Obverse: The centre of the coin depicts a French Navy sailor looking out to sea. In the background are modern naval assets including an aircraft carrier, a warship, a submarine, a helicopter, a military aircraft and a diver. At the bottom appears the inscription 400 ans MARINE NATIONALE, commemorating the 400th anniversary of the French Navy. At the top is the French Republic mark RF, while the year of issue 2026 is shown to the right. The design symbolises the evolution of the French Navy from its historical origins to its modern maritime forces.
Reverse: The reverse features the standard design common to all €2 coins: a geographical map of Western Europe positioned on the right side of the coin and extending across both the inner and outer parts. The inscription 2 EURO appears above the map, while the numeral 2 is placed against the background of the Atlantic Ocean. The outer ring contains 12 stars positioned on either side of the map, with vertical lines visually connecting the upper and lower stars.
About the coin: This commemorative €2 coin celebrates the 400th anniversary of the French Navy. Its official foundation dates to 1626, when Cardinal Richelieu began establishing a permanent French naval force. Over four centuries, the Marine Nationale has become one of Europe's leading naval forces, protecting French territorial waters and participating in international and humanitarian missions. Today it is the only navy in the European Union to operate a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, the Charles de Gaulle.
