On Friday, March 7, Good Morning Britain viewers were greeted with some urgent news 

when presenter Charlotte Hawkins interrupted the show to announce significant travel disruptions affecting Eurostar services. 

The cause of the chaos? The discovery of an unexploded World War II bomb on the tracks at Gare du Nord, Paris’s busiest railway station.

Charlotte, who was anchoring the show that morning, shared the breaking news with viewers, 

revealing that French police had suspended train services to and from the station as they worked to safely disable the bomb.

“Some breaking news, Eurostar services and all other trains have been halted this morning at Gare du Nord, France’s busiest station as police work to disable an unexploded World War II bomb,” Charlotte announced. 

“It was found in the middle of the tracks in the area of Saint-Denis, a suburb of Paris, during overnight works on the tracks.”

The bomb’s discovery quickly led to widespread disruption. Charlotte confirmed that four Eurostar trains departing from London St Pancras had already been cancelled, along with the first six Eurostar departures from Paris to London. She explained that passengers were being advised to rearrange their travel plans for a different date.

As the situation unfolded, Charlotte handed over to travel expert Simon Calder, who provided further details on the implications for travellers. He clarified that the problem wasn’t just a minor inconvenience, but a serious issue for the thousands of passengers reliant on Eurostar, especially on a busy Friday.

“It’s really difficult,” Simon began. “We haven’t got any trains leaving London… The first departure from Paris won’t be until this afternoon, if that goes. Clearly, they’re trying to work and clear this as soon as possible.”

Simon explained the added challenge of the timing, noting that Fridays are one of the busiest days for Eurostar. The popular train service, which connects London and Paris through the Channel Tunnel, usually operates at full capacity, carrying tens of thousands of passengers each day. He highlighted the difficulty passengers face in finding alternative travel options.

“The problem is that services are extremely heavily booked on Fridays,” Simon continued. “If this was actually a flight issue, people could rebook on a different airline. Unfortunately, it doesn’t work in the opposite direction.”

For those with romantic weekends in Paris or planned visits, Simon acknowledged the additional frustration, stating, “Sadly, all those people who have romantic weekends booked in Paris, they may well have to be looking at completely different plans, cancelling hotels and seeing if their travel insurance can help.”

The discovery of the bomb occurred during overnight works in the area of Saint-Denis, a commune in the northern suburbs of Paris. Following the discovery, local authorities swiftly closed off train services in the affected area, leading to significant travel disruption not only for Eurostar but also for local trains running to and from Gare du Nord.

In response to the incident, Eurostar issued a statement urging passengers to reconsider their travel plans. “Due to an object on the tracks near Paris Gare du Nord, we are expecting disruption to our services this morning. Please change your journey for a different date of travel,” they advised.

France’s national railway operator SNCF also confirmed that services at Gare du Nord would be suspended until mid-morning, at the request of the police. While the disruption largely affected Eurostar services, trains to and from Brussels appeared to remain unaffected, offering a small relief to travellers heading to Belgium.

The bomb discovery and subsequent train cancellations highlight an ongoing issue with unexploded ordnance from World War II. It is not uncommon for such relics of war to be discovered during construction or infrastructure work in parts of Europe, especially in areas that saw heavy bombing during the conflict. These finds, while not frequent, can lead to significant disruption as authorities take necessary precautions to ensure public safety.

As for the stranded travellers, Simon Calder’s advice was clear: for those with flexible travel plans, checking travel insurance and looking into rebooking at a later date would be the best course of action. Meanwhile, Eurostar passengers will have to wait for further updates from the authorities as the situation at Gare du Nord continues to unfold.

The discovery of the unexploded bomb in Paris serves as a reminder of the ongoing legacy of World War II and the occasional disruptions that these historical remnants can cause in today’s modern world. Passengers hoping to travel between London and Paris will need to remain patient as French authorities work to resolve the situation and safely clear the tracks.

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