Fleuret was one of 13 Claymore-class destroyers built for the French Navy in the first decade of the 20th century.

The ship was launched on 14 December 1906 and was assigned to the Northern Squadron after her completion in March 1908.

[2] When the First World War began in August 1914, Fleuret was still assigned to the 2nd Destroyer Flotilla[3] based at Brest and remained with that unit until mid-1915.

She was transferred to the North Sea Flotilla (Flotille de la mer du Nord), based at Dunkerque, the following year.

In February 1916, the ship was badly damaged in a collision with the destroyer Aventurier and was under repair at Le Havre until November.