The ironclad played a minor role in the Franco-Prussian War of 1870–1871, blockading the North Sea coast of Prussia and a Prussian commerce raider in a neutral Spanish port.

The Provence class was designed as an enlarged version of the Gloire-class ironclads with thicker armor, more powerful guns, and better seakeeping qualities.

They arrived on 14 August and remained for four days, their crews' exchanging ship visits, touring the dockyard and participating in multiple banquets and balls.

The French ships, including Héroïne, arrived later that month and remained until 2 September; their crews similarly occupied as the British were earlier.

[7] In September–October 1866 Héroïne, her sisters Magnanime and Flandre and the ironclad Magenta participated in fleet maneuvers and comparative gunnery trials.

[8] In 1867 Héroïne was assigned to the Squadron of Evolutions (Escadre d'évolutions) and she became the flagship of Rear Admiral (contre-amiral) Albert Gicquel des Touches in 1868.

[3] When the Franco-Prussian War began on 19 July 1870, Héroïne was assigned to Vice Admiral (vice-amiral) Léon Martin Fourichon's squadron that was tasked to blockade German ports in the Heligoland Bight.

The neutral British denied the French permission to re-coal there and the ships were forced to perform it at sea under dangerous conditions.

Bad weather and a series of storms beginning in late August prevented the squadron from coaling and the ships were forced to return to France in early September.

[9] Héroïne arrived in mid-January 1871 and blockaded the German commerce raider SMS Augusta in Vigo, Spain, where she was resupplying in the neutral harbour.

A severe yellow fever outbreak later began aboard the hulk which was scuttled off Dakar on 29 December 1901 as a preventative measure.