A braced high-wing monoplane, the Potez 36 had wide-track divided landing gear, and its pilot and passenger were seated side-by-side in a fully enclosed cabin. Potez-designed leading-edge slats produced a high safety factor, much appreciated by those with sufficient finance to own the Potez 36 for weekend and holiday flying. Its design also included folding wings, making it suitable for garage storage and easy to tow behind a car.

Potez 36s proved a great success and some 300 were built for private owners and clubs between 1929 and 1933. Some were used by I'Armee de I'Air as scout/ liaison aircraft during the 1930s.