Debuting at Paris’s Bank of France, an institution Napoleon established in 1800, the project combines history, technology, and storytelling.

On 2 December, 1804, Napoleon Bonaparte crowned himself Emperor of the French at Notre-Dame Cathedral, marking the birth of the French Empire. This iconic moment, immortalised by Jacques-Louis David’s famous painting, serves as the backdrop to the immersive production, which highlights Napoleon’s military history and enduring legacy.

The VR experience not only recalls such monumental events but also examines the infrastructure and institutions Napoleon’s reign left behind, from roads and legal codes to higher education systems.

The production is the first from Sandora, a Paris-based company founded in 2024, which focuses on creating culturally immersive experiences. With input from a committee of historians, Sandora said it wanted its Napoleon, the Immersive Saga” to balance historical accuracy with technical and artistic excellence.

In the half-hour experience, visitors join a computer-generated Napoleon as he guides them through pivotal moments of the early 19th century. Key highlights include the Battle of Austerlitz, one of Napoleon’s greatest military triumphs, and a journey to St. Helena, the remote Atlantic island where the defeated Emperor was exiled by Britain after the Battle of Waterloo in 1815. Aboard a virtual ship or standing during battle, participants can witness history from Napoleon’s perspective.

Alongside the immersive production, the “Bonjour Napoleon” feature, developed by French tech startup Jumbo Mana, enhances the experience by enabling visitors to converse with the Emperor. Powered by a customized AI generator, the feature allows participants to ask questions and engage in dialogue with a virtual Napoleon.

Napoleon historian and expert Pierre Branda said: “We aimed to reveal to the public how Napoleon himself crafted his own legend. Every element of the narrative was carefully studied and validated by the committee.”

Visitors also can explore an accurate model of a 19th-century ship and ascend above the Vendôme Column, which Napoleon erected to commemorate the 1805 battle. The experience’s free-form design allows up to 10 participants to explore the recreated environments within a 200-square-foot space.

The project, which debuted in Paris, is set to travel to Brussels and Lille in 2025 before returning to the French capital.