Amiral Tréhouart was the second and last Bouvines-class ironclad coast-defence ships built for the French Navy (Marine Navale) in the early 1890s.

The Bouvines-class coast-defence ships were ordered in accordance with the Jeune École's belief in the primacy of coastal defences and commerce raiding.

[2] The Bouvines-class ships were powered by two inclined horizontal triple-expansion steam engines, each driving one propeller shaft.

The ships carried enough coal to give them a range of 3,900 nautical miles (7,200 km; 4,500 mi) at a speed of 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph).

[3][4] The Bouvines-class ships carried their main battery of two Canon de 305 mm (12 in) Modèle 1887 guns in two single-gun turrets, one each fore and aft of the superstructure.

[2] Initially ten 37-millimetre (1.5 in) Hotchkiss revolving cannon were positioned on the superstructure, but this was reduced to three when the additional 47 mm guns were added.