The French ship Provence was a 64-gun ship of the line built for the French Navy, funded by a donation from the Estates of Provence. Initially ordered in February 1762 under the name Union, she was renamed Provence on 17 March of the same year. Construction began in May according to plans devised by engineer Gauthier. The vessel's design and build were typical of mid-18th-century French naval architecture, intended for line-of-battle tactics. Provence's service history was relatively uneventful during her early years. She was decommissioned in February 1769 but was reactivated in April 1770 and commissioned under Captain Moriès-Castellet. Her early deployment included joining a three-ship squadron under Rafélis de Broves, departing Toulon on 16 May for Tunisia, where she participated in blockading Sousse and Bizerte. She was involved in the bombardment of those cities in late June. By 1776, Provence served as the flagship of one of the three divisions in the Escadre d'évolution, under Chef d'Escadre Abon. During the American Revolutionary War, she played an active role in naval operations, including the Battle of Grenada in 1778, where her captain, Desmichel-Champorcin, was killed. After returning to Brest in December 1779, she was decommissioned. Notably, Provence participated in the 1780 Expedition Particulière, departing Brest on 2 May with a squadron under Admiral Ternay, escorting transports to support the Continental Army in the American War of Independence. The fleet included several ships of the line and frigates, with Provence serving as part of this significant naval operation. She arrived at Boston on 11 June 1780. Between 1783 and 1785, Provence was repurposed as a merchant vessel for the Compagnie de Chine before being struck in Rochefort and broken up in 1786. Her career reflects the typical lifecycle of a 64-gun ship of the line in the late 18th century, serving in both combat and support roles during key naval conflicts of her era.

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