She is most famous for her duel with the British frigate HMS Arethusa on 17 June 1778, which began the French involvement in the American War of Independence.

She served in two campaigns in the West Indies, where due to her good sailing performance she was selected for the first French attempt at covering her hull with copper to resist marine growths.

At the time, France was not yet engaged in the American War of Independence, but there had been numerous incidents involving French and British ships.

In December 1777, Belle Poule was selected to ferry Silas Deane back to America, along with news of the French-American Alliance.

When war broke out, Belle Poule was sent on a reconnaissance mission, along with the 26-gun frigate Licorne, the corvette Hirondelle, and the smaller Coureur, to locate the squadron of Admiral Keppel.

Belle Poule lost 30 killed and 72 wounded, among which her captain, Lieutenant Jean Isaac Chadeau de la Clocheterie.

[2] The battle was so famous that ladies of the high society invented the hairstyle "Belle Poule", with a ship on the top of the head.

On the evening of 14 July 1780 Captain Sir James Wallace of the 64-gun ship of the line Nonsuch was off the Loire where her boats were burning the French frigate Legere.