Dining changes planned for Epcot's France Pavilion

Leah Zanolla | Posted: Aug 13, 2012 | Updated: Oct 19, 2014 - 9:25:27 AM

Several changes are taking place in the France Pavilion at Walt Disney World's Epcot. The Boulangerie Patisserie, a popular place to stop and get desserts or a quick bite to eat, will be relocated to a new building near the exit to the pavilion's theater. 90 seats will be added so guests will be able to sit and savor their treats, as well as the salads and sandwiches that are being added to the menu. The new bread oven will be the focal point of the show bakery and will produce the baked goods for all three restaurants in the pavilion. The old building will become a new Glacier ice cream parlor.

France Pavilion in Epcot's World Showcase

France Pavilion in Epcot's World Showcase

Bistro de Paris, the Pavilion's signature restaurant, has been closed since July and will be completely redesigned with plans to reopen this fall. The Disney Parks Blog spoke with Jerome Bocuse, president and owner of all the restaurants (the third is Chefs de France). Bocuse is the son of famed French chef Paul Bocuse. Bocuse says the intimate restaurant will have a "new name, new dining room, new costumes for the servers, new menu. We're still aiming for haute cuisine, but with a less formal atmosphere. Guests are in the park with their families, so we want to create an elegant, nice ambience, but not stuffy. Our guests want to experience true French cuisine."

To achieve this, the servers will no longer wear tuxedoes and the color palette will be fresh and bright. He wants the restaurant to celebrate his family's two-century-long culinary history. A new French chef came to Epcot one year ago, who will be working on keeping the menu classic, but approachable. Bistro de Paris opened in Epcot 25 years ago and has not been altered since. No changes are planned for the third restaurant, Chefs de France.