A detailed design (Project 171) had been completed by the end of 1919, but there were significant reservations within the Navy and the Chief of the General Staff withdrew them in February 1920.

[2] The ships were lightly armored with barely splinter-proof gun shields, but extensive watertight subdivision included sixteen transverse bulkheads, with a double hull around the engineering spaces.

She patrolled the Atlantic for German shipping and commerce raiders following declaration of World War II hostilities.

[2] Duguay-Trouin returned to the Mediterranean to support Operation Dragoon and Flank Force bombardment of German positions in Italy.

[2] She was Admiral Jean Decoux's flagship of French Naval Forces, Far East, during the 17 January 1941 Battle of Ko Chang against the Thai fleet.

She was decommissioned at Saigon in 1942 where she served as a barracks ship until sunk by United States Task Force 58 aircraft on 12 January 1945.

[4] Primauguet was completed 1 April 1927 and deployed to French Indochina from 1932 until declaration of World War II hostilities in September 1939.