Joessel was built in the Arsenal de Cherbourg from 1913 to 1917, entered the French Marine Nationale in February 1920 and served until 1936.

Joessel was ordered in the French fleet's 1914 program as part of a two ship class.

The ships were designed by Jean Simonot, as a modification of his previous project, Gustave Zédé, using two Parsons steam turbines with a power of 2,000 hp (1,491 kW).

She had two shafts powered by two diesel engines built by Schneider-Carels for surface running with a combined total of 2,700 hp (2,013 kW) and two electric motors which together produced 1,640 horsepower (1,220 kilowatts) for submerged propulsion.

[2] She was laid down in November 1913,[1] launched on 21 July 1917,[2][3][Note 2] and completed in February 1920.