Alerte was built at Rochefort and designed as an aviso, under the designation Aviso No. 1. Hubert Pennevert completed her as a bric of 10 guns. In 1790 she was under the command of Sous-lieutenant de vaisseau D'Aujard in the Levant. In November 1791, still under the command of D'Aujard, she was cruising off the coast of Syria. In 1793 she cruised along the Ligurian coast, escorted a convoy from Villefranche to Toulon, and sailed from Tunis to Marseilles. Between 4 April and 17 May she was under the command of lieutenant de vaisseau Courdouan; between 17 July and 5 August she was under the command of lieutenant de vaisseau Marchand.