" approx, is available. Reproduced from the original negative / photo under license from MPL, the copyright holder. A signed numbered certificate is supplied. Price £25. Order photograph here Order Code XMP5334 Original republished © MPL Photograph (Postcard Size). Price £5 Click here to order. Order Code MP5334
Ducouedic	1869		Stricken 1889
Hugon	1872		Stricken 1896
Kerguelen	1872		Stricken 1894
Kersaint	1869		Stricken 1886
Segond	1869		Stricken 1896
Vaudreuil	1870		Stricken 1889
*Rigault de Ginouilly Class Unprotected Cruisers*
Rigault de Genouilly	1876		Coal Hulk 1899
Rigault de Genouilly, 1878. A large image size 10" x 7" approx, is available. Reproduced from the original negative / photo under license from MPL, the copyright holder. A signed numbered certificate is supplied. Price £25. Order photograph here Order Code XMP5335 Original republished © MPL Photograph (Postcard Size). Price £5 Click here to order. Order Code MP5335
Eclaireur	1877		Stricken 1902
*Laperouse Class Unprotected Cruisers View Class*
D'Estaing	1879		Stricken 1901
Laperouse	1877		Wrecked 1898
Nielly	1880		Stricken 1902
Primauguet	1882		Stricken 1901
*Villars Class Unprotected Cruisers*
Forfait	1879		Stricken 1897
Forfait, 1880. A large image size 10" x 7" approx, is available. Reproduced from the original negative / photo under license from MPL, the copyright holder. A signed numbered certificate is supplied. Price £25. Order photograph here Order Code XMP5340 Original republished © MPL Photograph (Postcard Size). Price £5 Click here to order. Order Code MP5340
Magon	1880		Stricken 1896
Magon, 1882. A large image size 10" x 7" approx, is available. Reproduced from the original negative / photo under license from MPL, the copyright holder. A signed numbered certificate is supplied. Price £25. Order photograph here Order Code XMP5341 Original republished © MPL Photograph (Postcard Size). Price £5 Click here to order. Order Code MP5341
Roland	1882		Stricken 1898
Villars	1879		Stricken 1896
*Unprotected Cruisers*
Talisman	1862		Depot Ship 1896
Resolue	1863		Stricken as Warship 1890
Decres	September 1866		Stricken 1890
Desaix	1866		Stricken 1894
Chateaurenault	1868		Hulked 1895
Linois	1867		Stricken 1891
Hirondelle	1869		Stricken 1896
Duguay-Trouin	1877		Hulked 1900
Duguay Trouin, 1879. A large image size 10" x 7" approx, is available. Reproduced from the original negative / photo under license from MPL, the copyright holder. A signed numbered certificate is supplied. Price £25. Order photograph here Order Code XMP5336 Original republished © MPL Photograph (Postcard Size). Price £5 Click here to order. Order Code MP5336
Duguay Trouin pictured November 1905. A reproduction of this original photo / photo-postcard size 10" x 7" approx available. Order photograph here © Walker Archive. Order Code PFC007		Duguay Trouin. Sent in by Jean Gillet.
When Duguay Trouin was hulked in 1900, her name was changed to Veteran and the transport ship Tonquin was given her name. It is possible that all of the photographs here are of the transport Tonquin as a training ship with the new name Dugauy Trouin.
Duguay Trouin. A reproduction of this original photo / photo-postcard size 10" x 7" approx available. Order photograph here © Walker Archive. Order Code PFC008		Duguay Trouin. A reproduction of this original photo / photo-postcard size 10" x 7" approx available. Order photograph here © Walker Archive. Order Code PFC009
Duguay Trouin. A reproduction of this original photo / photo-postcard size 10" x 7" approx available. Order photograph here © Walker Archive. Order Code PFC005
Duquesne	1876		Stricken 1901
Tourville	1876		Stricken 1901
The breaking up of the Tourville at Cherbourg. A reproduction of this original photo / photo-postcard size 10" x 7" approx available. Order photograph here © Walker Archive. Order Code PFC010
Tourville. A reproduction of this original photo / photo-postcard size 10" x 7" approx available. Order photograph here © Walker Archive. Order Code PFC001		Tourville. A reproduction of this original photo / photo-postcard size 10" x 7" approx available. Order photograph here © Walker Archive. Order Code PFC004
Iphigenie	1881		Stricken 1905
Iphigenie, 1882. A large image size 10" x 7" approx, is available. Reproduced from the original negative / photo under license from MPL, the copyright holder. A signed numbered certificate is supplied. Price £25. Order photograph here Order Code XMP5342 Original republished © MPL Photograph (Postcard Size). Price £5 Click here to order. Order Code MP5342
Naiade	1881		Stricken 1900
Arethuse	1882		Hulked 1899
Arethuse, 1885. A large image size 10" x 7" approx, is available. Reproduced from the original negative / photo under license from MPL, the copyright holder. A signed numbered certificate is supplied. Price £25. Order photograph here Order Code XMP5343 Original republished © MPL Photograph (Postcard Size). Price £5 Click here to order. Order Code MP5343
Dubourdieu	1884		Stricken 1899
Milan	May 1884		Stricken 1908
Milan, 1885. A large image size 10" x 7" approx, is available. Reproduced from the original negative / photo under license from MPL, the copyright holder. A signed numbered certificate is supplied. Price £25. Order photograph here Order Code XMP5344 Original republished © MPL Photograph (Postcard Size). Price £5 Click here to order. Order Code MP5344

Belliqueuse	6th September 1865		Target 1886
*Alma Class Central battery ironclad*
Alma	26th November 1867		Hulked 1886
Armide	12th April 1867		Stricken 1887
Atalante	9th April 1868		Stricken 1887
Jeanne D'arc	28th Sept, 1867		Stricken 1883
Montcalm (ex-Indienne)	16th October 1868		Stricken 1891
Reine Blanche	10th March 1868		Stricken 1886
Reine Blanche, 1869. A large image size 10" x 7" approx, is available. Reproduced from the original negative / photo under license from MPL, the copyright holder. A signed numbered certificate is supplied. Price £25. Order photograph here Order Code XMP5315 Original republished © MPL Photograph (Postcard Size). Price £5 Click here to order. Order Code MP5315
Thetis	22nd August 1867		Stricken 1895
*La Galissonniere Class Central battery ironclad*
La Galissonniere	7th May 1872		Stricken 1894
Triomphante	28th march 1877		Scrapped 1903
Triomphante, 1879. A large image size 10" x 7" approx, is available. Reproduced from the original negative / photo under license from MPL, the copyright holder. A signed numbered certificate is supplied. Price £25. Order photograph here Order Code XMP5316 Original republished © MPL Photograph (Postcard Size). Price £5 Click here to order. Order Code MP5316
Victorieuse	18th November 1875		Hulked 1900
Victorieuse, 1877. A large image size 10" x 7" approx, is available. Reproduced from the original negative / photo under license from MPL, the copyright holder. A signed numbered certificate is supplied. Price £25. Order photograph here Order Code XMP5317 Original republished © MPL Photograph (Postcard Size). Price £5 Click here to order. Order Code MP5317		Victorieuse, 1877. A large image size 10" x 7" approx, is available. Reproduced from the original negative / photo under license from MPL, the copyright holder. A signed numbered certificate is supplied. Price £25. Order photograph here Order Code XMP5318 Original republished © MPL Photograph (Postcard Size). Price £5 Click here to order. Order Code MP5318
*Bayard Class Barbette Ships View Class*
Bayard	13th March 1880		Hulked 1899
Turenne	October 1879		Stricken 1901
*Vauban Class Barbette Ships View Class*
Vauban	July 1882		Stricken 1905
Duguesclin	1883		Stricken 1904
Protected Cruisers
Sfax	May 1884		Stricken 1906

Tage	October 1886		Stricken 1910
Tage, 1890. A large image size 10" x 7" approx, is available. Reproduced from the original negative / photo under license from MPL, the copyright holder. A signed numbered certificate is supplied. Price £25. Order photograph here Order Code XMP5328 Original republished © MPL Photograph (Postcard Size). Price £5 Click here to order. Order Code MP5328		Tage, 1890s. A large image size 10" x 7" approx, is available. Reproduced from the original negative / photo under license from MPL, the copyright holder. A signed numbered certificate is supplied. Price £25. Order photograph here Order Code XMP5329 Original republished © MPL Photograph (Postcard Size). Price £5 Click here to order. Order Code MP5329
French protected cruiser Tage shown here with her original barque rig c.1900. She was launched in October 1886 and had a complement of 538. A large image size 10" x 7" approx, is available. Reproduced from the original negative / photo under license from MPL, the copyright holder. A signed numbered certificate is supplied. Price £25. Order photograph here Order Code XMP5327 Original republished © MPL Photograph (Postcard Size). Price £5 Click here to order. Order Code MP5327		Tage, 1900s. A large image size 10" x 7" approx, is available. Reproduced from the original negative / photo under license from MPL, the copyright holder. A signed numbered certificate is supplied. Price £25. Order photograph here Order Code XMP5330 Original republished © MPL Photograph (Postcard Size). Price £5 Click here to order. Order Code MP5330

Amiral Cecille	May 1888		Scrapped 1919
Amiral Cecille a protected cruiser which was broken up in 1919. Amiral Cecille un croiseur protégé qui a été brisé en 1919. A reproduction of this original photo / photo-postcard size 10" x 7" approx available. Order photograph here © Walker Archive. Order Code PFC015		Amiral Cecille A reproduction of this original photo / photo-postcard size 10" x 7" approx available. Order photograph here © Walker Archive. Order Code PFC012

Davout	October 1889		Stricken 1910

Suchet	October 1891		Stricken 1906
A group of seamen on the Suchet in 1897 before she was sent to the Levant. Un groupe de marins sur le Suchet dans 1897 avant qu'elle ait ait été ait envoyée au Levant.

Pothuau	19th September 1895		Served in Mediterranean then West Africa in 1915. Sent to Egypt in 1916 before being given a refit. Became a training ship and taken off active in November 1927 and broken up on 25th September 1929.
Forbin Class Protected Cruisers View Class
Forbin	14th January 1888		Scrapped in 1921.
Coetlogon	December 1888		Stricken 1906
Surcouf	October 1890		Stricken 1921
Troude Class Protected Cruisers
Cosmao	August 1889		Stricken 1922
Lalande	March 1889		Stricken 1912
Troude	October 1888		Stricken 1908
Linois Class Protected Cruisers View Class
Galilee	April 1896		Stricken 1911
Lavoisier	April 1897		Stricken 1920
Linois	January 1894		Stricken 1910
Alger Class Protected Cruisers View Class
Alger	November 1889		Hulked 1911
Isly	June 1893		Stricken 1914
Jean Bart	November 1889		Wrecked on the Sahara Coast 11th February 1907
Friant Class Protected Cruisers
Bugeaud	August 1893		Stricken 1907
Chasseloup-Laubat	April 1893		Hulked 1911
Friant	April 1893		Stricken 1920
Friant. A reproduction of this original photo / photo-postcard size 10" x 7" approx available. Order photograph here © Walker Archive. Order Code PFC006		Friant. A reproduction of this original photo / photo-postcard size 10" x 7" approx available. Order photograph here © Walker Archive. Order Code PFC003
Descartes Class Protected Cruisers View Class
Descartes	September 1894		Stricken 1920
Pascal	September 1895		Stricken 1911
D'Assas Class Protected Cruisers View Class
Cassard	May 1896		Stricken 1924
D'Assas	March 1896		Stricken 1914
Du Chayla	September 1895		Stricken 1921
Catinat Class Protected Cruisers
Catinant	October 1896		Stricken 1911
Protet	July 1898		Stricken 1910

D'Entrecasteaux	June 1896		Presented to Belgium 1922

Guichen	October 1897		Stricken 1922

Chateaurenault	May 1898		Sunk by UC38 between Corfu and Taranto 14th December 1917 with very few crew
D'Estrees Class Protected Cruisers View Class
D'Estrees	October 1897		Stricken 1922
Infernet	September 1899		Stranded 1910

Jurien De la Graviere	June 1899		Stricken 1922
Armoured Cruisers
Dupuy de Lome	27th October 1890		Sold in 1910 to Belgium as the cargo ship Peruvier. Sold for breaking in 1920.
Dupuy de Lome
Admiral Charner Class View Class
Admiral Charner	18th March 1893		Convoy escort in 1914. Rescued Armenians from the Turks in September 1915 and occupied Castellorizo Island on 28th December. Sunk by torpedo from U21 on 8th February 1916 only one survivor.
Bruix	3rd August 1894		Served in Red Sea in 1915, took part in blockade of Greece before going into reserve in 1918. Broken up in 1920.
Chanzy	24th January 1894		After grounding herself and attempts to refloat her failed and she was wrecked on 30th May 1907.
Latouche-Treville	8th October 1892		Took damage at Gallipoli. Taken off active in June 1920, hulked 1925 and broken up in 1926.
POTHUAU ARMOURED CRUISER click here to view ship
Po thuau	19th September 1895		Served in Mediterranean then West Africa in 1915. Sent to Egypt in 1916 before being given a refit. Became a training ship and taken off active in November 1927 and broken up on 25th September 1929.

Jeanne D'Arc	8th June 1899		Captured Ruad Island with the battleship Jaureguiberry in 1915 and rescued Armenians from the Turks in September 1915. Escorted convoys towards the end of the war. Taken off active in February 1933 and broken up in 1934.
Gueydon Class View Class
Dupetit-Thouars	5th July 1901		Served in the Channel and Atlantic she was torpedoed by U62 on 7th August 1918 while on escort duty. Most of the crew were rescued.
Gueydon	20th September 1899		Served in the Atlantic and West Indies as well as the Baltic. Was given a refit in 1923 and then used as a training ship from 1928-30. Hulked on 24th July 1935, and used for accommodation in Brest and broken up in 1942.
Montcalm	27th March 1900		Helped to captured Samoa with the Australian Squadron in 1914 and after a refit joined the 4th Cruiser Squadron in the West Indies on escort duty. Defended the Suez Canal in 1915. Taken off active in October 1926 and used for barracks she was renamed Tremintin in October 1934 before being broken up in 1943.
Dupleix Class View Class
Desaix	21st March 1901		Served in the Channel until December 1914 and defended the Suez Canal in 1915 with Montcalm. Rescued Armenians from the Turks in September 1915. After the was she served in the Far East. Taken off active in June 1921, broken up in 1927.
Dupleix	28th April 1900		Served in the Far East from 1910 and captured two German supply ships on 21st August 1914. Shelled Turkish town of Bodrum in May 1915. Taken off active in 1919, broken up in 1922.
Kleber	20th September 1902		Served with the 2nd Light Cruiser Squadron. She became stranded off Gallipoli but was refloated 29th -31st May 1915. Collided with a British cargo ship on 7th July 1915 but was repaired. Became flagship of the 6th Squadron at Dakar. Sunk on 27th June 1917 by a mine laid by U61 at Brest with the loss of 42 crew.
Gloire Class View Class
Amiral Aube	9th May 1902		Taken off active in 1922 and subsequently broken up.
Conde	12th March 1902		Served in the Atlantic and took part in escort duty. She was part of the Atlantic Squadron. Taken off active in 1933 and used as a target.
Gloire	27th June 1900		Served in the Atlantic and took part in escort duty. She was part of the Atlantic Squadron. Collided with the US Liner City of Athens in May 1918 but was repaired. Taken off active in 1922 and subsequently broken up.
Marseillaise	14th July 1900		Served in the Atlantic and took part in escort duty. She was part of the Atlantic Squadron. She escorted the liner taking President Wilson back to America. Taken off active in 1929 and subsequently broken up.
Sully	June 1901		Wrecked in Along bay , Indo China, 30th september 1905 all salvage attempts failed.
Leon Gambetta Class View Class
Leon Gambetta	26th October 1901		Sunk on 27th April 1915 by torpedoes from U5. Only 137 crew survived.
Jules Ferry	23rd August 1903		Taken off active in 1927 and subsequently broken up.
Victor Hugo	30th March 1904		Escorted Jean Bart to Malta in 1916. Helped to move the Serbian army from Corfu to Bizerta. Taken off active in January 1928 and broken up in November 1930.

Jules Michelet	31st August 1905		Part of the 1st Light Division. Served in the Mediterranean and helped to move the Serbian army from Corfu to Bizerta. Taken off active in 1931 and used as a target.

Ernest Renan	April 1906		Stricken 1931
Edgar Quinet Class View Class
Edgar Quinet	21st September 1907		Part of the 1st Light Division which patrolled Otranto Straits. While in the Mediterranean she rescued 1200 people from Smyrna in 1922. Used as a training ship from 1925-27, she grounded herself on 4th January 1930 and sank on 9th.
Waldeck-Rousseau	4th March 1908		Survived attacks by U-boats of the Austrian navy in November 1914. Served in the Aegean and Ionian Sea before transferring to the Black Sea in 1919-20 where she helped evacuate General Wrangel's troops. She ended the war as flagship of the Far East. Taken off active in June 1936 and broken up between 1941-44.
Ships Given to France as part of War Reparations from German & Austrian Navies
Colmar	See Kolberg		Transferred to France from the German Navy (Kolberg) after the war on 28th April 1920 she was broken up in 1929.
ORIGINAL POSTCARD FOR SALE. DONATED TOWARDS THE UPKEEP OF THIS SITE. Colmar Original Marius Bar Postcard. Price £15. Click here to order. Order Code PFC182
Mulhouse	See Stralsund		Transferred to France from the German Navy (Stralsund) after the war on 3rd August 1920. Refitted in 1925 but was put in reserve until she was broken up in 1935.
Mulhouse. A reproduction of this original photo / photo-postcard size 10" x 7" approx available. Order photograph here © Walker