Across the globe, spies gather in inconspicuous dens to meet contacts and hold discreet conversations. This week, Intelligence Online explores a legendary 1970s hotel on the outskirts of Paris that remains a must for African and Middle Eastern delegations meeting their French intelligence counterparts.
On France's national holiday, 14 July, Le Méridien near the Porte Maillot in Paris's chic 17th arrondissement will once more be packed with foreign delegations, some more discreet than others, and perhaps members of France's foreign intelligence agency, the DGSE (Direction Générale de la Sécurité Extérieure).
The iconic 1970s hotel has long been a hub for African and Middle Eastern visitors on "business" trips, thanks to its proximity
