The Napoléon was converted into a luxurious péniche-hôtel from the hull of a Belgian commercial freight-carrying barge built in 1963. She was one of the last commercial barges to have been built. 

The hull was purchased and converted in a small shipyard in Bruges, a city in the north of Belgium. The woodwork was carried out by British ship carpenters. The various systems incorporated in the ship come from several European countries.

The Napoléon is designed for minimal environmental impact, with water recycling, batteries to reduce fuel consumption and other eco-friendly measures.