Clad in a graphic bearing a modern, street-art interpretation of Marianne, a personification of liberty and a national symbol of the French Republic, the France Pavilion's exterior welcomed visitors with a facade that was equal parts vintage and avant-garde. Inside, seven French companies at the center of the country's energy innovations each inhabited their own roughly 1,000-square-foot space. The journey was woven together via corridors dedicated to iconic French figures, ranging from Jules Verne and Antoine de Saint-Exupery to Marie Curie and Louis Pasteur, each displaying a series of historic images – contemporized by vibrant colors and bold flourishes – depicting the lives and accomplishments of the cultural and scientific trailblazers. Highlights included a mirrored antechamber that pulsed with the energetic sounds and spirits of the nation's people, a display featuring translucent concrete that allows light and projection to pass through it, demonstrations of materials with temperature- and acoustic-controlling properties, an awe-inducing concept car complete with digitally woven interior upholstery, and an interactive wall that whimsically depicted three unique energy cycles.

The journey concluded in an allegorical room with a hot-air balloon at its center, a nod to the beloved Jules Verne novel "Five Weeks in a Balloon." The figuratively uplifting element – surrounded by information on six innovative French technologies, including flying wind turbines and solar panels that follow the sun – imparted upon guests a sense of optimism for the future.