She was the second ship in French service named in honour of Bertrand du Guesclin.

Bayard was first used as barracks for prisoners sent to deportation to Îles du Salut, and then as a transport for those sent to the Bagne of Cayenne.

[1] On 6 July 1854, Duguesclin ran aground on the Warren Rock, off Cronstadt, Russia as the buoy marking it had been removed by the Russians.

Her upper and middle deck guns had to be removed before she could be refloated.

[2] In 14 December 1859, as she conducted trials of her newly installed steam engine under Commander Choux,[3] she ran aground on Île Longue.