The fleet initially had three principal bases: Le Havre, Arsenal of Brest and Hiers-Brouage.

Under Louis XVI the military port of Cherbourg was developed, with some elements only were recently completed on the outbreak of the French Revolution.

In practice, the squadrons at sea were under officers with the rank of Lieutenant général des Armées navales.

Naval administration was under the authority of a Secretary of the State in 1626, the same year Cardinal Richelieu was designated as grand master of navigation.

These different bureaux and departments were regrouped in four grand directorates by Marshal Charles Eugène Gabriel de La Croix in 1786.