^{This page is part of © FOTW Flags Of The World website}

France: Naval flags

Naval ensign and jack
Masthead pennant
Former church pennant

See also:

Naval ensign and jack

French naval ensign and jack - Image by Željko Heimer, 22 September 2001

The proportions of vertical stripes on the French flag when used at sea as the civil or naval ensign or jack are 30:33:37, to give a good visual effect when flying; they are therefore called "optical proportions".

Željko Heimer, 23 September 1995

The Tricolore ensign was adopted by a Decree dated 27 Pluviose of the Year II (15 February 1794) and by a Decree dated 7 March 1848. The proportions 30:33:37 were decided by a Regulation dated 17 May 1853. This Regulation gives the precise sizes, in metres and centimetres, of the standard legal ensigns, numbered from 1 to 16. #1 is 9 m x 13.5 m, whereas #16 is 50 cm x 75 cm.

Armand du Payrat & Pierre Gay, 24 September 1998

Masthead pennant

French masthead pennant - Image by Željko Heimer, 23 September 2001

The masthead pendant in its present form (replacing the interim design adopted on 24 October 1790), was established by Article IV of a Decree of the National Convention dated 27 Pluviose of the Year II (15 February 1794). The Decree gave the construction details of "one-fifth blue, one-fifth white and three-fifths red", while the table of standard sizes were confirmed by Naval Regulations issued in April 1987.

Christopher Southworth, 1 August 2004

Album des Pavillons [pay00] shows the masthead pennant as a triangular tricolour pennant, proportion 1:20~ or 1:(4+4+12)~)
Flaggenbuch [neu92] gives the following table for the size (in cm) of the pennant:

Length

100
150
200
300
500
700
1000
1200
1600
2000

Width

5
5
8
8
10
10
12
12
15
15

Ivan Sache, 30 September 2001

Former church pennant

French former church pennant - Image by Miles Li, 25 December 2006

The French Navy church pennant is illustrated in Flaggenbuch, 1905 [ruh05], the year this pennant probably fell into disuse, after the French government passed a law seperating the church and the state.

Miles Li, 25 December 2006

Flags of the World is produced and maintained by an Editorial Staff of unpaid volunteers and the contents of these pages are offered freely to the Internet community.
This Fotw.net mirror is sponsored by MrFlag.com (for flag and bunting ). Web design and eCommerce for MrFlag.com by Wired Media .

Length	100	150	200	300	500	700	1000	1200	1600	2000
Width	5	5	8	8	10	10	12	12	15	15