PARIS — Saudi Arabia’s Qiddiya Investment Company is set to lead the development of three major theme parks near Paris under a €6 billion investment agreement announced by France and Saudi Arabia, marking one of the largest new leisure developments planned in Europe.
The project was unveiled on August 24 during Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman’s official visit to Paris, where he met French President Emmanuel Macron. The planned destination will be located in the Cergy-Pontoise area, northwest of the French capital, with the development expected to create around 22,000 jobs.
Qiddiya will lead the Saudi-backed investment in the project, extending the company’s ambitions beyond Saudi Arabia as it continues to build a portfolio of large-scale entertainment, sports and cultural destinations. The announcement also represents a significant expansion of Saudi investment in the international leisure and tourism sector.
One of the three planned parks is expected to be centred around the world of manga and anime, with Dragon Ball Z emerging as the most prominent theme associated with the project. According to French officials, the idea grew from discussions between Macron and Mohammed bin Salman, who reportedly discovered a shared enthusiasm for manga and, in particular, the iconic Japanese franchise.
However, while a manga-themed park has been announced, full details of the three parks — including the themes of the remaining two attractions and their eventual operators — have yet to be revealed. No official opening date has been announced, and construction is expected to take several years.
Macron described the project as an “extraordinary” announcement and said the development would help create a new global entertainment destination for France. He also highlighted the expected employment impact, framing the investment as a major win for the country’s efforts to attract international capital and develop ambitious tourism projects.
The scale of the development has drawn comparisons with Disneyland Paris, with Macron describing it as the most significant theme park investment of its kind in France since the opening of the Disney destination. The project is also expected to strengthen the wider Cergy-Pontoise region as a leisure and tourism hub.
For Qiddiya, the French development builds on its growing expertise in destination entertainment. The company is already developing major attractions and themed entertainment projects as part of Qiddiya City in Saudi Arabia, including a dedicated Dragon Ball theme park announced in partnership with Toei Animation.
The France project signals a new international chapter for Qiddiya as Saudi Arabia continues to expand its influence across tourism, entertainment and global investment. With three parks planned and billions of euros committed, the development could become one of Europe’s most closely watched entertainment projects in the years ahead.
