Kersaint was present when the Royal Navy attacked the ships in French Algeria in July to prevent them from being turned over to the Germans, but managed to escape.

The turbines were designed to produce 64,000 metric horsepower (47,000 kW; 63,000 shp), which would propel the ships at 36 knots (67 km/h; 41 mph).

During her sea trials on 28 July 1933, Kersaint's turbines provided 70,997 PS (52,218 kW; 70,026 shp) and she reached 38.4 knots (71.1 km/h; 44.2 mph) for a single hour.

The ships carried enough fuel oil to give them a range of 3,000 nautical miles (5,600 km; 3,500 mi) at 14 knots (26 km/h; 16 mph).

They were also fitted with a pair of depth-charge throwers, one on each broadside abreast the aft funnels, for which they carried a dozen 100-kilogram (220 lb) depth charges.

The Navy reconsidered its anti-submarine warfare tactics after the war began in September and eventually reinstated the pair of depth-charge throwers, although these were an older model than the one previously installed.

To keep the workers at Chantiers Navals Français steadily employed, the ship's hull was ordered from that company's Caen shipyard.

[8] On 27 August, in anticipation of war with Nazi Germany, the French Navy planned to reorganize the Mediterranean Fleet into the Forces de haute mer of three squadrons.

The squadron transferred to Oran, French Algeria, on 3 September and the ships of the 9th Scout Division were assigned to escort duties in the Western Mediterranean in early October.

On 22 December Kersaint, Maillé Brézé and the large destroyers Albatros, Vauban and Bison rendezvoused with Force Z, the battleship Lorraine and the light cruisers Jean de Vienne and Marseillaise, which was escorting four cargo ships loaded with American aircraft to Casablanca, French Morocco.

A few days before the French surrender on 22 June, Kersaint escorted the seaplane carrier Commandant Teste from Toulon to Oran, despite being only able to steam on one propeller shaft, and then proceeded to nearby Mers-el-Kébir.

The ship was transferred to Algiers, French Algeria, in early December to prepare to escort the damaged battleship Dunkerque back to Toulon in February 1942.