The Pluviôse class were built as part of the French Navy's 1905 building program to a double-hull design by Maxime Laubeuf.

Thermidor differed from her sisters as she was built to test the hull shape planned for the following Brumaire class.

A ministerial order of 18 March 1910 added one to Vendémiaire while she was still under construction, but the bow tubes were deleted from the rest of the class.

The other launchers were a rotating pair of Drzewiecki drop collars in a single mount positioned on top of the hull at the stern.

[5] The Pluviôse class were acknowledged to be good sea boats and saw action throughout the First World War on patrol and close blockade duty.