The French Navy, informally La Royale, is the maritime arm of the French Armed Forces and one of the four military service branches of France. It is among the largest and most powerful naval forces in the world recognised as being a blue-water navy. The French Navy is capable of operating globally and conducting expeditionary missions, maintaining a significant overseas presence. The French Navy is one of eight naval forces currently operating fixed-wing aircraft carriers, with its flagship Charles de Gaulle being the only nuclear-powered aircraft carrier outside the United States Navy, and one of two non-American vessels to use catapults to launch aircraft.
The French Commander-in-Chief, Mediterranean, also known as CECMED is a French Armed Forces regional commander. He commands the zone, the region and the Mediterranean maritime arrondissements. He is usually an admiral of the French Navy, and is under the direct authority of the French Chief of the Defence Staff. As of 2015 the position was held by Admiral Yann Tainguy.
Jean-Marie Charles Abrial was a French Admiral and Naval Minister. He fought in both World wars, and was known mostly for his actions at Dunkirk in 1940.
Philippe Henri Xavier Antoine de Gaulle was a French admiral and senator. He was the eldest, and last surviving, child of General Charles de Gaulle, the first president of the French Fifth Republic, and of his wife, Yvonne.
Henri Louis Honoré, comte d'Estienne d'Orves was a French Navy officer and one of the major heroes of the French Resistance, said to be the "first martyr of Free France".
Georges Thierry d'Argenlieu, in religion Father Louis of the Trinity, OCD, was a Discalced Carmelite friar and priest, who was also a diplomat and French Navy officer and admiral; he became a major personality of the Forces navales françaises libres. He was the chancellor of the Ordre de la Libération.
Anatole-Amédée-Prosper Courbet was a French admiral who won a series of important land and naval victories during the Tonkin Campaign (1883–86) and the Sino-French War.
Émile Henry Muselier was a French admiral who led the Free French Naval Forces during World War II. He was responsible for the idea of distinguishing his fleet from that of Vichy France by adopting the Cross of Lorraine, which later became the emblem of all of the Free French. After entering the French Naval Academy in 1899, he embarked on a brilliant and eventful military career. He ran unsuccessfully in the legislative elections of 1946 as vice-president of the Rally of Republican Lefts and then entered private life as a consulting engineer before his retirement in 1960. He is buried in the cemetery of St. Pierre, at Marseilles.
Counter-admiral Gabriel Paul Auphan was a French naval officer who became the State Secretary of the Navy of the Vichy government from April to November 1942.
The Free French Naval Forces were the naval arm of the Free French Forces during the Second World War. They were commanded by Admiral Émile Muselier.
Le Triomphant was one of six Le Fantasque-class large destroyers built for the Marine Nationale during the 1930s. The ship entered service in 1935 and participated in the Second World War. When war was declared in September 1939, all of the Le Fantasques were assigned to the Force de Raid which was tasked to hunt down German commerce raiders and blockade runners. Le Triomphant and two of her sister ships were based in Dakar, French West Africa, to patrol the Central Atlantic for several months in late 1939. They returned to Metropolitan France before the end of the year and were transferred to French Algeria in late April 1940 in case Italy decided to enter the war. Le Triomphant played a minor role in the Norwegian Campaign in late April and was under repair when the Germans invaded France in May. She sailed to Britain to avoid capture in June.
Henri Paul Arsène Bléhaut was French politician and counter admiral. He was Secretary of State for the Navy and the Colonies from 26 March 1943 to 10 September 1944 in Vichy France.
Jean-Marie Querville, was a French Navy officer of the Free French Naval Forces, a Compagnon de la Libération, became the Commander-in-Chief for the Mediterranean, then Maritime Prefect, following as an inspector general of the Marine Nationale and admiral.
Christophe Prazuck is a French naval officer. He was promoted to amiral and appointed the Chief of Staff of the French Navy on 13 July 2016.
The Force X was a squadron of the French Navy, assembled on 29 April 1940, after the outbreak of the Second World War, to deter Italy from striking in the Levantine Sea. It consisted of the old battleship Lorraine; the three modern heavy cruisers Duquesne, Tourville and Suffren; the light cruiser Duguay-Trouin; three destroyers Basque, Forbin, Fortuné; and the submarine Protée.
Emmanuel Ollive was a French naval officer who served in the First and Second World Wars.
Célestin Bourragué was a French naval officer who served in the First and Second World Wars.
Jean-Philippe Rolland is an admiral of the French Armed Forces, he was Commander of the Naval Action Force since August 31, 2017, and concurrent Chief of the Military Staff of the President of the Republic.
François Frix Michelier was a French admiral who served in both World War I and World War II. He is best known for commanding French forces during the Naval Battle of Casablanca.
Robert Jaujard was a French naval officer.
