I was really trying to come up with a theme for this post, but one seemed to be too much of an inside joke (drinky-drinky-drinky, france-france-france…i mean come on if you started in Mexico and now you’re here you are not that sober)or I could just list one sentence “Grand Marnier Slush – k thx bye” but what kind of blogger would i be?
Let’s start with the Boulangerie Patisserie Les Halles, the relatively newly expanded bakery in the back of the of the main France gift store…. if you can get near it. Every time I go to the France Pavilion, I take a peek to see if there is not a massive wait to order a macaron and maybe a champagne..and have not succeeded yet. So, if you happen to stop by during some unknown golden hour where you don’t have to wait 30 minutes…enjoy a delicious mimosa or a champagne (mimosas give me heartburn, you understand), or maybe even a Kronenbourg (if you’re feeling a French beer).
Crepes des Chefs de France is pretty self explanatory – you’re showing up here for a crepe. My husband is not a crepe person, so if you find him here he’s probably grabbing a Kronenbourg.
Something that you may not want to include in a Drinks Around the World journey (just due to the richness and sugar) is the Ice Cream Martini found in L’Artisan des Glaces (where you can find amazing ice cream) Enjoy your ice cream drizzled in grand marnier, rum, or a whipped cream vodka (I really need to start doing this at home).
I would argue the most popular drink in the France Pavilion is the Grand Marnier Slush found at Les Vins des Chefs de France. This lovely, refreshing, orange liqueur slushie (is that how we spell it) always is the reason for the line at this kiosk. However, you can also find other slushes such as a Citron or Le Geant, a Kir Royale (a usual sight in the festival booths), Kronenbourg (duh), and other French wines and champagne.
Before I leave, I wanted to make sure you know about the hidden gem inside Vins de France. Many of the pavilions have a drink of choice (like wines in Italy or sake in Japan) tasting hidden in one of their shops. France is no different. Most trips, I will skip kiosks all together and head to this spot (it’s usually dark around this time, and the lights are spectacular), grab a glass of Veuve Clicquot, and enjoy the fountains and lovely, Paris-like architecture.
