L’Artisan des Glaces Review: Is It the Best Dessert at Epcot?
Is L’Artisan des Glaces worth visiting at Epcot? Read my review of the famous Macaron Ice Cream Sandwich, Croque Glacé, and my tips for visiting this France Pavilion favorite.
Estimated reading time: 7 minutes
If you ask me to name my favorite dessert in all of Epcot, I don’t even have to think about it.
It’s the Macaron Ice Cream Sandwich from L’Artisan des Glaces.
Sure, there are plenty of incredible pastries at Les Halles just around the corner, and Karamell-Küche in Germany always tempts me with caramel everything. But somehow, I keep coming back here. On a hot Florida afternoon, it’s hard to beat fresh French ice cream sandwiched between two delicate macarons.
If you’re planning a day in Epcot and wondering whether L’Artisan des Glaces deserves a stop, my answer is an easy yes.
Looking for even more delicious treats? Be sure to check out my guide to the best snacks at Epcot, where I rank my favorite sweet treats and savory bites from around World Showcase.
Where is L’Artisan des Glaces?
L’Artisan des Glaces is located in the France Pavilion in World Showcase, just a short walk from Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure.
Because it’s tucked into one of the busiest pavilions in Epcot, you’ll almost always find a line. The good news is that it usually moves pretty quickly, and it’s absolutely worth the wait.
If you’re already planning to explore the France pavilion, I’d recommend pairing a stop here with Les Halles Boulangerie-Patisserie. Between those two locations, you have some of the very best desserts in all of Walt Disney World.
What We Ordered
I’ve actually tried two different desserts here.
Macaron Ice Cream Sandwich ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
This is the reason I keep coming back.
You start by choosing your favorite ice cream flavor, and the cast member sandwiches it between two oversized macarons. The combination of the slightly crisp, chewy macarons with the creamy French ice cream is incredible.
I know it sounds simple, but somehow it’s so much better than you’d expect.
It’s refreshing, indulgent, and surprisingly easy to eat while you’re strolling around World Showcase.
In fact, this is currently my favorite sweet snack in all of Epcot.
Croque Glacé ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆
The Croque Glacé is another popular choice.
Instead of macarons, your ice cream is pressed inside a warm brioche bun before being served.
I actually think this dessert would probably rank higher for me…
…except my brain has unfortunately associated it with food poisoning from that trip.
To be clear, I have absolutely no idea whether this dessert had anything to do with it. It was almost certainly something else I ate that day.
But if you’ve ever had food poisoning, you know how your brain works. Sometimes it unfairly blames whatever you happened to eat beforehand.
One of these days I’ll order it again and give it a fair second chance, because I really do think it deserves one.
Another one of my favorite stops in the France Pavilion is Crêpes À Emporter. Their Nutella crêpe and ham-and-cheese galette are both worth trying if you’re looking for something a little more substantial.
Who Should Visit L’Artisan des Glaces?
Honestly… just about everyone.
If you enjoy ice cream, this is an easy recommendation. Families will love it, couples can easily split a dessert, and it’s one of my favorite places to cool off after spending a few hours walking around World Showcase.
That said, if you’re trying to decide between here and Les Halles, I think it really comes down to what you’re craving.
If you want a flaky pastry, fresh baguette, or French macarons, head to Les Halles.
If it’s 95 degrees outside and you’re dreaming about something cold, refreshing, and just a little indulgent, I’d walk over to L’Artisan des Glaces instead.
Of course, if you have room for both… I’m certainly not going to stop you.
Love French food? After grabbing dessert at L’Artisan des Glaces, consider stopping by La Crêperie de Paris for one of my favorite table service meals in World Showcase.
My Best Tips for Visiting
Visit later in the day.
I know ice cream sounds like the perfect afternoon snack, but I actually like stopping here in the evening.
By then, it’s usually a little cooler outside, which means you’re not racing against the Florida heat while your ice cream melts in about 20 seconds. One of my favorite things to do is grab a Macaron Ice Cream Sandwich and find a spot on the ledge by the fountains in the France pavilion. It’s one of those little Epcot moments I look forward to every trip.
Don’t be afraid of the line.
Because this is one of the most popular dessert spots in Epcot, there’s almost always a line. Fortunately, it tends to move pretty quickly, so don’t let it scare you away.
Consider sharing.
This is probably my biggest piece of advice.
Epcot has so many incredible snacks that I almost never try to eat one all by myself anymore. Splitting a Macaron Ice Cream Sandwich means I still have room for caramel in Germany… or a pastry from Les Halles… or whatever catches my eye later in the day.
I’ve learned the hard way that trying to eat everything yourself usually doesn’t end well.
Is L’Artisan des Glaces Worth It?
Without question.
In fact, if someone asked me for my top three dessert stops in Epcot, L’Artisan des Glaces would make the list every single time.
The Macaron Ice Cream Sandwich isn’t just my favorite dessert here—it’s my favorite sweet snack in all of Epcot.
That’s saying a lot considering how much competition it has.
How It Compares to Other Epcot Desserts
One of the things I love about Epcot is that every country offers something a little different.
If I want rich caramel, I’m heading to Karamell-Küche.
If I’m in the mood for incredible pastries, it’s Les Halles every time.
If I want a Norwegian classic, I’m stopping by Kringla Bakeri Og Kafe.
But when it’s hot outside and I want something cold, refreshing, and just plain delicious, L’Artisan des Glaces is my first choice.
It’s become one of those places that doesn’t even require much thought anymore. If I’m walking through France on a warm afternoon, there’s a pretty good chance I’m stopping here.
Final Thoughts
There are a lot of places to satisfy your sweet tooth at Epcot.
Japan has incredible shaved ice and ice cream treats. Germany has Karamell-Küche. Norway has Kringla Bakeri Og Kafe.
But if I could only pick one dessert to eat during an Epcot day…
I’m heading back to L’Artisan des Glaces.
The Macaron Ice Cream Sandwich has become one of those snacks that feels like part of my Epcot tradition. Every time I eat one, I remember why it sits at the very top of my snack rankings.
If you’ve never tried it before, do yourself a favor and fix that on your next trip.
