Passage du Souvenir, underground pedestrian passage in Paris, France
Passage du Souvenir is an underground pedestrian passage beneath place Charles-de-Gaulle in Paris, linking the Champs-Élysées to avenue de la Grande-Armée. Its walls are clad in smooth yellowish-brown panels with a grey skirting, the ceiling is flat grey concrete, and the floor is paved with large light-coloured square tiles. Angled fixtures along the top of each wall cast light downward.
Built in 1956–1957 beneath place Charles-de-Gaulle, the passage was made mandatory for pedestrians from 1960. It received its name by a municipal decree on 5 May 1970, because it leads to the tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Its indirect lighting was designed to stress the solemn character of the route.
The passage takes its name from the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier it leads to, and was officially given that name by a decree of 5 May 1970. Inside, a commemorative plaque honours Gabriel Boissy, the man who proposed the eternal flame for the tomb.
The passage is well connected to public transportation, particularly the Charles de Gaulle - Etoile metro station served by lines 1, 2, and 6, as well as RER line A. This convenient access makes it easy to use the tunnel to reach the Arc de Triomphe and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
Inside the passage is a plaque honoring Gabriel Boissy, who suggested the eternal flame at the tomb, revealing that it serves as more than just a transit route. This modest but meaningful memorial highlights the connection between the tunnel and the legacy of remembrance.
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