Having been replaced by a newer vessel in 1900, Iphigénie was decommissioned in August that year and was struck from the naval register in December 1901.

The Navy adopted a new construction plan in 1872, which envisioned a fleet for operations in home waters and one to patrol overseas to protect French interests abroad.

[1] The Minister of the Navy, Léon Martin Fourichon, requested designs for a new cruiser from French shipyards on 2 February 1877 for service with the overseas fleet.

[2] By the time three shipyards responded, Fourichon had been replaced by Albert Gicquel des Touches, who maintained his predecessor's construction plans.

The Conseil des Travaux (Council of Works) argued that the designs would be of insufficient combat power compared to cruisers being built abroad.

The ship carried 435 t (428 long tons) of coal, and at a cruising speed of 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph), Iphigénie could steam for 5,200 nautical miles (9,600 km; 6,000 mi).

Installation of the ship's propulsion machinery was delayed by more than a year while Naïade completed her initial testing.

The two ships were fitted with similar propulsion systems, and the navy wanted to evaluate the machinery before proceeding with Iphigénie's construction.

[6] During this period, the ship trained men in a ten-month course that included education in navigation, gunnery, general seamanship, and operation of steam engines.

[7] While in Toulon on 3 March 1887, the ship caught fire and had to be partially flooded in a dry dock to put out the blaze.

[8] Iphigénie was refitted again in 1896, which included further alterations to her armament, along with modifications that improved living conditions aboard the ship.

Iphigénie was decommissioned on 14 August, but she remained in the navy's inventory for more than a year before being struck from the naval register on 4 December 1901.

Some thought was given to giving the ship to the civilian École professionnelle de Bordeaux, but the plan came to nothing and she was instead placed for sale on 20 August 1904 and sold for scrap on 19 January 1905.