Petite France

Petite France opened in 2008 on a hillside above the Cheongpyeong reservoir as a cultural village themed on France and specifically on Antoine de Saint-Exupéry - there is a Little Prince museum with first editions and manuscripts, a memorial hall about the author, and sculptures from the book around the grounds. The rest is a set of brightly painted Provençal-style buildings holding guesthouses, a marionette theatre, an orgel museum of mechanical music boxes, and shops. Its fame in Korea comes from television: several dramas and a variety show filmed here, which is what most domestic visitors are following. It is unabashedly a theme village and not remotely French in any working sense. Whether it is worth the ticket depends entirely on whether the Little Prince material or the drama locations mean something to you; the lake views are pleasant either way.

The main sights

• The Little Prince museum - editions, manuscripts and memorial material.
• The painted village - Provençal-style buildings on the hillside.
• The orgel museum - mechanical music boxes and a marionette theatre.
• The drama locations - the reason most Korean visitors come.

When to go

April to June and September to November. Weekdays are far quieter. It combines with Nami island and the Garden of Morning Calm on the Gapyeong shuttle route.

Before you go

It is a theme village with an entrance fee and nothing authentic about it. Small - two hours is generous. The shuttle bus between the Gapyeong attractions is the practical way round and adds cost.

Nearby

Nami island, the Garden of Morning Calm and Jarasum are all on the Gapyeong loop.