These ships were based on the wartime Le Hardi class, but were enlarged and had a dual purpose armament.

The ships were designed as squadron escorts (Escorteur d'escadre) rather than for independent operations, therefore they had a slower speed than their predecessors.

The secondary armament was composed of 57mm/60 modèle 1951 guns in three twin turrets and four single-mounted 20 mm Oerlikon cannon.

Originally, the ships did not have much anti-submarine warfare (ASW) armament included in the design beyond depth charge racks.

The main armament was guided by a single fire control director, with a second slotted aft for the 57 mm guns.

[1] During the 1960s the entire class were modernised and modified as either flotilla flagships, anti-aircraft guided missile or anti-submarine destroyers.

Three ships – Surcouf, Cassard, and Chevalier Paul – were converted into flotilla flagships (conducteurs de flottilles) between 1960 and 1962.

[1] Four ships – Bouvet, Kersaint, Dupetit-Thouars and Du Chayla – were modernised as anti-aircraft guided missile destroyers in 1962–1965.

The Model 1972 mortar replaced the forward 127 mm turret and the fire control director for the main armament was removed.

[2] Bouvet, Kersaint, Dupetit-Thouars and Du Chayla all served with the Atlantic Squadron for their entire careers.

Bouvet was taken out of service in 1982 and the ship's missile system was removed and installed on the new Cassard-class frigate Cassard.

[1] D'Estrées, Maillé-Brézé, Vauquelin, Casabianca and Guépratte remained in service until the mid-1980s when they were replaced with the Georges Leygues-class frigates.