List of shipwrecks of France

This is a list of shipwrecks located in or off the coast of France.

This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.

The shipwreck of the Boyne off the Îles Molène, Brittany, 1875

Aquitaine

Ship	Sunk date	Notes	Coordinates
U-180	23 August 1944	A Type IXD1 U-boat sunk off Soorts-Hossegor.	44°00′00″N 2°00′00″W / 44.000°N 2.000°W

Brittany

Ship	Sunk date	Notes	Coordinates
SS Ajax	25 December 1917	A cargo ship that was torpedoed by U-104 south of Audierne.	47°53′N 4°32′W / 47.883°N 4.533°W
HMS Amazon	14 January 1797	A frigate that ran aground at Audierne.
HMS Amfitrite	4 March 1807	A frigate wrecked off Ushant.
Amoco Cadiz	16 March 1978	A supertanker that ran aground at Portsall, causing an oil spill.	48°36′N 4°42′W / 48.6°N 4.7°W
HMS Arethusa	19 March 1779	Royal Navy frigate, wrecked off Ushant after sustaining considerable damage in a battle with the French ship Aigrette.	48°27′4″N 5°4′4″W / 48.45111°N 5.06778°W
Asgard II	11 September 2008	A brigantine that sank off Belle Île.	47°18′03″N 3°33′02″W / 47.30083°N 3.55056°W
HMCS Athabaskan	29 April 1944	A Tribal-class destroyer that was torpedoed by T24 off Plouguerneau.	48°43′N 4°32′W / 48.717°N 4.533°W
Auguste	29 January 1795	A ship of the line caught in a tempest off Brest.
HMS Charybdis	23 October 1943	A Dido-class cruiser that was sunk by German torpedo boats off the north coast of Brittany.	48°59′N 3°39′W / 48.983°N 3.650°W
Droits de l'Homme	1797	Sunk after going aground off Plozévet.
SS Empire Conyngham	20 June 1949	A cargo ship that was scuttled off Brest.	47°52′N 8°51′W / 47.867°N 8.850°W
MV Erika	12 December 1999	An oil tanker that sank in the Bay of Biscay, causing an oil spill.	47°9′N 4°15′W / 47.150°N 4.250°W
HMS Firm	29 June 1811	A gun-brig wrecked off Cancalle Bay.
France	26 August 1922	A Courbet-class battleship that struck a rock in Quiberon Bay.	47°27′6″N 3°2′0″W / 47.45167°N 3.03333°W
USS Gypsum Queen	28 April 1919	A tugboat that struck a rock off Brest.
SS Hilda	18 December 1905	A steamship that hit the Pierre de Portes rocks in thick fog and sank off Saint-Malo.	48°40.49′N 2°5.72′W / 48.67483°N 2.09533°W
SS London	11 January 1864	Sunk in a storm in the Bay of Biscay.
HMS Magnificent	25 March 1804	A Ramillies-class ship of the line that struck a reef off Brest.
Neptune	28 December 1794	A ship of the line wrecked off Brest during the Croisière du Grand Hiver.
HMS Repulse	10 March 1800	An Intrepid-class ship of the line abandoned in the Glénan islands.
Royal Louis	24 December 1794	A ship of the line that ran aground off Brest.
Saint-Esprit	30 January 1795	A Saint-Esprit-class ship of the line wrecked off Brest during Croisière du Grand Hiver.
Séduisant	16 December 1796	A Séduisant-class ship of the line wrecked off Brest.
Superbe	30 January 1795	A Téméraire-class ship of the line wrecked off Brest during the Croisière du Grand Hiver.
SM U-103	12 May 1918	A German submarine that was rammed by RMS Olympic off Brest.	49°16′N 4°51′W / 49.267°N 4.850°W
U-171	9 October 1942	A Type IXC U-boat that was sunk near Lorient.	47°39′N 03°34′W / 47.650°N 3.567°W
U-441	8 June 1944	A Type VIIC U-boat that was sunk off Ushant.	48°27′N 05°47′W / 48.450°N 5.783°W
U-526	14 April 1943	A Type IXC/40 U-boat that was sunk by mines near Lorient.	47°30′N 03°45′W / 47.500°N 3.750°W
U-767	18 June 1944	A Type VIIC U-boat that was sunk by British destroyers north of Tréguier.	49°03′N 03°13′W / 49.050°N 3.217°W
U-821	10 June 1944	A Type VIIC U-boat that was sunk by aircraft off Ushant.	48°31′N 05°11′W / 48.517°N 5.183°W
SM UC-36	21 May 1917	A German Type UC II U-boat that was rammed by French steamer Molière off Ushant.	48°42′N 05°14′W / 48.700°N 5.233°W

Channel Islands

Ship	Sunk date	Notes	Coordinates
HMS Affray	16 April 1951	An Amphion-class submarine lost near Hurds Deep.	49°30′N 3°34′W / 49.500°N 3.567°W
SMS Baden	16 August 1921	A Bayern-class dreadnought sunk as a target in Hurd Deep.	49°49′42″N 2°23′21″W / 49.82833°N 2.38917°W
HMS Dragon (1647)	15 March 1712	A frigate that served in the Anglo-Dutch Wars, and was wrecked near Guernsey.
HMS Lady Olive	19 February 1917	A Q ship that was sunk by SM UC-18 west of Jersey.	49°15′N 02°34′W / 49.250°N 2.567°W
SS Stella	30 March 1899	A passenger ferry that hit a granite reef off the Casquets.
SM UC-18	19 February 1917	A German minelaying submarine sunk by Q ship Lady Olive west of Jersey.	49°15′N 02°34′W / 49.250°N 2.567°W

Corsica

Ship	Sunk date	Notes	Coordinates
Fleche	12 November 1795	A corvette that ran aground and capsized in the bay of Saint-Florent.
HMS Saracen	14 August 1943	An S-class submarine that was attacked by Italian corvettes and scuttled off Bastia.	42°45′N 9°30′E / 42.750°N 9.500°E

Languedoc-Roussillon

Ship	Sunk date	Notes	Coordinates
Wreck of Rochelongue		A shipwreck found west of Cap d'Agde dating to the Iron Age, around 600 BC.

Nord-Pas-de-Calais

Ship	Sunk date	Notes	Coordinates
SS Abukir	28 May 1940	A steamship that was torpedoed by S-34 northeast of Calais, while evacuating soldiers and civilians from Ostend.	51°12′N 2°10′E / 51.20°N 2.16°E
L'Adroit	25 May 1940	A L'Adroit-class destroyer that was bombed by German aircraft off Dunkirk.	51°03′N 2°23′E / 51.050°N 2.383°E
HMS Assistance	29 March 1802	A fourth-rate ship that hit a sandbank off Dunkirk.
Elizabeth	28 December 1810	A cargo ship wrecked on the Dunkirk brake, with at least 380 deaths.
HMS Grenade	29 May 1940	A G-class destroyer that was sunk by German Stuka during the Battle of Dunkirk.	51°24′28″N 2°49′10″E / 51.40778°N 2.81944°E
HMS Havant	1 June 1940	A H-class destroyer that was scuttled after taking damage in the Battle of Dunkirk.	51°08′00″N 2°15′49″E / 51.13333°N 2.26361°E
HMS Hermes	31 October 1914	A Highflyer-class cruiser torpedoed by German submarine U-27.	51°06′18″N 1°50′18″E / 51.10500°N 1.83833°E
HMS Keith	1 June 1940	A B-class destroyer sunk at Dunkirk by enemy aircraft.	51°04′46″N 02°26′47″E / 51.07944°N 2.44639°E
HMS Laforey	23 March 1917	A Laforey-class destroyer that hit a mine off Cap Gris Nez.
Ophelia	21 November 1915	A German hospital ship seized by the British Navy, and torpedoed by UB-10 off Boulogne.
SM U-109	26 January 1918	A German submarine sunk in the English Channel.	50°53′N 1°31′E / 50.883°N 1.517°E
SM UC-26	8 May 1917	A German minelaying submarine rammed by HMS Milne off Calais.	51°03′N 01°40′E / 51.050°N 1.667°E
SM UC-61	26 July 1917	A German minelaying submarine stranded and scuttled off Boulogne.	50°53′N 01°33′E / 50.883°N 1.550°E
SM UC-79	1918	A German minelaying submarine sunk by a mine off Cap Gris Nez.

Normandy

Ship	Sunk date	Notes	Coordinates
CSS Alabama	11 June 1864	A screw sloop-of-war sunk off Cherbourg-Octeville during the American Civil War.	49°45′09″N 1°41′42″W / 49.75250°N 1.69500°W
SS Amsterdam	7 August 1944	A hospital ship that was sunk by a mine while taking casualties from Juno Beach.
HMS Berkeley	19 July 1942	A Hunt-class destroyer that was damaged by German bombers and scuttled off Dieppe.	49°59′N 01°02′E / 49.983°N 1.033°E
HMS Britomart	27 August 1944	A Halcyon-class minesweeper that was, along with HMS Hussar, accidentally sunk by RAF Hawker Typhoons off Le Havre.
HMS Capel	26 December 1944	A Captain-class frigate that was torpedoed by U-486 off Cherbourg.	49°50′N 1°41′W / 49.833°N 1.683°W
HMS Centurion	7 June 1944	A King George V-class battleship sunk as a breakwater off Avranches.
La Combattante	23 February 1945	A Hunt-class destroyer that was used by the Free French Naval Forces, and sank off Normandy.
USS Corry	6 June 1944	A Gleaves-class destroyer sunk off Îles Saint-Marcouf during the D-Day landings.	49°30′50″N 1°11′30″W / 49.51389°N 1.19167°W
HMS D3	12 March 1918	A D-class submarine that was mistakenly bombed by a French airship off Fecamp.
HMS Daffodil	18 March 1945	A train ferry that was requisitioned by the Royal Navy as a amphibious warfare ship, and was sunk by a mine off Dieppe.	50°02′N 01°04′E / 50.033°N 1.067°E
MV Derrycunihy	24 June 1944	A troopship that was sunk by a mine off Sword Beach.
HMS Derwent	2 May 1917	A River-class destroyer sunk off Le Havre by a mine laid by German submarine UC-26.	49°30′48″N 0°1′48″W / 49.51333°N 0.03000°W
HMS Dragon (D46)	7 July 1944	A Danae-class cruiser that was transferred to the Polish Navy and then scuttled near Courseulles.
HMS Durban	9 June 1944	A Danae-class light cruiser that was scuttled as a breakwater off Ouistreham.	49°20′44″N 00°16′08″W / 49.34556°N 0.26889°W
USS Eastern Shore	4 August 1944	A cargo ship sunk to form part of a Mulberry harbour.
HMS Eden	18 June 1916	A River-class destroyer that collided with SS France off Fécamp.
SS Empire Broadsword	July 1944	An infantry landing ship sunk by a mine off Normandy.	49°25′N 0°54′W / 49.417°N 0.900°W
SS Empire Javelin	28 December 1944	An infantry landing ship that was sunk in the English Channel.	50°5′N 1°0′W / 50.083°N 1.000°W
SS Galeka	28 October 1916	A steamship that struck a mine while entering Le Havre.	49°34′N 0°5′E / 49.567°N 0.083°E
USS Glennon	10 June 1944	A Gleaves-class destroyer that hit a mine and was sunk by shore batteries in the Baie de la Seine.
HMS Hussar	27 August 1944	A minesweeper sunk by friendly fire off Le Havre, along with HMS Britomart.
HMS Isis	20 July 1944	An I-class destroyer sunk off the coast of Normandy.
Komet	14 October 1942	A German auxiliary cruiser sunk by British motor torpedo boats near La Hague.	49°44′0″N 1°32′0″W / 49.73333°N 1.53333°W
HMHS Lanfranc	17 April 1917	A hospital ship torpedoed by German submarine UB-40 off Le Havre.	50°06′36″N 0°07′12″E / 50.11000°N 0.12000°E
SS Leopoldville	24 December 1944	A former Belgian passenger liner converted to a transport ship, torpedoed 5 miles (8 km) from the coast of Cherbourg-Octeville.	49°45′N 1°34′W / 49.750°N 1.567°W
USS Miantonomah	25 September 1944	A cargo ship and minelayer sunk by a mine off Le Havre.	49°26′29″N 0°11′31″E / 49.44139°N 0.19194°E
USS Partridge	11 June 1944	A Lapwing-class minesweeper sunk by German E-boats off Vierville-sur-Mer.	49°30′N 00°50′W / 49.500°N 0.833°W
USS PC-1261	6 June 1944	A PC-461-class submarine chaser, and the first ship sunk during the D-Day landings.	49°30′N 01°10′W / 49.500°N 1.167°W
SS Pennsylvanian	16 July 1944	A cargo ship scuttled to form part of a Mulberry harbour.	49°22′29″N 0°53′31″W / 49.37472°N 0.89194°W
HMS Pylades	8 July 1944	A Catherine-class minesweeper sunk off Juno Beach.	49°25′36″N 00°15′04″W / 49.42667°N 0.25111°W
HMS Quorn	3 August 1944	A Hunt-class destroyer sunk off the coast of Normandy.
USS Rich	8 June 1944	A Buckley-class destroyer escort that hit three mines off Îles Saint-Marcouf.	49°31′N 1°10.6′W / 49.517°N 1.1767°W
HMHS Salta	10 April 1917	A hospital ship that hit a mine laid by UC-26 off Le Havre.	49°32′8″N 0°2′18″W / 49.53556°N 0.03833°W
HMS Shannon	10 December 1803	A frigate wrecked off Tatihou.
Soleil-Royal	3 June 1692	A ship of the line beached at Cherbourg and destroyed by fireships.
USS Susan B. Anthony	7 June 1944	A transport ship sunk by a mine off Normandy; all 2,689 people aboard were rescued.	49°29′24″N 0°42′48″W / 49.49000°N 0.71333°W
HNoMS Svenner	6 June 1944	An S-class destroyer that served in the Royal Norwegian Navy, and was sunk off Sword Beach.	49°27′N 0°15′W / 49.450°N 0.250°W
USS Tide	7 June 1944	An Auk-class minesweeper sunk by a mine off Îles Saint-Marcouf.	49°36′59″N 1°4′59″W / 49.61639°N 1.08306°W
SS Train Ferry No. 2	13 June 1940	A train ferry that was requisitioned by the Royal Navy as a amphibious warfare ship, and was sunk by German fire off Sainte-Marguerite-sur-Mer.[1]	49°56′N 00°56′E / 49.933°N 0.933°E
SM U-151	7 June 1921	A German submarine sunk as a target at Cherbourg.
SM UC-78	9 May 1918	A German minelaying submarine rammed by SS Queen Alexander off Cherbourg.	49°49′N 01°40′W / 49.817°N 1.667°W
HMAT Warilda	3 August 1918	An Australian hospital ship torpedoed by U-boat U-49 off Le Havre.
SS West Cheswald	11 June 1944	A cargo ship scuttled off Utah Beach as a breakwater.
MS West Grama	8 June 1944	A cargo ship scuttled off Omaha Beach as a breakwater.
MS West Honaker	8 June 1944	A cargo ship scuttled off Utah Beach as a breakwater.
SS West Nohno	11 June 1944	A cargo ship scuttled off Utah Beach as a breakwater.
White Ship	25 November 1120	A 12th century vessel that sank in the English Channel near the Normandy coast off Barfleur.

Pays de la Loire

Ship	Sunk date	Notes	Coordinates
HMS Alcmene	29 April 1809	An Alcmene-class frigate wrecked off Nantes.
USS Buchanan	29 March 1942	A Wickes-class destroyer that was deliberately blown up in the St Nazaire Raid.	47°16′34″N 2°11′49″W / 47.27611°N 2.19694°W
Héros (1750)	21 September 1759	A ship of the line wrecked off Le Croisic.
RMS Lancastria	17 June 1940	A Cunard Liner sunk in the Loire River estuary during World War II.	47°10′26″N 2°19′15″W / 47.17389°N 2.32083°W
Saint-Philibert	14 June 1931	A cruise ship that sank off the Île de Noirmoutier, resulting in the death of nearly 500 passengers.
Sachsenwald	6 August 1944	A German weather ship that was sunk by a British convoy off Île d'Yeu.
U-268	19 February 1943	A Type VIIC U-boat sunk by depth charges off Nantes.	47°03′N 05°56′W / 47.050°N 5.933°W
U-51	20 August 1940	A Type VIIB U-boat torpedoed by HMS Cachalot off Saint-Nazaire.	47°06′N 04°51′W / 47.100°N 4.850°W
U-736	6 August 1944	A Type VIIC U-boat sunk by HMS Loch Killin off Saint-Nazaire.	47°19′N 4°16′W / 47.317°N 4.267°W

Poitou-Charentes

Ship	Sunk date	Notes	Coordinates
HMS Atalante	12 February 1807	A brig-sloop wrecked off Île de Ré.
U-107	18 August 1944	A Type IXB U-boat sunk by depth charges off La Rochelle.	46°46′N 03°49′W / 46.767°N 3.817°W
U-263	20 January 1944	A Type VIIC U-boat that was sunk during a deep dive trial off La Rochelle.	46°06′N 01°36′W / 46.100°N 1.600°W
U-667	25 August 1944	A Type VIIC U-boat that struck a mine off Oléron.	46°00′N 01°30′W / 46.000°N 1.500°W

Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur

Ship	Sunk date	Notes	Coordinates
Espingole	4 February 1903	A Durandal-class destroyer that struck a rock near Cavalaire-sur-Mer.	43°09′20″N 06°36′30″E / 43.15556°N 6.60833°E
Héros (1778)	18 December 1793	A ship of the line that was scuttled by fire at Toulon.
Indomptable	27 November 1942	A Le Fantasque-class destroyer that was scuttled at Toulon to avoid capture (see Scuttling of the French fleet in Toulon).
Madrague de Giens	75-60 BCE	A Roman merchantman sunk off the coast of La Madrague de Giens, east of Toulon.	43°2′N 06°6′E / 43.033°N 6.100°E
Magenta	31 October 1875	An ironclad warship that exploded in the military harbour of Toulon.
U-303	21 May 1943	A Type VIIC U-boat that was torpedoed by HMS Sickle off Toulon.	42°50′N 06°00′E / 42.833°N 6.000°E

References

1. "Le HMS Dafodil ou TF3" (in French). Grieme. Retrieved 26 September 2015.

External links