Primauguet was initially sent to join the Far East Squadron during the Sino-French War, but she arrived shortly before the end of the conflict and did not see action.

Primauguet returned to France after the war ended in 1896; a refit scheduled for 1898 was cancelled and the ship was instead removed from service in 1901.

The four ships of the Lapérouse class were ordered under the auspices of the naval plan of 1872, which was laid out to modernize the French Navy in the aftermath of the Franco-Prussian War of 1870–1871.

The navy sought new unprotected cruisers that carried a heavier armament than earlier vessels, while maintaining a similar size to keep costs from increasing during a period of limited naval budgets.

The design for the ships was drawn up by Arthur Bienaymé as part of a competition that also resulted in the subsequent and very similar Villars-class cruisers.

[5] The ship was sent to reinforce the Escadre de l'Extrême-Orient (Far East Squadron) during the Sino-French War, along with the ironclad warship Turenne and the cruisers Magon, Roland, Limier, and Hugon, and several gunboats and smaller craft.

[6][7] After the end of the war in June, many of the French vessels were either recalled home or dispersed to other stations, but Primauguet remained in the unit, along with the ironclads La Galissonnière (the flagship), Turenne, and Triomphante, the cruisers Lapérouse, Roland and Champlain, and two gunboats.

[8] By 1889, the ship had returned to France; that year, she underwent an extensive overhaul that included work to her engine and boilers, and alterations to her bridge and rigging.

[12] At the start of the operation, the unit also included the cruiser Dupetit-Thouars, the avisos Dumont-d'Urville and Papin, and three gunboats, along with supporting transport vessels.

On 1 May 1895, Primauguet and the gunboat Lynx escorted the transport Rance up the Betsiboka River to seize the city of Marovoay, the defenses of which were found to have been abandoned.

In late September, Primauguet and two transports carried two companies of infantry, around 300 men, and two mountain guns to Tamatave to strengthen the French forces there.

[13] In February 1896, Primauguet briefly became the flagship of Captain Le Dô, after Bienmaime—who had by then been promoted to rear admiral—relinquished command of the Indian Ocean division to return home.