Gapyeong Theme Park “Petite France”

Petite France, meaning “Little France,” is a theme park designed in the concept of a French cultural village. It is located on a 117,357 square meter site north of Cheongpyeong Lake in Cheongpyeong-myeon, Gapyeong-gun, and was opened on July 28, 2008.

Visitors can enjoy various cultural experiences and performances from Europe, including France. It offers a feeling of strolling through the streets of France, allowing you to see, enjoy, and experience everything French. There is a similar place called “Provence Village” in Paju, but it has a more commercial feel compared to “Petite France.”

“Enjoying Various European Cultural Antiques at Petite France”

At Petite France, you can explore works, objects, and props related to “The Little Prince.” You can also find places that explain the background of The Little Prince’s author, Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, and details about his life and experiences related to The Little Prince’s illustrations.

In addition, you can view a collection of European cultural antiques gathered by the representative over several decades. Thousands of various pottery, dolls, music boxes, crafts, and antique furniture are displayed throughout the buildings by theme.

“Operating Hours and Admission Fees”

Petite France operates year-round from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM. The admission fees are as follows. However, if you visit together with “Pinocchio and Da Vinci,” which was added later, there is a discount.

“Admission Fees for Petite France”

Adults: KRW 12,000
Teenagers (Middle and High School Students): KRW 10,000
Children (36 months – Elementary School Students): KRW 8,000

“Various Attractions and Photo Spots at Petite France”

Petite France offers various attractions. In particular, as mentioned above, you can enjoy a wide range of antique items collected by the representative. The entire street is decorated with the concept of a tranquil French village, making it a great place for photo opportunities throughout your visit to the theme park.

Especially, if you visit with your significant other or family, you may be busy taking photos. Major photo spots include walls with the word “love” written in various languages from around the world, The Little Prince statue, and other charming streets that you may find memorable.

“Performances, Music Box Demonstrations”

At Petite France, performances are held at scheduled times. The performance admission fee is already included in the entrance fee, so you just need to visit the venue where the performance is taking place at the scheduled time. Performances take place both outdoors and inside buildings.

I had the opportunity to watch a “music box demonstration” scheduled at a specific time. The representative explained various music boxes and provided time to listen to the sounds.

I was amazed that such a variety of content could be produced with just music boxes. Particularly impressive were the music boxes made with stuffed birds and the ones played by hand, bringing to mind images of birds in flight.

“Used as a Filming Location for Dramas”

Petite France is well known as a filming location for dramas. It gained even more popularity as it was used in dramas, variety shows, movies, commercials, and more, including MBC’s “Beethoven Virus,” “Personal Taste,” SBS’s “My Love from the Star,” “Secret Garden,” and “Running Man.”

“Visiting Petite France with a Friend from France”

On this day, I visited this place with a friend who actually came from France. Perhaps because my friend had never expected to visit “France” in Korea, I could see their excitement as we toured Petite France.

Especially, as we walked through the restored old houses of France, my friend even commented that it looked exactly like their grandmother’s house from childhood.

“The Superstition of Throwing Coins into the Fountain”

As you wander around Petite France Village, you may come across small fountains. I noticed that European people have a superstition associated with these fountains, as I saw them turn around and throw coins into the fountain upon seeing it.

If it’s a superstition similar to the one associated with the Trevi Fountain, they would have thrown coins into the fountain with the belief that if they do so with their back turned, they will return to Rome. Additionally, if successful a second time, it is said that they will find love with their loved one. There is also a legend that throwing a coin one more time will lead to parting with the loved one.

I visited “Petite France” without high expectations, but there were more attractions and photo spots than I had thought. It took more time than expected to explore the entire place. If you plan to visit for travel purposes, it would be good to take your time to explore. Also, considering visiting “Pinocchio and Da Vinci,” which was newly added in 2021, it’s even better to allocate more time.

“Gapyeong, Gyeonggi-do, French Theme Park Petite France”