Ponant fleet

The Ponant fleet ( _fr. Flotte du Ponant) was the overall term for the naval forces of the royal French navy under the Ancien Régime designated to communicating with the New World in general (and the French colonies at Antilles and New France in particular) and protecting the maritime routes between there and France. (Its counterpart was the Flotte du Levant, based at Toulon.) The Ponant fleet was principally based at Rochefort and Brest.

This fleet appeared in the portfolios of the secretaries of state in 1626, the same year as Richelieu was named "grand maître de la navigation". The two fleets were united in 1642, then split up again in 1661. The two fleets were put under the control of Colbert from 1662, whilst he was "intendant des finances" and "minister of state" but not "secretary of state" : he only became secretary of state in 1669 after having bought his way into the post. From then on, right up to the French Revolution, a secretary of state with responsibility for the whole fleet.