Isle de France had traditionally been a forward base for commerce raiding by French privateers and frigate squadrons who attacked British shipping from India. The 40-gun frigate Cybèle was the only remaining frigate stationed there until the 36-gun frigate Prudente was sent as reinforcement at the outbreak of the War of the First Coalition. The French squadron set sail on 19 October, and patrolled for three days before locating the British cruisers. The two squadrons met on 22 October, around 15:30, twenty miles off the island.