Several billion euros in gold bars are hidden in a well-concealed bunker.
A treasure is hidden in French soil. It is not a treasure in the figurative sense of the term, like a rare resource that could be exploited like precious metals or fossil fuels. No, it’s a real glittering and golden treasure as you might imagine.
This loot is located in the heart of a huge room measuring more than 10,000 m². In this hidden and ultra-secure place, hundreds of shelves line up as far as the eye can see. On these rest thousands of gold ingots. This is the gold reserve of the French State. This reserve is impressive both in terms of its size and its value. With 2,436.8 tonnes of gold, France has the fourth largest stock of gold in the world, behind the United States (8,133 tonnes), Germany (3,373 tonnes) and Italy (2,451 tonnes). tons). Each bar weighs exactly 12.5 kilograms, a standard weight in the gold industry. In total, there are 194,944 ingots in the reserve.
The value of this treasure fluctuates depending on the price of gold on international markets. As of October 1, 2024, with a gold bullion price of 77,232 euros, the French reserve is estimated at 188 billion euros. This value has increased significantly over the years, from 87.8 billion euros at the end of 2018 to 144 billion euros in June 2023.
This giant safe is located in Paris, in the bowels of the 1st arrondissement of the capital, under the headquarters of the Bank of France. Nicknamed the “Souterraine”, this room was built in 1924 and has housed France’s gold reserves since 1927. Its construction was motivated by the need to protect state assets in a secure and centralized location. Interestingly, in the event of conflict, this site can also serve as a refuge for 3,000 people.
Breaking into this gold reserve is impossible for ordinary mortals. You must first descend to a depth of 27 meters, the equivalent of eight floors underground. Then, a real obstacle course awaits the few authorized people: several solid steel doors weighing several tons, labyrinthine corridors and security grilles must be crossed before reaching the ingot room. All under the eye of dozens of video surveillance cameras.
The security system of this safe is as good as its valuable contents. Less than ten people are authorized to access the safe. Plus, no one ever goes in there alone. This is the so-called “four eyes” principle: each person is constantly under the surveillance of another, ensuring permanent mutual control.
Paradoxically, although of colossal value, this gold is not intended to be used. The last gold sales by the French state date back to 2009. In reality, this gold is a reserve asset. It is mainly used to ensure the solidity of the financial balance sheet of the Banque de France.
