Could France have avoided the Hoche and Marceau design path?

Was there a way for France to avoid capital-ship designs such as Hoche?

Possibly by delaying the programme and developing a fresh design instead of continuing the existing sequence.

Delaying the French capital-ship programme is suggested as one way to change its design direction. A pause before another iteration of the Hoche and Marceau approach could allow a fresh design. That offers a possible route to different ships, although no specific replacement design is developed.