Update: December opening, ice cream parlor, and more current info on Epcot’s France pavilion. New name for Bistro de Paris will be “Monsieur Paul” — a fitting tribute to Chef Paul Bocuse!

We published a bit of rumor/news a few weeks back when Disney World filed a notice of commencement with Orange County to expand Epcot’s French Bakery area in the World Showcase. The Boulangerie Patisserie was slated to receive a second story as well as a 3000 square foot kitchen, and a full-blown counter-service restaurant.

Recently, I was made aware of an article interviewing Jerome Bocuse, son of Chef Paul Bocuse, who heads up the company running the restaurant operations in the French pavilion. In the article, Bocuse opens a discussion about the expansion by saying, “Now we’re redoing and doing renovations at several locations.” While Disney has not officially announced anything about this project, here’s a bit of info mentioned in the article.

Bocuse responded to a question about specific changes with the following details:

We’re going to build a brand new bakery in a new building. It’s going to be very close to the bakeries that you see in France today. More like a modern bakery with sandwiches. We will cook all of our bread all day long and make sandwiches with that fresh bread.

The article’s author then states that “[It’s slated to open around March 2013.]”

Finally, in response to a question about turning the bakery into a chain-like location like the ones his father, Chef Paul Bocuse, runs in France (see more info about Chef Bocuse’s brasseries here), Bocuse answered, “At this point, no. But you never know what will come up. First we have to make this bakery well rounded, one step at a time. ”

We’re excited to hear what’s coming next, but from the looks of it you’ll want to grab up your favorites from this bakery soon before the inevitable refurbishment closures and updated menu!

Read the rest of the interview here.