The most radical departure from previous designs was the shedding of tumblehome and adoption of vertical sides, shared by the Hercule and Suffren classes; this significantly increased the space available for upper batteries, but reduced the stability of the ship.

Stability problems were to some extent improved by the addition of a 3 m (9.8 ft) high belt of wood sheathing at the waterline.

The outcome of the project led the French Navy to return to a more traditional design with the next generation of ships, which would lead to Bretagne.

Valmy participated in the Crimean War, where she proved difficult to manoeuvre and, like other sailing vessels, often had to be towed by steam ships.

During the bombardment of Sevastopol, the only time Valmy fired her guns in anger, she was towed by the new steam two-decker Napoléon.