Residents near the **Lascaux Cave** in the Dordogne region are opposing a 400 million euro data center project planned for a former paper mill in the communes of Condat-sur-Vézère and Le-Lardin-Saint-Lazare. The mill, once a major employer with 1,200 workers, was closed in the early 2020s after the shutdown of its three production lines. The site, covering 51 hectares, is now being proposed for conversion into a "supercomputer" by the SPB group, which plans to use the site to train artificial intelligence (AI) services rather than store data. The project is expected to create 250 jobs and include the recovery of heat from servers for activities such as greenhouse strawberry cultivation. The SPB group claims the project could serve as a spearhead for a French "sovereign" artificial intelligence industry. Residents have expressed concern over the project's potential environmental impact, particularly given the area's proximity to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of **Lascaux Cave** and its classification as a Natura 2000 zone. The region's economy is heavily dependent on tourism, and the area has already suffered from the effects of a severe summer drought. A local resident, Nicolas, stated that the project is "inappropriate" for the area, while another resident described the community's reaction as "desperate" after the closure of the paper mill. A mobilization effort began in July, with a petition collecting 5,600 signatures from the two communes, which have a combined population of 2,500. This led to a public meeting on September 30, attended by over 400 people, where the project's promoters presented their case. The promoters emphasized that the project would not consume significant amounts of water, using a closed-loop cooling system. However, they were unable to provide details on the companies that would rent the computing power or the specific AI services to be developed. The electrical power requirement for the data center is estimated at 165 MW, equivalent to the power needed for a city of 160,000 inhabitants or the production of 50 to 90 wind turbines. The promoters also indicated that they would use the existing gas generators from the former paper mill to produce part of the electricity, which could be a first in France for the data center industry. Concerns were raised about the environmental impact, including the potential use of PFAS chemicals in the cooling system and the effects of noise and heat from the facility. The promoters also mentioned that the "ancillary activities" for heat recovery remain options and are still under study. The local opposition includes residents, former factory workers, environmental defenders, and tourism professionals. Some residents expressed concern about being labeled as opponents to all development, emphasizing their desire for projects that are both virtuous and environmentally friendly. The movement against the data center project is part of a broader trend in France and Europe, with similar resistance efforts in Belgium, Spain, England, and Germany. Local and national environmental organizations, including France Nature Environnement, SOS Forêt, and Confédération paysanne, have shown support for the local opposition.