The Algésiras-class ships were repeats of the pioneering ship of the line and were also designed by naval architect Henri Dupuy de Lôme. They had a length at the waterline of 71.23m (233.69feet), a beam of 16.8m (55.1feet) and a depth of hold of 8.16m (26.77feet). The ships displaced 5121t[1] and Intrépide had a draught of 8.1m (26.6feet) at deep load.[2]
The primary difference between Napoléon and the Algésiras class was that the boilers of the latter ships were moved forward of the engines. They were powered by a pair of trunk steam engines that drove the single propeller shaft using steam provided by eight boilers. The engines were rated at 900 nominal horsepower and produced 2204ihp. During her sea trials, Intrépide reached a speed of 12.24kn. The ships were fitted with three masts and ship rigged[1] with a sail area of .[3] To accommodate her troops, Intrépide was only armed with four 30-pounder cannon.[4]
Under Captain Claude Gennet, Intrépide was used as a troopship to bring the expeditionary corps of the French intervention in Mexico back to France in 1866–1867. She took part in the Siege of Sfax in 1881. From 1883, she was a school ship of the École navale, and from 1887 she was hulked as barracks. Renamed Borda in 1890, she was used again by the École navale, and was eventually broken up in 1921.