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What is the data.gouv.fr MCP Server?

The data.gouv.fr MCP Server is a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that allows AI chatbots like Claude, ChatGPT, and Gemini to search, explore, and analyze datasets from data.gouv.fr—France’s national Open Data platform—directly through conversation. Instead of manually browsing websites or downloading files, you can simply ask questions like:
  • “What datasets are available about housing prices in Paris?”
  • “Show me the latest population data for Lyon”
  • “Find datasets about renewable energy in France”
The MCP server handles all the API calls and data retrieval behind the scenes, giving your AI assistant direct access to over 50,000 public datasets.

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What is the Model Context Protocol?

The Model Context Protocol (MCP) is an open standard that enables AI applications to securely connect to external data sources and tools. Think of it as a universal connector that lets AI assistants interact with databases, APIs, and services in a standardized way. With MCP, AI chatbots can:
  • Access real-time data from external sources
  • Execute specialized tools and functions
  • Maintain context across complex workflows
  • Work with multiple data sources simultaneously
The data.gouv.fr MCP Server implements this protocol to bridge AI assistants with French Open Data.

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Key features

Dataset search

Search and explore 50,000+ datasets from data.gouv.fr with natural language queries

Tabular API queries

Query CSV and Excel files directly without downloading, with filtering and sorting support

File downloads

Download and parse large CSV, JSON, and JSONL files up to 500MB with automatic delimiter detection

External APIs

Access third-party dataservices with OpenAPI specifications and endpoint documentation

Usage metrics

Retrieve monthly visits and download statistics for datasets and resources

15+ AI clients

Works with Claude, ChatGPT, Gemini, Cursor, VS Code, Windsurf, HuggingChat, and more

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Available MCP tools

The server provides 10 specialized tools for working with French Open Data: Datasets (static data files)
  • search_datasets - Search for datasets by keywords
  • get_dataset_info - Get detailed dataset metadata
  • list_dataset_resources - List all files in a dataset
  • get_resource_info - Get detailed information about a file
  • query_resource_data - Query data from CSV/Excel files via Tabular API
  • download_and_parse_resource - Download and parse large files
Dataservices (external APIs)
  • search_dataservices - Search for registered APIs by keywords
  • get_dataservice_info - Get detailed API metadata
  • get_dataservice_openapi_spec - Fetch OpenAPI specifications
Metrics
  • get_metrics - Get visits and download statistics
Learn more about each tool in the MCP Tools Reference.

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Who should use this?

The data.gouv.fr MCP Server is designed for: Developers building applications that need access to French Open Data without managing API integrations manually. Data analysts who want to explore and query datasets conversationally without writing code or downloading large files. Researchers investigating French public data who need quick access to multiple datasets and their metadata. AI application builders creating tools that require real-time access to government statistics, geographic data, or public records.
The MCP server is read-only and requires no API key. All data from data.gouv.fr is freely accessible under open licenses.

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How it works

The MCP server acts as a bridge between your AI chatbot and the data.gouv.fr platform:
  1. You ask a question in natural language to your AI assistant
  2. The AI decides which MCP tools to use based on your question
  3. The MCP server calls data.gouv.fr APIs and retrieves the data
  4. The AI receives the data and formulates a response
  5. You get an answer with the information you need
All of this happens automatically in seconds, without you needing to understand API endpoints, parameters, or data formats.

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Hosted endpoint

A public MCP server instance is available at: 
https://mcp.data.gouv.fr/mcp
You can connect your AI chatbot to this endpoint immediately—no installation, hosting, or configuration required. The service is free and open to everyone.
You can also self-host the server if you need custom configurations or want to run it in your own infrastructure.

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Next steps

Quickstart

Connect your AI chatbot in 3 simple steps

Client setup

Detailed setup guides for Claude, ChatGPT, Gemini, and more

Docker deployment

Self-host the MCP server with Docker Compose

Explore the tools

Learn what each MCP tool can do

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