Apr 13, 2026 | Posted by Abdul-Rahman Oladimeji
Google is reportedly moving forward with plans for its first data center in France, with a preliminary consultation set to assess the project’s environmental impact. The French National Commission for Public Debate (CNDP), which oversees public consultations for major infrastructure projects, has announced it will hold a review into the proposed facility near Châteauroux, in the Indre department of central France.
The search and cloud giant was seeking to acquire 195 acres of land at the Ozans Business Park, southeast of Châteauroux. The site was expected to cost €58.5 million ($68 million). According to the CNDP, it has received a letter from Google, along with two of its subsidiaries—Tricolore Computing Sarl and Violet Computing Sarl—and the power network operator RTE regarding the data center project, and has decided to launch a public consultation.
CNDP consultations are designed to encourage public participation and address environmental concerns before planning permission is submitted, ensuring that any necessary design changes can be incorporated early in the process. Details of the proposed data center, including its capacity and construction timeline, have not yet been confirmed. DCD has contacted Google for comment.
The CNDP statement notes that the project is located in the same area as a new 400kV overhead power line between the Eguzon (Indre-36) and Marmagne (Cher-18) substations, which is currently undergoing preliminary consultation. A report last month from French outlet L’Observatoire des multinationales suggested the data center could reach up to 500MW in capacity. Meanwhile, the Ozans Business Park website states that 30MW of power capacity is currently available via Enedis, with up to 200MW expected to become available within the next two years.
