The French ship Languedoc was an 80-gun ship of the line, designed by naval architect Joseph Coulomb and built in Toulon, France. Her construction experienced delays due to a shortage of timber, as the shipyard was occupied with other vessels including Zélé, Bourgogne, Marseillois, and Provence. Despite these setbacks, Languedoc was completed and became a prominent flagship of the French Navy. Languedoc played a significant role in France’s naval efforts during the late 18th century. Initially, she was offered to King Louis XV as part of the don des vaisseaux initiative to bolster the French fleet after the Seven Years' War. By 1773, she was under the command of Apchon. During the American War of Independence, she was upgraded to 90 guns and served under Vice-amiral d'Estaing, who made her his flagship. She set sail for North America in April 1778, reaching New York in July, and participated in key operations including the Battle of St. Lucia in December 1778 and the Capture of Grenada in July 1779. Languedoc also participated in the Battle of the Chesapeake in 1781 under Admiral de Grasse, and was present at the Battle of the Saintes in 1782, where she followed the flagship Ville de Paris but retreated during the engagement, ultimately leaving de Grasse to be captured. After the battle, she returned to Brest in June 1783. Refitted and upgraded by Jacques-Noël Sané, she re-entered service and took part in the campaign off Italy in 1792. During this period, she endured damage from storms and participated in the landing of troops in Sardinia. She was renamed several times during the French Revolution, becoming Antifédéraliste and later Victoire. Under Captain Savary, she engaged Nelson’s squadron off Italy and served off Canada in 1796. Declared too old for further combat, she was condemned at Brest in 1798. Throughout her service, Languedoc was a notable vessel in French naval history, participating in major conflicts and embodying the evolution of 18th-century warship design and tactics.

This description has been generated using GPT-4.1-NANO based on the Vessel's wikidata information and then modified by ShipIndex.org staff.