When the Germans invaded France on 10 May 1940, "Panthère" was being refitted at Toulon and her sisters were still escorting convoys. "Jaguar", "Léopard" and "Chacal" were assigned to the Northern Command on 22 May to support Allied forces on the French coast. "Jaguar" was sunk the next day off Dunkirk and "Chacal" on the evening of 23/24 May near Boulogne by German bombers. "Léopard" remained in the area and bombarded advancing German forces near the northern French coast. After the surrender of France, she was seized by the British in July and turned over to the Free French the following month.