Renaissance was built in Belgium in 1960 as a standard péniche barge to carry cargo along the canals of Europe.

Her original cargo was grain and iron ore. She presently serves as a hotel barge, owned and operated by European Waterways.

She has a rectangular hull section, bluff bow and a counter-hung rudder, and is effectively the largest-size vessel which can pass through the Freycinet locks in France and Belgium.

The barge was renamed Renaissance and began operations on the canals of western Burgundy and the upper Loire in May, 2008.

The crew of five consists of captain and pilot, deck hand and tour guide, master chef, housekeeper, and waiter.