France, Sept. 5 -- French press was abuzz following the announcement at the end of August of a €6 billion investment in the construction of three new parks on the site of a former amusement park in Cergy-Pontoise, 35 kilometres northwest of Paris.

It came after a meeting between Macron and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who said the project would be supported by Qiddiya Investment Company (QIC), which is owned by Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund.

Macron promised a project of a scale "unseen since Disneyland Paris", expected to generate 22,000 direct jobs.

The president's office said only that one of the parks would be manga-themed. However, confusion emerged when media outlets began reporting that it would be inspire...