The ships also had to accommodate an admiral and his staff as they could serve as the flagship for the overseas divisions of the French Navy.

Conversely, the upper plating, specifically the deck, ammunition lobbies, gun shields, bridge, deckhouses and the lower part of the aft-funnel; were made from high-tensile, 60-kilogram (130 lb) bullet-proof "gunshield quality" (qualité masque) steel.

This provided the Bougainville with a greater level of protection against small arms and machine gun fire than contemporary French destroyers.

[2] The Bougainville class was powered by a pair of license-built, six-cylinder diesel engines that drove three-bladed propellers.

The ships were fitted with a 3-metre (9 ft 10 in) Mle 1932 coincidence rangefinder that fed data to the type aviso mechanical fire-control computer.

Short-range protection against strafing aircraft was provided by eight Mitrailleuse de 8 mm (0.3 in) Mle 1914 in four twin mountings.

The ships were fitted with mine rails, one set on each side of the aft superstructure to allow them to lay defensive minefields.

[9] Beautemps-Beaupré and La Pérouse substituted four[2] or six[10][11] 100 mm (3.9 in) guns in twin turrets for the main armament of their sister ships.

[11] To enhance the ability of the ships to patrol the large areas for which they would be responsible, they were fitted with space for a lightweight seaplane on the aft superstructure.

The aircraft was intended to be accommodated in a telescoping hangar, much like the one in the light cruiser Émile Bertin, aft of the rear funnel.

After a short exchange of fire, Savorgnan de Brazza had reduced Bougainville to a wreck and forced her to beach to avoid sinking.