Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters

Take your next trip with Atlas Obscura!

Our small-group adventures are inspired by our Atlas of the world's most fascinating places, the stories behind them, and the people who bring them to life.

Visit Adventures
Trips Highlight
Caucasus - Geghard Monastery, Armenia
Armenia • 15 days, 14 nights
Caucasus Road Trip: Azerbaijan, Georgia & Armenia
from
Taktsang Lhakhang, also known as the “Tiger’s Nest”.
Bhutan • 11 days, 10 nights
Festivals & Temples of Bhutan
from
View all trips
Top Destinations
Latest Places
Most Popular Places Random Place Lists Itineraries
Add a Place
Download the App
Top Destinations
View All Destinations »

Countries

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • China
  • France
  • Germany
  • India
  • Italy
  • Japan

Cities

  • Amsterdam
  • Barcelona
  • Beijing
  • Berlin
  • Boston
  • Budapest
  • Chicago
  • London
  • Los Angeles
  • Mexico City
  • Montreal
  • Moscow
  • New Orleans
  • New York City
  • Paris
  • Philadelphia
  • Rome
  • San Francisco
  • Seattle
  • Stockholm
  • Tokyo
  • Toronto
  • Vienna
  • Washington, D.C.
Latest Places
View All Places »
Muc Lien’s 18 Gates of Hell.
Muc Lien's 18 Gates of Hell
Lighthouse and Museum of Jára Cimrman (Maják a muzeum Járy Cimrmana).
Lighthouse of Jára Cimrman
Markers honor 865 war dead.
Sovjet Ereveld (Soviet Field of Honor)
The intaglio leaves a subtle impression on the land along Riverside Drive in Fort Atkinson.
Panther Intaglio
Latest Places to Eat & Drink
View All Places to Eat »
The sign declares this the number-one gumbo shop in town.
Gumbo Hut Shioya
The pavlova comes crowned with jewel-like fruit.
Central Park Boathouse
The Village Tavern of Long Grove - exterior.
The Village Tavern
Hunter House Hamburgers
L’Escamoteur
Recent Stories
All Stories Video Podcast
Most Recent Stories
View All Stories »
The Codex Gigas (the Devil’s Bible) open to the portrait of the devil.
Codex Gigas: Who Drew the Devil in This Massive Medieval Bible?
9 minutes ago
USDA and Washington State agriculture officials tagged this Asian giant hornet. Sept. 10, 2021.
What Ever Happened to the Murder Hornets?
1 day ago
The exterior of the Hall of Records.
Atlas Obscura Mailbag: Urban Exploration, Illegal Carvings, and Repeat Vacations
3 days ago
Biosphere 2 campus (2016)
Biosphere 2: How Volunteers Survived for 2 Years in an Airtight Habitat
4 days ago

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All France Paris WWII Bunker Under Gare de l'Est

WWII Bunker Under Gare de l'Est

A subterranean shelter remains intact under a busy Paris railway station.

Paris, France

Added By
Joshua Foer
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
Bunker under Gare de l’Est   Diane Dufraisy
Bunker under Gare de l’Est   Diane Dufraisy
Bunker under Gare de l’Est   Diane Dufraisy
Bunker under Gare de l’Est   Diane Dufraisy
Furniture in bunker under Gare de l’Est   Diane Dufraisy
Bunker under Gare de l’Est   Diane Dufraisy
Bike for air supply   finotellidaniele / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

Bright sunlight streams in through the glass sunroof as thousands of travelers make their way across the central halls at the Gare de l’Est. The Parisian landmark is a key terminal in the French railway system. But underneath the daily humdrum activity there exists a carefully maintained bunker of 1,290 square feet beneath platforms 2 and 3, its history still shrouded in secrecy.

Although no longer accessible to the public, the bunker's condition continues to be maintained. It was half-finished by the French who designed it as an air raid shelter, and was ultimately completed by the Germans during the occupation of Paris, as seen by the inscriptions on the walls. The subterranean chamber's purpose and the extent to which it was used is unknown, but the key location suggests it could have been an important hiding place. 

The different chambers include a telephone exchange and a machinery room and are connected by narrow passageways illuminated by yellow light. Wires, gadgets, pipes, and measuring devices line the walls of the rooms, which are maintained by the state-owned railway network SNCF. The bunker still contains metal chairs, tables, and oxygen cylinders.

Related Tags

Bunkers World War Ii Nazis Subterranean Subterranean Sites Secret Hidden Military

Community Contributors

Added By

Josh

Edited By

ViaPolytropos, Kavya Ram Mohan, finotellidaniele

  • ViaPolytropos
  • Kavya Ram Mohan
  • finotellidaniele

Published

March 22, 2017

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
WWII Bunker Under Gare de l'Est
Place du 11 novembre 1918
Paris
France
48.876944, 2.359167
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Association Française des Amis des Chemins de Fer

Paris, France

miles away

145 Rue Lafayette

Paris, France

miles away

Le Comptoir Général

Paris, France

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Paris

Paris

France

Places 205
Stories 42

Nearby Places

Association Française des Amis des Chemins de Fer

Paris, France

miles away

145 Rue Lafayette

Paris, France

miles away

Le Comptoir Général

Paris, France

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Paris

Paris

France

Places 205
Stories 42

Related Places

  • Inside the bunker.

    Madrid, Spain

    Parque el Capricho Bunker

    A subterranean relic of the Spanish Civil War hides below this picturesque park.

  • Japanese tunnels in Baguio.

    Baguio, Philippines

    Japanese Tunnels of Baguio

    Some locals believe the fabled lost gold of General Yamashida is hiding somewhere beneath the city.

  • TNT igloo hidden by overgrowth.

    Point Pleasant, West Virginia

    TNT Area

    These rows of World War II-era bunkers were the scene of some of the infamous Mothman sightings.

  • The ladder leading into the interior.

    Nynäshamn S, Sweden

    The Landsort Artillery Battery

    A southern Swedish island is home to the last ERSTA artillery battery, meant to protect the shoreline during the Cold War.

  • Nazi Bunkers, Houvig Beach, Denmark.

    Ringkøbing, Denmark

    Hvide Sande Nazi Bunkers

    Remnants of the Nazis' occupation of Denmark linger along the sand.

  • Newhaven Fort

    Newhaven, England

    Newhaven Fort

    A Victorian Fort built into the chalky cliffs that overlook the English Channel.

  • Nuremberg, Germany

    Historischer Kunstbunker

    During World War II, the Nazis repurposed this beer cellar to store stolen artwork.

  • Bunker BS-8.

    Bratislava, Slovakia

    Bratislava’s Hidden Bunkers

    A line of disused military bunkers built to defend against Nazi invasion lies hidden on the outskirts of the city.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.