Castrogiovanni, who already has 40 senior caps, appeared as a second-half replacement for Tigers in Saturday's Guinness Premiership win over Newcastle Falcons before linking up with his international colleagues in preparation for the match against France at the Stadio Flaminio.
He is one of four English-based forwards in Pierre Berbizier's squad, alongside Fabio Ongaro of Saracens and the Gloucester pair Marco Bortolami and Carlos Nieto. Former Tigers fly-half Ramiro Pez, now of French club Bayonne, is also included.
Italy squad to face France
Forwards:
Mauro Bergamasco (Stade Français), Valerio Bernabò (Cammi Calvisano), Marco Bortolami (Gloucester), Martin Castrogiovanni (Leicester Tigers), Santiago Dellapè (Biarritz Olympique), Carlo Festuccia (Rolly Gran Parma), Andrea Lo Cicero (Infinito L'Aquila), Carlos Nieto (Gloucester), Fabio Ongaro (Saracens), Sergio Parisse (Stade Français), Salvatore Perugini (Toulouse), Andrea Scanavacca (Cammi Calvisano), Josh Sole (Arix Viadana), Maurizio Zaffiri (Cammi Calvisano), Alessandro Zanni (Cammi Calvisano)
Backs:
Mirco Bergamasco (Stade Français), Gonzalo Canale (Clermont Auvergne), Denis Dallan (Stade Français), Roland De Marigny (Cammi Calvisano), Paul Griffen (Cammi Calvisano), Andrea Masi (Biarritz Olympique), Ramiro Pez (Bayonne), Kaine Paul Robertson (Arix Viadana), Alessandro Troncon (Clermont Auvergne)