The Normandie class was to follow the Bretagne class but replacing the triple 13.4" with twin 400mm (15.75") for an eight gun broadside that would have rivaled the British and Germanic States ships that were being built at the same time. The first two, Normandie was laid down in 1913, three more in 1914 and the last, Bearn, in 1915. The first four sips progressed far enough for the hulls to be launched to clear the slipways for more urgent work. The Normandie was the most advanced but would have still required a further three to four years of work to complete the ship. The other problem was that the armament for the ship had been taken over by the Army for use as railway guns at the front. Some were in poor repair and replacements would be required to be built. Post-war Frances finances were not in a good state and all of the first four ships were scrapped.
Only the Bearn was considered for further work to be carried out. It was decided that the Bearn along with the Guynemer would be converted to aircraft carriers. What made this possible was the assistance the Royal Navy and United States Navy were willing to provide to help complete both ships. The Guynemer was to act with the fast ships of the fleet while the Bearn would lend its support to the slow ships of the fleet. There was no rush to complete the ship. The work of converting the ship commenced in 1920 and the ship ran its trials in 1926.
Like a lot of first conversions, the Bearn was completed with eight 6" casemate guns for anti-torpedo boat work. Those 6" stayed aboard ship till the Bearn's 1942-3 refit in the US. The guns were removed and plated in. The space provided added some extra needed accommodation.
The Bearn's early war service was with one Courbet and one Bretagne class battleship hunting Germanic States raiders in the Central and North Atlantic areas. The three ships along with their escorting destroyers were at Fort de France in the West Indies when France surrendered. Under the eyes of the British West Indies squadron, the ships interned themselves there. They were released from this self internment in November 1942 with the fall of Vichy France. It was at that stage the ships were sent to US ports for refurbishment. In most cases this was the addition of 40mm and 20mm AA guns and lots of electronic aids.
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