France and Saudi Arabia agree on €6 billion theme park project near Paris

Agreement at the Elysee Palace

On 24 August 2026, French President Emmanuel Macron and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman agreed to construct a 6 billion euro amusement park complex near Cergy-Pontoise, northwest of Paris. The project will feature three distinct theme parks built across a single development site, with one dedicated entirely to the Japanese anime and manga franchise Dragon Ball Z. The development represents the largest amusement park initiative in France since the opening of Disneyland Paris in 1992. Formal discussions between French and Saudi officials had progressed confidentially across an 18-month period before the signing at the Elysee Palace during the crown prince's visit. The bilateral meeting coincided with broader discussions on regional security and economic cooperation between Paris and Riyadh.

Financing and economic scope

The entire 6 billion euro investment will be financed by Saudi entertainment and investment group Qiddiya, a subsidiary of Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund. The development forms part of the kingdom's Vision 2030 economic transformation program, which seeks to reduce oil dependency by generating 100 billion dollars in annual non-oil revenue through recreation, tourism, and technology. French government estimates project that the complex will create approximately 22,000 direct jobs, alongside thousands of new housing units for workers and their families in the Val-d'Oise department. David Rigoulet-Roze, a researcher at the French Institute for Strategic Analysis, explained the economic reasoning behind the kingdom's outward capital deployment.

We must think about the post-oil era. In this anticipation, there is the idea of developing sectors that did not exist previously.

The investment follows previous Saudi sports and cultural ventures, including domestic football league expansions and international museum partnerships.

Reclaiming the Mirapolis site

The complex will occupy the former grounds of Mirapolis in Courdimanche, situated between 35 and 40 kilometres northwest of Paris. Mirapolis operated from 1987 to 1991 before closing due to heavy financial debt, leaving the property vacant for nearly 35 years. While regional authorities anticipate renewed business activity and improved infrastructure, Courdimanche residents have expressed mixed opinions regarding the origin and scale of the investment. Valérie Pécresse, president of the regional council of Île-de-France, described the overall scope as comparable to Disneyland Paris. Florence Portelli, vice president of the Île-de-France regional council responsible for culture, emphasized the long-term opportunities for the local area.

I do not have the Dragon Ball Z culture, but I know it is immensely popular. It is a genuine culture, the culture of manga, and above all for my region it is an extraordinary opportunity.

Project timeline and next steps

The project concept originated in 2025 during Macron's official visit to Saudi Arabia, when both leaders discovered a mutual enthusiasm for Dragon Ball Z. Bin Salman arrived in France on 23 August 2026 to attend the closing ceremony of the Esports World Cup in Paris before meeting Macron the following day. No official opening date has been confirmed, as construction across the three planned parks will take several years and proceed in phased stages. Key structural details regarding the themes of the remaining two parks and specific municipal planning authorizations remain to be finalized by French and Saudi authorities. French officials maintain that the development demonstrates continuing foreign capital interest in French leisure and infrastructure assets.