In late 1809, Vice-Admiral Honoré Joseph Antoine Ganteaume was organising shipment of reinforcements to Barcelona.

Robuste became the flagship of a squadron under Julien Cosmao, along with Donawerth, Génois, Borée and Lion, as well as the frigates Pauline and Pénélope, and a dozen of transports.

HMS Tigre detected Robuste, Borée, Lion and Pauline at dawn on 24 October, but the fleets lost contact again.

Contact was re-established in the morning of 25 October, the French sailing close to the shore, and the chase resumed.

After two hours of fruitless attempts to save the ships, Baudin ordered them scuttled, and they were set on fire in the evening.