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Research resource ? British Embassy in Paris ?

edited May 2013 in - Resources
Hi all - from a newb to this forum and a new writer (writer wannabe really)

I am well in to my first book which has a bit of spy stuff through it, and I wondered if anyone could point me to anywhere on the net where I could find out some background info on the British Embassy in Paris ?

Nothing secret or dodgy .... just some info on how many bedrooms, it's nickname, general way it's laid out etc. I have found photos and it's address but cannot seem to find anything else..

Tks in advance to anyone who can help :-)

Saoir

Comments

  • Welcome Saoir!

    Gosh, that's a big ask, I reckon. Could be info they don't readily publish, given the potential security risks, but you could try looking through some Dan Brown novels, (the Da Vinci Code, etc), or Ian Fleming. Those two authors were/are very thorough in their research. I expect someone on this forum will have a better answer than this one.

    Good luck!
  • As already mentioned, the sort of information you want to ask would be considered sensitive security information and they would not tell you.
  • Not going to be available, Saoir: your best bet is to study the architectural style of the area, and come up with a fictional version. Same era of construction, same outside, but you can make up the rest. After all, it's for a story, not a guide book.
  • I think the lack of information is more likely to be because it's "pointless/boring" to the public rather than it making it easier to bomb because we know how many bedrooms it has :P (I'm not saying it is boring before I get shouted at :P Just an opinion on why)

    Bedroom wise - take a guess from the photos available on Google. Plenty to go from on there, and if nobody can find out how many bedrooms there are then it doesn't really matter how many you say there are in your novel :P

    Why not see if you can find similar info about other British Embassies? I'm guessing we have rules and regulations on that sort of thing.

    Little info on the building here with http://www.spectator.co.uk/books/7307758/why-didnt-i-appreciate-it-more

    You could always ask them on FB/Twitter :P See if they have any YouTube vids (not kidding - here are links) - https://www.gov.uk/government/world-location-news/the-british-embassy-on-social-media
  • Hi Saoir - are you in the UK? This would be a perfect excuse for a trip to Paris -
    you could look at the outside and you just might get into the reception area.
  • Have you tried asking them? https://www.gov.uk/government/world/organisations/british-embassy-paris/office/british-embassy
  • Hi all and THANK you all for the input :-)

    It was a long shot but I thought someone may have written about it before and someone else may know about it :-) But there you go.

    "bored_robots" Thank you so much - that's a terrific little piece of information and one I did not come across in my searches. Great.

    "Carol" - it's not the sensitive stuff i was looking for, but I realise your comment is fairly true.

    "Phots Moll" Hmmmm that's an idea :) though I can just imagine how the conversation would go .... and an hour later having a knock on the door by two very pleasant gentlemen, with big jackets, from the security services ..... LOL.

    The ironic thing is I am one of those people who generally has little patience for the interminable background facts some authors use to puff out their books. And I am also one who has zero interest in the infinite accuracy that some writers insist on. So I will probably just make it up. I am a firm believer that Fiction= Fiction. In my writing on Paris I make up several street names and building locations. I also have a fictional mountain in Serbia ... I mean who the heck knows and cares ! :D

    Thanks all !
  • Sadly now, even seemingly innocuous information that may have once been revealed, could be used by groups intent on causing harm.

    Making it up is much easier. :)
  • [quote=saoir] I am a firm believer that Fiction= Fiction.[/quote]
    Someone once said "never let the truth spoil a good story!"
    Or something like that :)
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