ⓒ Seoul Selection

ⓒ Seoul Selection

ⓒ Seoul Selection

A little place called Seorae Village has become home to around 600 French people, roughly 40% of Korea’s total French population, due to the establishment of a French school in the 1980s. There are loads of exotic French cafés, French- and Italian-style restaurants, cheese shops, wine bars, bakeries, and French chain stores like L’Occitane.

EAT>
Hotel Douce is a charming space offering dozens of French desserts, ranging from eclairs, macarons, and canneles bordelais to sherbet, cookies, cakes, and chocolates.

BUY>
Maison de Paris is an upscale home decoration store that carries antique furniture, tablecloths, curtains, gardening tools, linens, baby wear, and some fancy gift items.

SEE>
The village is flanked by hilly Montmartre Park, a perfect place for a walk after dining in one of the fine restaurants or cafes around here.

FYI>
Seorae Global Village Center: T. 02-2155-8949, global.seoul.go.kr/seorae

GO>
Express Bus Terminal 고속터미널역 (Line 3, 7, 9), Exit 5

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National Library of Korea | 국립중앙도서관

A ten-minute walk from the bustling Express Bus Terminal and Central City shopping mall will lead you here. It houses over 7 million volumes, manuscripts, and periodicals, including over 840,000 foreign books and a vast digital archive. It would be nice to visit the library and spend some time reading before going on a trip out of Seoul.

EAT>
Central City is home to a myriad of fine restaurants, and there is a large food court on the basement floor of Shinsegae Department Store.

BUY>
Central City is much like a city within a city, bringing together Shinsegae, Youngpoong Bookstore, Central Terminal, the Cinus theater complex, and the JW Marriott Hotel.

SEE>
Seoripul Park, which flanks the library, is connected to Montmartre Park across the street through an overpass structure called the Silkworm Bridge. Southern Seoul used to be a hub for silk production in dynastic times.

FYI>
www.nl.go.kr (Korean, English, Japanese)
(San 60-1, Banpo-dong, Seocho-gu, Seoul | 서울시 서초구 반포동 산60-1)

GO>
Express Bus Terminal 고속터미널역 (Line 3, 7, 9)

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