A landmark €6 billion ($6.5 billion) tourism and investment deal between France and Saudi Arabia is set to deliver three new theme parks to the outskirts of Paris, anchored by a manga-focused attraction inspired by the globally beloved Japanese franchise Dragon Ball Z. The project, greenlit during Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s two-day state visit to France, traces its origins to an unexpected shared passion between the Saudi crown prince and French President Emmanuel Macron.
Presidential advisers confirmed to reporters Monday that the theme park plan grew out of past conversations between the two leaders about their mutual fondness for Japanese comics, specifically Dragon Ball Z, a decades-old series that retains a massive global fanbase decades after its debut. Macron, a self-avowed manga fan who made headlines earlier this year when he closed a press briefing with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi by performing an iconic hand gesture from the Dragon Ball Z franchise, framed the new development as the largest leisure investment in the region since the opening of Disneyland Paris decades ago. “You know my interest for manga,” he added, confirming his personal connection to the project’s core concept.
The parks will be constructed just outside Paris near Cergy-Pontoise, with local French media indicating the development will likely occupy the site of the shuttered Mirapolis theme park, which closed its doors 35 years ago. No official opening date has been announced by the Élysée Palace, though officials confirmed the parks will open in sequential phases, with construction expected to stretch across multiple years. The development is projected to generate approximately 2,000 local jobs, according to estimates from the Élysée.
The project will be spearheaded by Qiddiya Investment Company (QIC), a subsidiary of Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund. The firm already unveiled plans in 2024 to build its own standalone Dragon Ball Z theme park near Riyadh, as part of the kingdom’s broader push to expand its tourism and entertainment sectors.
Beyond leisure development, the €6bn deal signals a deepening of bilateral economic and diplomatic ties between Paris and Riyadh. During the crown prince’s visit, the two leaders are scheduled to sign a slate of additional cooperation agreements spanning health, transportation, and energy, alongside high-level talks addressing escalating tensions between the United States and Iran. Macron wrote on X Sunday that the state visit marks an “important milestone” in the bilateral relationship, noting that “France and Saudi Arabia have always worked together to promote peace and stability” amid ongoing regional challenges in the Middle East.
The partnership aligns with Saudi Arabia’s long-term economic strategy to diversify its national revenue stream away from heavy dependence on oil exports, investing heavily in new sectors including tourism, leisure, and esports. Over the weekend, Macron welcomed bin Salman to the closing ceremony of the Esports World Cup, an event originally scheduled to be hosted in Riyadh that was relocated to Paris over safety concerns linked to ongoing Middle East conflict.