Tour of France Pavilion in Epcot

One of my favorite parts about visiting Epcot is exploring the World Showcase.  There are so many things to see and do in each country!  I thought it would be fun to take a little “tour” of a country on the blog.  Since France has so many things to do (and eat!), I thought I’d start there.

The Food

France is all about food, right?  One of the main restaurants you’ll see here is called les Chefs de France.  It’s a table service restaurant, 1 credit if you’re on the dining plan.  They serve lots of traditional French dishes here.  We had lunch here on our honeymoon – the creme brulee is amazing!

The other sit-down restaurant is Monsieur Paul.  This is a 2 credit, signature restaurant.  I haven’t gotten the chance to eat here yet but I’ve heard very good things.

If you’re looking for the quick service option, you’ll want to head to Les Halles Boulangerie Patisserie.  You’ll find some sandwiches and meals, but the real highlight is the bakeries.  Lots of french pastries, maracons, and other tasty treats!

There are also two carts outside with French goodies.  One is the crepes stand where you can get a variety of crepes and ice cream.

The other is the wine stand.  Where of course you can get many different French wines.  The real standouts here, however, are the alcoholic slushies.  Both the grey goose lemonade slush and Grand Marnier orange slush are wildly popular.  The orange is my favorite and they come served in classy plastic martini glasses.

Finally we come to my favorite spot in all of France, L’Artisan des Glaces.  It’s an ice cream shop and some of the best ice cream I’ve ever had anywhere.  I’ve tried a number of flavors but the mint chocolate chip remains my favorite.  You can also get ice cream martinis (ice cream of your choice with a shot of flavored rum, vodka, or Grand Marnier) and maracon ice cream sandwiches.

The Shops

L’Espirit de la Provence offers a variety of French home goods.  You’ll find things like small snacks, soap, kitchen items, and more.  Right next to it is Aux Vins de France.  This is the wine shop.  You can go to the bar and get a glass to enjoy right there, or you can get a bottle to take home with you!

You’ll find a couple more shops on the other side of France.  La Signature has cosmetics and fragrances all from Guerlain.  Galerie d’ Beaux-Arts has other (non-Guerlain) fragrances.  Finally, for your typical souvenirs (an Epcot France t-shirt for example, or a statue of the Eiffel Tower with Minnie Mouse) visit Souvenirs de France.

Entertainment

The main attraction in the France pavilion is a movie called Impressions de France.  This film, lasting about 20 minutes, takes you through the beauty of France.  It’s one of the few places in the World Showcase where you can sit down in air conditioning.

One of my favorite things about the World Showcase is the street performers you’ll find in many of the countries!  France features Serveur Amusant, an impressive balancing act done by a duo with chairs.  It’s funny too, so if you happen to pass by be sure to catch it!

Want a caricature, portrait, or silhouette done?  France is a great place to stop for that!

Finally, you can also find some character meet and greets in the France pavilion.  Currently you’ll find Belle and Aurora there on a regular basis, though in the past I was also able to meet Marie from the Aristocats!

As you can see, there is plenty to do in the France Pavilion in Epcot’s World Showcase.  It’s one of my favorites!

Have you spent much time in Epcot’s France?  What’s your favorite part?