The History division of french Defense Minister unleashed those gems a few days ago here:
http://www.servicehistorique.sga.defense.gouv.fr/02fonds-collections/banquedocuments/planbato/planbato/central.htm
click on
"Liste alphabétique des bateaux dont la notice est disponible"
and let the dream start! 400 ships very detailed, enormous sized original blueprints for free download ranging from 1880's or so to 1960's at least!
Those are Tif files, they will try to open as Quicktime in the Firefox browser, so better "right-clic / Save target as" and try to open them in some good quality image software.
The only downside to this, is that they intend there is MORE and that those will be paying ones
It is a really great news for the Scratchbuilders of the World Unite me thinks!

Wow, JB, great site, and great resource, mate!
Thanks!! Ya got any more links like this one up yer sleeve!?

Working Link
~Gunny

hey Mark, well i am like most people, I don't model French so no i fell on that one by a tip from a friend and i don't have any more.
France always was a top weapons seller, and i know for a fact that at the turn of last century france was selling boats to Russia and Japan, and also that the design of ships were always close from one country or another, so this site may be helping more than French Marine Nationale fans.
i want to stress out that these plans are of AMAZING quality, that you have got all kind of ships here, from small emergency ones (don't know the word) to cruisers to submarines to torpedo boats etc...