Accessible via a trapdoor from the platform, a bunker lies hidden beneath this Parisian station!

Published on September 2, 2023 at 2:00 pm

Perhaps you take your train every morning without knowing that beneath your feet lies a historic monument to the Second World War. A symbol of the Resistance, the bunker hidden beneath the Gare de l'Est in Paris may be virtually inaccessible to the public, but it is no less intriguing. Let's set off together to discover this place steeped in history and invisible to passers-by.

Gare de l'Est in Paris

Summary

The well-kept secret of the 10th arrondissement
A mysterious historic monument that rarely opens its doors

The well-kept secret of the 10th arrondissement

Considered one of the capital's best-kept secrets, the hidden bomb bunker at Gare de l'Est, now owned by the SNCF, is hiding in plain sight. Head for the station platform, and more specifically tracks 3 and 4, where a trapdoor hides this authentic relic of the war.

As if frozen in time, the building, still fitted out, retains an atmosphere straight out of the 1940s. Built at the start of the Second World War, the main purpose of the bunker was to coordinate train departures from the station while maintaining secret communications with the other stations in the capital. However, its usefulness was not limited to this, as it was also designed to protect part of the population against gas attacks, which had been a major threat during the First World War.

Fear of possible air attacks on the city was also a factor in the decision to build the bunker. Although Paris itself was relatively unaffected by these threats, the secret bunker was ready for use should the need arise. In the end, it remained largely unused, preserving its former appearance for today's visitors, as if time had truly stood still within its walls.

A mysterious historic monument that rarely opens its doors

While it is tempting to visit such a historic treasure, the bunker is only accessible on rare occasions, such as during certain Heritage Days. Normally, only SNCF employees are allowed in. So be patient, you may one day be one of the lucky few to have visited it!