Conflans left Brest roughly 200 miles ahead of Hawke and only about 120 miles from the British frigates he intended to overwhelm. Contrary winds and crews with little experience beating to windward slowed the French fleet. Conflans also avoided a shorter route through hazardous approaches to Quiberon Bay. He did not sight his target until 20 November, when Hawke's full Channel Fleet was close enough to intervene. French historians later criticized the delay, but Corbett doubted that even Hawke and a homogeneous, highly trained fleet could have made much better progress in the same winds.
Chapter · 13:31-14:31
Why Conflans reached Quiberon Bay so slowly
Contrary winds, an inexperienced fleet, and a cautious route through dangerous waters consumed Conflans's initial lead before he met Hawke's Channel Fleet.