Mata Hari Returns to the Champs-Élysées?

Le Saboteur

Active member
If you haven't seen the Young Indy episode "Demons of Deception" yet, take a moment to do so; you'll like what you see, since it's one of the better episodes during the War Years. It also happens to be the episode where Indy has an affair with the infamous Mata Hari.

MataHari1.jpg


Running from La Place de la Concorde to La Place Charles de Gaulle and its iconic Arc d'Triomphe, the Champs-Elysées was one of the toniest streets in the world. The well-to-do and beautiful people of Paris hobnobbed amongst its chic hotels and cafes -- that is, until the rampant influx of global chain stores ruined its charm and turned it into the Parisian equivalent of Times Square or Pier 39.

If the Emir of Qatar has his way, the famed avenue will get at least one bit of its old glamor back. According to this article in The Independent, the Emir wants to re-open the hotel where the 'master-spy' was arrested in 1917. Currently housing the French headquarters of HSBC, the Belle Epoque facade is still in tact, as are many of the friezes and sculptures adorning the building's facade. Walk north along the avenue the next time you're in Paris, and stop to reflect in front of #103: Within five years' time, you too could end up spending the night in the same suite Mata Hari once called her own.

On a related note, there's another article on the subject at Le Parisian's site. Note: It's in French. And you can find a selection of images from the avenue at the turn of the 20th Century on this site.

Mata Hari herself is the subject of a newly released adventure game designed in part by Hal Barwood (y'know, Fate of Atlantis)! You can check out the game's site here, and the review from Adventure Gamers is here.
 
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