Traffic blocked on ring road and A1 after bomb found near Gare du Nord

On Friday March 7, 2025, a bomb dating back to the Second World War was unearthed on a building site in Saint-Denis, near the Gare du Nord railway station. The discovery has brought traffic in the area to a complete standstill, affecting both road and rail traffic. The Paris ring road and theA1 are heavily congested, which is likely to disrupt weekend and vacation departures.

Where did the bomb come from?

Early this morning, at around 4am, workers on the Cathedral Bridge site in Saint-Denis made a surprising discovery: a 500kg bomb, containing 200kg of explosives, buried at a depth of around 2 metres. Demining authorities were quickly mobilized and a one-kilometer security perimeter was set up.

What impact will this have on traffic?

This explosive discovery caused major disruption to Parisian transport. On the train front, the Gare du Nord was closed, bringing TGV, Eurostar, RER and TER trains to a complete halt. The Minister of Transport, Philippe Tabarot, said that rail traffic would resume in part around 4pm, subject to authorization from the authorities.

Traffic disrupted at Gare du Nord this Friday: update on disruptions
Due to an "unexploded bomb from the Second World War" discovered near the tracks of the Gare du Nord, train traffic is interrupted this Friday, March 7, 2025 on several rail lines, to and from the famous Parisian station. Disruptions are currently being experienced on RER lines B and D, as well as on Transilien lines H and K. Philippe Tabarot, the French Transport Minister, announced at a press briefing that the clearance operation had been completed, and that rail traffic would gradually resume "from 6pm". Here's an update on the situation. [Read more]

On the roads, the situation is no simpler. The Préfecture de Police de Paris has announced that traffic will be blocked on several strategic routes:

• The ring road is closed between Porte d'Aubervilliers and Porte de Clignancourt.
  
  
• The A1 freeway is closed between Porte de la Chapelle and the ramp to the A86.

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When will traffic be restored?

For the moment, no precise reopening time has been communicated. While the situation could be unblocked by late afternoon for rail traffic, it is highly likely that road restrictions will persist for longer.

In the meantime, the authorities are advising users to keep abreast of developments and opt for alternative routes if possible. Stay tuned for further information.