Petite France in Korea – A Fairytale Village Inspired By “The Little Prince”
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Petite France is a small slice of the French nation right here in Korea and you have the chance to tour the village yourself! With each building painted in a different pastel shade, and every inch of the village decorated to look like a fairytale, you’ll feel as though you’re inside a storybook.
The main idea behind Petite France came from the traditional French story of “The Little Prince”. If you’re not familiar with it, the children’s book (written by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry in 1946) follows the story of a young prince who travels to visit multiple planets including ours. Throughout the book, the story touches on different themes including love, loneliness and life.
When you take a tour of the Petite France Village you can forget you’re in Korea temporarily while you try French breads and pastries and learn about the nation’s history.
How To Get To Petite France in Korea
Location: 616-2 ~Goseong-ri Cheongpyeong-myeon Gapyeong-gun Gyeonggi-do ( 경기 가평군 청평면 호반로 1063 )
Located in the Gyeonggi-do province on the same grounds as the Italian Village, the theme park known as Petite France is easily accessible in a number of ways. If you are happy to navigate Korea independently then you can make your own way to the park. If not, then it could be worth considering a guided tour with transport included (more on those below).
By Car
If you need to rent a car for your trip to Petite France you can hire one here. Make sure to have your IDP and a full driving licence in order to rent as a foreigner in Korea. You don’t need to be concerned about parking as there is plenty of space to park your vehicle once you arrive.
From Seoul, the journey will take an average of 1 hour and 20 minutes from outside Seoul Express Station.
By Public transport
If you need to take public transport you have a few options available to you.
- Take the KTX from Seoul Express Station to Cheongnyangni Station
- Change to the Gyeongchun Train Line until you reach Cheonpyeong Station
- Walk for 16 minutes to the Cheongpyeong Bus Terminal
- Get on the #30-5 bus and ride for 9 stops / 20 minutes
- Get off at Petite France and walk 8 minutes to the entrance
Click here for a discounted KTX pass and click here for train reservations & itineraries.
If the KTX is out of budget you could take the intercity bus instead.
- Get on at Anyang Intercity Bus Stop (Southbound)
- Ride the bus for 2 hours and 5 minutes
- Get off at Cheongpyeong Bus terminal
- Get on the #30-5 bus and ride for 9 stops / 20 minutes
- Get off at Petite France and walk 8 minutes to the entrance
Combined Tours Including Petite France
If you don’t feel comfortable trying to travel through Korea to Petite France independently, you could always join a guided tour.
Most of the guided tours that visit this attraction also visit some of the other 3 large attractions in Gapyeong: Nami Island, the Rail Park and the Garden of Morning Calm.
Below are some example tours you could join. Each of them includes the entrance fee for Petite France and other attractions plus round-trip transport from Seoul.
- Nami Island, Petite France and Garden of Morning Calm
- Nami Island, Petite France and Optional Rail Bike
What to Expect on your Petite France Tour
The Village Path
After arriving at the car park, you will walk through the gate which takes you along a path winding between rainbow houses. You’ll see that every building around you looks like it has been plucked straight out of a fairytale and dropped here in Korea. Everything is painted in pastel shades which makes the place warm and inviting.
Inside the village, you’ll find a photo zone as well as multiple other places to take photos – especially since the entire place is picture-perfect.
The Museums
There is a European doll house which showcases lots of vintage dolls from different times in history. A Marionette House where different types of marionettes are on display too. There are exhibits of antique furnishings including European-style living rooms and designs found in historical France. There’s even a small museum with a model train (the Mont Blanc Express) on display that has every detail meticulously painted. Plus, there is an antique flea market for you to admire too.
Food & Beverages
As you wander through the tiny village you’ll see multiple small cafes and restaurants for you to take advantage of. Whether you want to purchase French pastries, various breads, fruit smoothies, or a delicious French-cooked meal in the village restaurant, you will be sure to love everything you try. The French are known to have amazing food so of course you need to immerse yourself when visiting Petite France here in Korea.
The Shows
- There is an Amphitheatre in the centre of the village that puts on a marionette dance show for visitors. These shows are included in your general admission ticket!
- The Maison d’Orgel holds an Orgel demonstration. If you don’t know what an orgel is, it is a small hand organ played many years ago in France.
- Theatre de Letoile holds a European fairytale hand puppet show.
Lots of Romance
Towards the far end of the village, you’ll find the stamps painted onto the wall that overlook the mountain backdrop. The view is beautiful and you can see far over the region. If you continue just a little further down the path you’ll reach the “Bell Tower of Love” and the Propose Room that just ooze romance. French is known as the language of love after all.
There are lots of Dolls, Puppets and Clowns
Throughout some of the rooms and also along the outdoor paths, you’ll find clown statues, mimes and dolls. This is because France is well-known as the birthplace of mimes and the sad clown. You’ll get to see clowns in various styles and follow the changes through the years of history.
The doll rooms show a mixture of porcelain dolls, and plastic dolls, some in pristine well-kept condition and others that look well-used and dishevelled. If you have a dislike of clowns like I do, you might find yourself a little on edge.
Petite France Tour in Korea: Entrance Fee
If visiting independently, the entrance fee for Petite France allows you access to the park grounds. If you are bringing a child under 3 years old, they may enter for free.
| Ticket Type | Cost |
|---|---|
| Adults | 10,000 KRW (£6 / $7.55 USD) |
| Teenagers (13-17) | 8,000 KRW (£4.80 / $6 USD) |
| Children (3-12) | 6,000 KRW (£3.60 / $4.50 USD) |
Do you recognise Petite France in Korea?
You might be wondering why Petite France looks so familiar. Well, this adorable place is also known for being a popular filming location for KDramas and movies.
Some KDramas filmed here include:
- Beethoven Virus (2008)
- Secret Garden (2011)
- Get Revenge (2020-21)
- One Spring Night (2019)
- The Fiery Priest (2019)
- The Beauty Inside (2018)
- The Liar and His Lover (2017)
- Gogh’s Starry Night (2016)
- My Love from Another Star (2013-14)
- Personal Taste (2010)
If you’d like to visit other KDrama filming locations around Korea, check out this post.
Final thoughts on Petite France
As you can see above, there are so many features of this park that make it worth a visit! It’s an adorable village with so much to offer, you could easily spend a few hours here.
Don’t forget that once you’ve finished your tour of Petite France you can go uphill to find the Italian Village for a taste of Italy in Korea!
