Every day, thousands of people cross Place Denfert-Rochereau without imagining what lies beneath their feet. About a hundred steps below the surface, a former civil defense shelter served as the headquarters of the Resistance during the Liberation of Paris. Long closed to the public, this historic site is now accessible free of charge from the museum located directly above it.
The Denfert-Rochereau bunker, where the Paris uprising was directed
The word “bunker” has become part of everyday language, but the site was originally a shelter intended for the capital’s administrative services. Construction began in 1935, at a time when authorities feared bombing raids and, in particular, the use of poison gas. Located in former quarries, 20 meters underground, it was intended to allow Parisian officials to continue their work in the event of an attack.
Its function changed completely in August 1944: at the start of the uprising against the German occupiers, Henri Rol-Tanguy established the headquarters of the French Forces of the Interior for the Paris region there. For several days, intelligence reports poured in from across the capital before operational orders were sent out to the groups engaged in combat.
On the evening of August 24, Rol-Tanguy learned that the first French soldiers had reached City Hall. The next day, General Leclerc’s 2nd Armored Division entered Paris, and the German surrender was signed.
The tour of the site lasts about 30 minutes and is accompanied by an audio experience. A second experience uses mixed-reality glasses to bring back to life characters and scenes related to the events of August 1944. Admission is free, and access is through the Paris Liberation Museum, located on Place Denfert-Rochereau across from the Catacombs. Go check it out!
Location: 4 Avenue du Colonel Henri Rol-Tanguy, 75014