Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund on Monday signed an agreement with the French government to invest $7 billion in creating three manga-themed amusement parks north-east of Paris.
The announcement came at the end of a two-day visit to Paris by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman, who was hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron.
The two leaders oversaw the signing of the €6bn ($7bn) agreement between Roland Lescure, French Economy and Finance Minister, and Abdullah Al Dawood, Director General of Qiddiya, a subsidiary of the PIF. "We’re not done surprising the world. Very proud of this achievement," Mr Macron said on X.
The Japanese manga series Dragon Ball, which became a global phenomenon in the 1990s, will be one of the themes of the new parks, Mr Macron's office said, without giving details on a time frame.
The parks, expected to create 22,000 new jobs, will be built near Cergy-Pontoise, about 30km from Paris.
"You know my passion for manga. You also know my determination to attract to France the investments that create jobs and make the most ambitious projects possible," Mr Macron said. "Thank you to Qiddiya and Saudi Arabia for their trust in our country, in our talents and in our future."
The Saudi side was reportedly attracted to the site due to its proximity to Paris and to the entertainment resort Disneyland Paris, to the west of the capital.
The area once housed France's first theme park, which closed 35 years ago. Named Mirapolis, it opened in 1987 with private Saudi funding and aimed to showcase French literature but it closed down due to financial difficulties.
The news of the new theme parks is expected to be well received in France, eight months before a presidential election in which Mr Macron will not be able to run, having already served two consecutive terms. The presidential race is dominated by issues related to high public debt and low purchasing power.
Shared interests
Mr Macron's office said he first discussed the plan with the Saudi Crown Prince during a visit made by the French President to Riyadh in December 2024.
“During a conversation at the Crown Prince's residence, the two leaders realised they share a passion for manga,” an adviser to Mr Macron said.
Details were hammered out during a series of meetings starting in March 2025 between the French President's advisers and the Qiddiya Investment Company, a subsidiary of Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund which opened an office in Paris last year.
In Saudi Arabia, the Qiddiya Investment Company is overseeing the development of a mega-tourism project near Riyadh, including the first theme park dedicated to the Dragon Ball franchise, spanning more than 500,000 square metres.
Mr Macron and Prince Mohammed appear to also share an interest in video gaming. On Sunday, they attended the closing ceremony of the Esports World Cup, which took place outside Saudi Arabia for the first time, in Paris. Prince Mohammed's visit was otherwise dominated by talks relating to the fallout from the Iran-US war.
