Étonnante was an 18-gun Etna-class corvette of the French Navy, launched in 1795.

In the night of 13 to 14 November 1796, Étonnante departed Le Havre with her sister-ship Etna, and was chased by HMS Melampus and HMS Minerva, which drove her ashore near Barfleur.

However the British were not able to get close enough to assure the destruction of Étonnante.

[2] Étonnante later served at Saint-Malo in 1797 and at Brest in 1802.

[1] She then underwent conversion to a ponton arrière-garde or corps de garde.