Recalled to the "Force de Raid" in May, "Montcalm" was then moved to Algiers in North Africa where she stayed, performing at least one convoy escort, until the Destruction of the French Fleet at Mers-el-Kebir, when she was ordered to Toulon. On 9 September 1940, she left Toulon with her sister ships and , and passed Gibraltar without being challenged (for which the local British commander, Admiral Sir Dudley North, was relieved of his command). The flotilla refuelled at Casablanca and continued to Dakar, arriving on 14 September.