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

[1] The Provence-class ships carried enough coal to allow them to steam for 2,410 nautical miles (4,460 km; 2,770 mi) at a speed of 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph).

[1] Provence, named after the historic province,[7] was ordered on 16 November 1860 from the Arsenal de Toulon, laid down in March 1861 and launched on 29 October 1863.

During the Third Italian War of Independence later that year, she ferried General Edmond Le Bœuf throughout the Adriatic Sea from 16 July to 20 October.

When they received word that the Prussian ships had returned to Germany, the squadron sailed to Brest to prepare to blockade the coast of Prussia.

Provence was assigned to Vice Admiral 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.

The ship became the flagship of Rear Admiral Léopold de Pritzbuer, commander of the Levant Naval Division on 3 June.