By 1912, the deficit of newer modern classes of ships such as super-dreadnought-type battleships, and light cruisers in the French navy had become increasingly obvious.

The 1912 Statut Naval called for the construction of 28 battleships, 10 scout cruisers, 52 fleet torpedo boats, 94 submarines and 10 ships for "distant stations" by 1920.

Three of these ships, which were subsequently reclassified as convoyeurs d'escadrilles (flotilla leaders) were to be initially laid down in the Toulon Naval Dockyard in November 1914.

Project 171 was a major restructuring plan for the French navy after the huge economic and financial toll left on France after the First World War.

The project also called for the building of twelve new torpilleurs-éclaireurs (scout torpedo boats) and the abandonment of the incomplete Normandie class of battleships save for one, which would be converted into the aircraft carrier Béarn.

Unlike contemporary British cruisers of the period which had a raked bow, the La Motte-Picquet class had a traditional hull with a straight stem.

While other countries had begun building cruisers with destroyer turbine engines, the La Motte-Picquet class would be powered by twelve boilers, of which were eight coal-fired and four partial oil-firing.