Plongeur was a French submarine launched on 16 April 1863. She was the first submarine in the world to be propelled by mechanical power.
Gustave Zédé was one of the world's earliest commissioned naval submarines. She was launched on 1 July 1893 at Toulon, France, although only formally entering service with the French Navy in May 1900 after a long series of trials and design alterations. The submarine carried out the first successful torpedo attack by a submerged vessel against a surface ship.
Vendémiaire was a Pluviôse-class submarine built for the French Navy in the late 1900s. She was sunk with all hands when she was rammed by the pre-dreadnought battleship Saint Louis on 8 June 1912 while on maneuvers off the Casquets in the English Channel.
The Pluviôse-class submarines were a group of 18 submarines built for the French Navy in the first decade of the 20th century. Before World War I, two were accidentally lost, but one of these was salvaged and put back into service. Four others were lost during the war and the survivors were stricken in 1919.
Pluviôse (Q51) was the name ship of her class of 18 submarines built for the French Navy in the first decade of the 20th century.
The French submarine Mariotte was a submarine built for the French Navy prior to World War I. Intended to accompany the fleet, she was designed for high speed on the surface. Although the navy was unsatisfied with her performance on the surface, the boat had a higher underwater speed than any French submarine before or during the following 35 years. Mariotte was plagued with engine problems during her construction and the navy spent years fixing the various issues before finally commissioning her five years after beginning construction. During the war, she participated in the Dardanelles Campaign, but had to be scuttled after she became entangled in the cables of a minefield on her first attempt to penetrate the Dardanelles.
French submarine Narval (“Narwhal”) was a pioneering vessel of the French Navy, designed by Maxime Laubeuf and built at the end of the 19th century. She was designed in response to a competition set by the French Admiralty and had several revolutionary features which set the pattern for submarines for the next 50 years.
The Circé-class submarines consisted of a pair of submarines built for the French Navy during the first decade of the 20th century. One boat was sunk in a collision before the First World War and the other was torpedoed and sunk by a German submarine in the last year of the war.
Amiral Bourgois was one of four experimental submarines ordered for the French Navy in 1906. Each boat was built to a different design and Amiral Bourgois was intended to test a novel powerplant. The experimental diesel engines took over six years to build and greatly delayed the boat's completion until 1913. Although engine problems plagued the submarine throughout her service, she was commissioned shortly after the start of the First World War in 1914, but never made an operational patrol. Amiral Bourgois was under repair when the war ended in 1918, but the work was cancelled shortly afterwards. The boat was struck the following year and offered for sale in 1920. There were no offers and she was used for torpedo testing in 1924–1926. The submarine was sold for scrap in 1927.
Charles Brun was one of four experimental submarines ordered for the French Navy in 1906. Each boat was built to a different design and Charles Brun was intended to test a novel powerplant. Although the shore-based prototype installation was successful, it was a failure when evaluated aboard the submarine, and the boat was never commissioned for active service. Her hull was stripped of its equipment and was used to test a floating drydock in 1914. During the First World War, the hull was ordered to be converted into a water tank in 1916, but it is not certain if this was actually done before it was sold for scrap in 1920.
The Naïade-class submarines, sometimes referred to as the Perle class were a group of submarines built for the French Navy at the beginning of the 20th century. There were twenty vessels in this class, which was designed by Gaston Romazotti. The class introduced internal combustion engines into French submarine design. They remained in service until just prior to the outbreak of the First World War.
French submarine Alose (Q33) (“Shad”) is a Naïade-class submarine of the Romazotti type. She was built for the French Navy at the beginning of the 20th century. Alose remained in service until just prior to the outbreak of World War I.
The Farfadet class consisted of four submarines built for the French Navy at the beginning of the 20th century designed by Gabriel Maugas. Two boats were lost in diving accidents. All were disposed of prior to the outbreak of the First World War.
The Aigrette-class submarines were a class of two submarines built for the French Navy between 1903 and 1905. They were essentially experimental submarines, and although in service during World War I, saw no action. The class was designed by Maxime Laubeuf and used Drzewiecki drop collar launchers and external cradles to launch torpedoes.
Aigrette was the lead boat of the Aigrette-class submarines built for the French Navy between 1902 and 1905. Laid down in May 1902, she was launched in February 1904 and commissioned in 1908. She was essentially an experimental submarine, and although in service during World War I, saw no action. The class was designed by Maxime Laubeuf and used Drzewiecki drop collar launchers and external cradles to launch torpedoes.
Cigogne was the second of two Aigrette-class submarines built for the French Navy between 1903 and 1905. Laid down in May 1902, she was launched in November 1904 and commissioned in July 1906. She was an essentially experimental submarine, and although in service during World War I, saw no action. The class was designed by Maxime Laubeuf and used Drzewiecki drop collar launchers and external cradles to launch torpedoes.
X was an experimental submarine built for the French Navy during the first decade of the 20th century. Designed by Gaston Romazzotti, she was shaped like the letter Y with two sterns, making her the first submarine with two propeller shafts. The boat was completed in 1905 and spent the next two years conducting her sea trials. X was renamed Dauphin (Dolphin) in 1911. Her internal-combustion engines proved unreliable and she was decommissioned in 1913 and struck from the navy list the following year. The submarine was not used during the First World War and was sold for scrap in 1922.
The French submarine Z was an experimental submarine built for the French Navy in the first decade of the 20th century. Designed by Gabriel Maugas, it was the first French submarine to be completed with a diesel engine and the only one with four sets of diving planes. It was commissioned for its sea trials in 1904, although its propulsion machinery was unreliable and it was never fit for service with the fleet. It may have been completed in 1905. An extensive refit for Z was planned in 1907, but this was cancelled as too expensive. Disposal of the submarine was first proposed the following year, although it was not stricken from the navy list until 1910. Z was sold for scrap in 1911.
The French submarine Argonaute was an experimental attack submarine built for the French Navy between 1903 and 1911. Initially named Omega, Argonaute was laid down in January 1903, launched in November 1905 and commissioned in 1911. She was essentially an experimental submarine, and although in service during World War I, saw no action. Argonaute was decommissioned in 1919.
The Guêpe-class submarines were a planned class of submarines to be built for the French Navy ordered in 1904. Ten of the class were projected but only two were laid down before the whole project was cancelled. Construction of the two vessels that were laid down began in 1906, but it was stopped in 1908 before they could be completed.
French Navy