Meet Loïc Estimbre, a Parisian entrepreneur who is behind four different eateries on just one street in the 12th arrondissement.    That street: rue Emilio Castelar.    In this podcast episode, we talk food in Paris, the 12th district in general, and the challenges of funding four separate spots.    As for Loic, I met him when he was behind the counter at the Magic Carpet cafe and was surprised to see him literally building a new eatery down the road. Imagine my surprise to learn that he leading a team that was behind half the places on this little street.   His spots:

• The restaurant: Le Singe à Paris
• The café: Magic Carpet
• For beer and whisky: Chinaski
• The sandwich spot: Johnny Dwich

The music in this episode is from Pres Maxson. 

***********

The Earful Tower exists thanks to support from its members. For the past 92 months and counting it has cost just $10 a month to unlock almost endless extras including bonus podcast episodes, live video replays, special event invites, and our annually updated PDF guide to Paris. 

Membership takes only a minute to set up on Patreon, or Substack. Thank you for keeping this channel independent. 

For more from the Earful Tower, here are some handy links:

Website 

Weekly newsletter 

Walking Tours

This week on the show it's Guy Griffin, the owner of Cafe Mericourt in the 11th arrondissement. He talks about the current explosion of speciality coffee shops across Paris and whether it is sustainable.   He also takes us behind the beans... er, scenes... about the change in tipping culture, the challenges of being an entrepreneur in France, and the cost of hiring people in France compared to the US or Australia.   As for you - why not go in for lunch as a savvy diner. Look at his ever-changing menu here.

• Address: 22 Rue de la Folie Méricourt, 75011 Paris
• Find Cafe Mericourt on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/cafemericourt/
• Explore the website here: https://www.cafemericourt.com/menu

The music in this episode is from Pres Maxson. 

***********

The Earful Tower exists thanks to support from its members. For the past 92 months and counting it has cost just $10 a month to unlock almost endless extras including bonus podcast episodes, live video replays, special event invites, and our annually updated PDF guide to Paris. 

Membership takes only a minute to set up on Patreon, or Substack. Thank you for keeping this channel independent. 

For more from the Earful Tower, here are some handy links:

Website 

Weekly newsletter 

Walking Tours

So what is the best-known street in Paris? And if that seems obvious, then what's number two? And three?

After last week's pod with Parisians Abiola and Margaux sharing their take on popular Paris streets, we surveyed our audience for an official answer. 

Here it is, presented by Oliver and Lina. Thanks to all who participated. Read some more of the comments here on Substack.

Fitting music this week, again, is from Pres Maxson. 

Thanks 

***********

The Earful Tower exists thanks to support from its members. From $10 a month you can unlock almost endless extras including bonus podcast episodes, live video replays, special event invites, and our annually updated PDF guide to Paris. 

Membership takes only a minute to set up on Patreon, or Substack. Thank you for keeping this channel independent. 

For more from the Earful Tower, here are some handy links:

Website 

Weekly newsletter 

Walking Tours

L is for Lyon. In this episode, you'll hear about my experiences after spending 48 hours in Lyon with Lovely Lina. 

There's also some local insights from Caroline Connor, who does wine tastings in Lyon, and runs the website and social media accounts by the name of Wine Dine Caroline.

You can find more from her here.

Do you like this podcast? Become a Patreon member of The Earful Tower here to support this show and get extras.

The music in this episode is from Pres Maxson.

Click here for our walking tours of Paris.

K is for Kylie the Crocodile in Paris. In this episode, you'll hear a brand new twist in the story of Kylie the Crocodile. 

This episode was taken from a live show at Spilling the Beans. 

To buy a copy of our children's book, Kylie the Crocodile in Paris, click here.

Do you like this podcast? Become a Patreon member of The Earful Tower here to support this show and get extras.

The music in this episode is from Pres Maxson.

Click here for our walking tours of Paris.

J is for Jewish Paris. In this episode, I take you walking through the Jewish quarter of Paris to try to understand what's going on there.

Edith de Belleville, a licensed tour guide, author, and expert on Jewish history, writes me an itinerary of what to find, including:

• The Shoah Memorial
• The Museum of Jewish Art and History
• The As du Fallafel restaurant

You can find more from Edith here.

During my cultural an culinary explorations, I bump into Jewish history guide Karen Reb Rudel who explains more about Jews in Paris. Find her tours on Sightseeker's Delight.

Then I track down the head honcho at L'As du Fallafel, Yomi Peretz, to understand how his restaurant got so popular. 

Do you like this podcast? Become a Patreon member of The Earful Tower here to support this show and get extras.

The music in this episode is from Pres Maxson.

Click here for our walking tours of Paris.

I is for Ile Saint-Louis - an island in the Seine. As far as I'm concerned, it features the most beautiful walk in Paris. 

In this episode, I take you walking along the best bits of the island and share my favourite haunts. I also share my ideal route so you can do the same. 

Do you like this podcast? Become a Patreon member of The Earful Tower here to support this show and get extras, including a video walk of this very route.

The music in this episode is from Pres Maxson.

Click here for our walking tours of Paris.

H is for Haussmann - Baron Haussmann that is. He was the urban planner behind the redesign of Paris under Napoleon III. 

But what is a Haussmannian building? Who was Haussmann, really, and why was his work so important? Where can you find it in Paris? And what's his legacy?

All those questions are answered in this episode, with help from tour guide Boris Petrovic from Paris in Person (find his Haussmannian Paris tour here).

Do you like this podcast? Become a Patreon member of The Earful Tower here to support this show and get extras.

The music in this episode is from Pres Maxson.

Click here for our walking tours of Paris.

G is for Guimard - Hector Guimard that is. He is the architect behind the iconic Paris Metro entrances, several Art Nouveau buildings in Paris, and some very beautiful furniture and decorations in museum displays around the world. 

But what is Art Nouveau? Who was Guimard, really, and why was his work so important? Where can you find it in Paris? And what's his legacy?

All those questions are answered in this episode, with help from tour guide Boris Petrovic from Paris in Person (find his Art Nouveau tour here), from Paris head auctioneer Chrisophe Lucien, and from Julie Treumann of the Driehaus Museum in Chicago. 

Do you like this podcast? Become a Patreon member of The Earful Tower here to support this show and get extras.

The music in this episode is from Pres Maxson.

Click here for our walking tours of Paris.

F is for Floods - that is, the floods of the Seine River in Paris. And today we're paying particular attention to the game-changing Great Flood of 1910. 

Featured is the voice of Jeffrey Jackson, Professor of History at Rhodes College, and the author of "Paris Under Water:  How the City of Light Survived the Great Flood of 1910". You can find more about Jeffrey on his website here.

Become a Patreon member of The Earful Tower here to support this show and get extras.

The music in this episode is from Pres Maxson.

Click here for our walking tours of Paris. 

E is for the Eiffel Tower, the most iconic landmark in France, probably Europe, and maybe the world. 

This podcast episode features 10 facts about the tower, but you're going to have to try and guess them first. There are 10 points at stake, good luck.

Featured is the voice two people very dear to me. 

Become a Patreon member of The Earful Tower here to support this show and get extras.

The music in this episode is from Pres Maxson.

Click here for our walking tours of Paris.

D is for Deauville, a small town north of Paris on the coast of Normandy that has captured the attention of film-buffs, gamblers, beach lovers, and horse racing fans since the 1800s.

We visited with the help of the local tourism board for this episode.

Featured is the voice of horse-related storyteller and journalist Fanny Hubart-Salmon and then Annie Madet-Vache who is Director of the local museum Les Franciscaines.

Become a Patreon member of The Earful Tower here to support this show and get extras.

The music in this episode is from Pres Maxson.

Click here for our walking tours of Paris.

C is for Chateaux - of which there are 45,000 in France. I've always been quite fascinated by French castles, and this episode takes a closer look at how they're financed. 

We all know they're expensive to buy and to run, so I looked into some exciting modern ways people are making French chateaux work.

Featured is the voice of Emily Jane Boeuf, the communications head of Dartagnans, a startup that uses crowdfunding to buy and preserve French castles. 

Here are a few links for more information :  Link to the official site Link to Dartagnans instagram page Link to the Mothe Chandeniers instagram page 

Later in the episode is Australian Jane Webster, who runs the Chateau de Bosgouet in Normandy. 

Her website is here and Instagram here.

Become a Patreon member of The Earful Tower here to support this show and get extras - and to hear the bonus crocodile episode. 

The music in this episode is from Pres Maxson.

Click here for our walking tours of Paris.

Before you listen too far, make a mental note of what you think are the three most popular streets in Paris. 

Then listen to two typical Parisians as they take on this unusual question. 

Of course, most people would agree on number one... but where do we go from there. Fitting music this week is from Pres Maxson. Thanks to Abiola and Margaux for their voices. 

***********

The Earful Tower exists thanks to support from its members. From $10 a month you can unlock almost endless extras including bonus podcast episodes, live video replays, special event invites, and our annually updated PDF guide to Paris. 

Membership takes only a minute to set up on Patreon, or Substack. Thank you for keeping this channel independent. 

For more from the Earful Tower, here are some handy links:

Website 

Weekly newsletter 

Walking Tours

B is for Bievre, the river that once ran through Paris. This episode is about our pilgrimmage to track it, how I walked through it with an immortal count, and a word on the exciting future of the river. 

Featured is the voice of Lina Nordin Gee and the Comte de Saint Germain, who showed me the river in the suburb of Gentilly. 

Become a Patreon member here to support this show and get extras - and to watch the Bievre walk replay (and to get invites to similar walks in the future).

The episode in this music is from Pres Maxson.

Click here for our walking tours of Paris.

A is for Arago, the name of the scientist who helped map out the Paris meridian line (François Arago (1786-1853)). 

In this episode, I explore the "Rose Line" (as it was called in the Da Vinci Code), seeking out the bronze medallions along the streets of Paris, through the Louvre, and into the Paris Observatory. 

Featured is the voice of Nicolas Lesté-Lasserre, a science historian and the community manager of the Observatoire de Paris. He showed me around this incredible 17th century institution, which is usually closed to the public. 

Find more, including beautiful pictures of the observatory, on The Earful Tower's website. 

Become a Patreon member here to support this show and get extras.

The episode in this music is from Pres Maxson, featuring an original song called Le Meridien de Paris. 

Click here for our walking tours of Paris.

Welcome to the ABCeason... or the AB Season... or the ABC-son. Haven't quite figured the spelling yet, but you get the idea, I hope. 

Now you know what the next 26 episodes will hold.

Support this show on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/theearfultower

It's our series finale on the French Riviera. This time, we're looking at art, especially through the lens of cinema (and the Cannes Film Festival) - and via the paintbrush of the impressionists. 

This episode features author Edward Chisholm (Instagram here) and artist Johan Patricny (Instagram here). Cohosted by Lina Nordin Gee (Instagram video of the art here).

Rolling Stone link: https://cornichewatches.com/rolling-stones-exile-ville-nellcote/ 

Music by Pres Maxson. 

Happy travelling! (Find more here: www.theearfultower.com/riviera)

***********

The Earful Tower exists thanks to support from its Patreon members. From $10 a month you can unlock almost endless extras including bonus podcast episodes, live video replays, special event invites, and our annually updated PDF guide to Paris. 

Membership takes only a minute to set up. Thank you for keeping this channel independent. 

For more from the Earful Tower, here are some handy links:

Website 

Weekly newsletter 

Instagram

Facebook

TikTok 

Find our books 

Book a walking tour

Patreon membership 

 

After month in the French Riviera, here is the Earful Tower's tips for places we recommend in the area, from big famous towns to tiny and lovely villages. 

Mentioned in this episode:

Antibes, Juan-Les-Pins, Nice, La Turbie, Monaco, Biot, Cannes, Villa Kerylos, Villefranche-sur-Mer, and Eze. 

Music by Pres Maxson. 

Become a member of The Earful Tower here: www.patreon.com/theearfultower

Happy travelling! (Find more here: www.theearfultower.com/riviera)

Author John Baxter is back - this time discussing literature from the French Riviera. We tackle a lot, with a bigger focus on F Scott Fitzgerald and Marina Picasso (and her tell-all book).

Book a walking tour with John and find his books here. 

Support The Earful Tower on Patreon and get the second half of this conversation. 

Find more from this French Riviera miniseries here.

Things we mentioned (to help you with spelling and searching...)

First ten mins

• John tasted bouillabaisse in Sète
• John's friend was in the town of Cabris 
• The Villa Noailles in Hyères for the work of architect Robert Mallet-Stevens
• French Riviera and its Artists: Book by John Baxter
• Menton as the notorious place to die (tales of Yates, Beardsley, de Maupassant)

10mins to 20mins

• Cole Porter and his wife, their friends Gerald and Sara Murphy
• Hotel du Cap and the Fitzgeralds
• Le Train Bleu with gamblers and prostitutes (now a restaurant, saved by Georges André Malraux)
• Le Balzar restaurant in Paris
• Cafe de Flore, Le Coupole, Les Deux Magots restaurants in Paris
• Hotel Belles Rives where F Scott Fitzgerald stayed (in Juan-les-Pins, Antibes) - and he also stayed in the nearby town of Saint-Raphaël
• Tender is the Night: Dedicated "To Gerald and Sara—Many Fêtes"

20 mins onwards

• Sophia Antipolis where Super-Cannes is set (a book by J. G. Ballard)
• Zelda Fitzgerald's book: Save Me the Waltz
• Marina Picasso and and her tell-all book "Picasso, My Grandfather"
• La California - Picasso's summer shack/chateau/palace (featuring Matisse and Balthus too)
• Picasso's Portait of Olga in an Armchair
• Colombe D'Or in Saint Paul de Vence
• Carlton Hotel in Cannes
• Hotel Belles Rives

 

We've spent a month in the French Riviera. Here is The Earful Tower's introduction to the area via five golden rules for your own visit. 

Mentioned in this episode:

Bigger towns: Cannes, Antibes, Nice

Much smaller spots: Villa Kerylos, Biot, La Turbie

Book list to come, but Lina talked about Bonjour Tristesse by Francoise Sagan. 

Music by Pres Maxson. 

Become a member of The Earful Tower here: www.patreon.com/theearfultower

More in the weeks to come, happy travelling!

Here's a poem I wrote to say goodbye to my little red scooter.

Inspired by the great Australian bush poet Banjo Paterson.

Farewell, Little Red, thanks for all the memories.

Welcome to the Earful Tower, the podcast that explores the hidden gems and secret spots of Paris. In this episode, the season finale, the whole team is on a private boat on the Seine River sharing our favourite secrets. 

The boat: Corto from Le Bateau Francais.

Secrets from Earful Tour guide Charlotte Pleasants, Louvre guide Amber Minogue, Artist Lina Nordin Gee, Photographer Augusta Sagnelli, host Oliver Gee, and captain Clement.

And a big thank you to all our Patreon supporters for making this podcast possible. Your contributions help us continue to bring you the best stories and insights about Paris. If you'd like to support the Earful Tower and get access to exclusive content, visit our Patreon page at www.patreon.com/theearfultower.

A quick episode today where Lina and I reveal our new Paris neighbourhood and our first thoughts. 

Get all the extras on Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/theearfultower

And book an Earful Tower walking tour here: https://theearfultower.com/tours

This week we scale the Eiffel Tower with its managing director Patrick Branco-Ruivo. 

What are his tips for visiting? His favourite view? And what would he ask if he had Gustave Eiffel himself on the telephone?

Join us on this exciting opportunity to explore one of the world's most iconic landmarks with the maestro behind it all. And hang around - we'll get some exclusive access to the underground section at the end. 

Videos:

• 10-minute video on YouTube here
• 45-minute video on this link

https://www.youtube.com/c/TheEarfulTower

Music by Pres Maxson.

***********

The Earful Tower exists thanks to support from its members. From $10 a month you can unlock almost endless extras including bonus podcast episodes, live video replays, special event invites, and our annually updated PDF guide to Paris. 

Membership takes only a minute to set up on Patreon, or Substack. Thank you for keeping this channel independent. 

For more from the Earful Tower, here are some handy links:

Website 

Weekly newsletter 

Walking Tours

Welcome to the Earful Tower, the podcast that explores the hidden gems and secret spots of Paris. In this episode, we're taking a stroll through the bustling marché Beauvau in the 12th arrondissement with our special guest, Joseph Loughney, owner of the Early Bird Cafe.

As we walk through the market, Joseph shares his passion for coffee and talks us through how he ended up in Paris as he introduces us to some of his favorite vendors. We also discuss the 12th arrondissment and how it compares to the rest of Paris.

If you're a foodie or just love discovering new markets and culinary delights, this episode is not to be missed. Be sure to check out the Early Bird Cafe website at https://earlybirdcoffee.fr/ to learn more about their delicious menu and location.

And a big thank you to all our Patreon supporters for making this podcast possible. Your contributions help us continue to bring you the best stories and insights about Paris. If you'd like to support the Earful Tower and get access to exclusive content, visit our Patreon page at www.patreon.com/theearfultower.

Join Oliver Gee on The Earful Tower as he explores the world of gin with special guest Quentin de Montgolfier, the founder of Distillerie du Gin.

In this episode, you'll learn about the history of gin in France, the process of making gin, and how Quentin's passion for the spirit led him to open his own distillery in Paris in the Viaduc des Arts.

This new distillery is one of the many hidden gems along the Viaduc des Arts, which is a former railway viaduct turned artisanal hub. Here comes a lively and informative conversation about Parisian culture, craftsmanship, and spirits.

Links:

• Distillerie du Gin: https://distillerieduviaduc.fr/
• Viaduc des Arts: https://viaducdesarts.com/

Support The Earful Tower on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/theearfultower

Make sure to subscribe to The Earful Tower on your favorite podcast app and leave a review!

Keywords: The Earful Tower, Paris, gin, Distillerie du Gin, Quentin de Montgolfier, Viaduc des Arts, artisanal hub, Parisian culture, craftsmanship, spirits, podcast, Patreon.

Welcome to the latest episode of The Earful Tower podcast. In this episode, we're joined by Marielle Bourat from the artisanal chocolate shop Atelier C, located on Avenue Dausmenil in Paris.

Marielle shares her passion for chocolate-making, which has formed over three generations, and she shares the story of Atelier C and its location in the charming Viaduc des Arts.

From the sourcing of the finest ingredients to the creation of unique and delicious flavors, Marielle gives us an inside look at the world of artisanal chocolate.

Listeners can find Atelier C at 123 Avenue Dausmenil, 75012 Paris. Be sure to stop by and try some of their amazing chocolate creations and to learn how to make it "From bean to bar". 

As always, if you enjoy this episode, please consider supporting The Earful Tower on Patreon. Your support helps us continue to bring you more great episodes and guests. Click the link below to become a patron today!

Link to Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/theearfultower

Thank you for listening, and enjoy the episode.

We revisit a chat with writer John Baxter about Paris and its compendium of history. We especially dig into the Left Bank and its classic restaurants, which are listed below. 

Le Select Address: 99 Bd du Montparnasse, 75006 Paris

Lapérouse Address: 51 Quai des Grands Augustins, 75006 Paris

Tour d'Argent Address: 19 Quai de la Tournelle, 75005 Paris

Charivari Address: 143 Bd Raspail, 75006 Paris

Le Balzar ​​Address: 49 Rue des Écoles, 75005 Paris

La Méditerranée Address: 2 Pl. de l'Odéon, 75006 Paris

This episode was originally released for Patreon members, and each question was sent in from members. As such, we talk about a lot more than just restaurants, and John also mentions La Philharmonie de Paris (Address: 221 avenue Jean Jaurès - 75019 Paris), the poet Hart Crane, French actress and courtesan Liane de Pougy, and actress Kitty Carlisle Hart.

Find John's books and his literary tours here. 

Support The Earful Tower podcast on Patreon here, where I'll release more members-only episodes in the future. 

SOCIAL MEDIA: Check out The Earful Tower on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and YouTube. 

More from the Earful Tower on the homepage here, and thanks to Pres Maxson for the music throughout. 

I just found some French antiques in the trash can. 

A listener tipped me off, I went and grabbed them, then had them appraised. There are lots of twists and turns in this story, enjoy!

Remember: upcoming live video stream for Patreon members in the near future. You can get your invite soon by checking your Patreon account, or, by signing up today here.

SOCIAL MEDIA: Check out The Earful Tower on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and YouTube. 

More from the Earful Tower on the homepage here, and don't forget to support the show on Patreon here. Thanks to Pres Maxson for the music throughout. 

In this podcast episode, you'll hear me and Lina walking along a stunning Parisian street called rue Cler. But it's a bittersweet walk, as it's the last time we will take the walk as residents

If you don't know the street, it's a market street in the seventh arrondissement. We walked from the intersection of rue de Grenelle at the Bleu Olive Cafe all the way to the end of the street on the south side (so north to south). 

We talk about things we see (in real time), our favourite and least favourite cafes, restaurants,  shops, and so on. 

We will also do a live video stream for Patreon members in teh near future. You can get your invite soon by checking your Patreon account, or, by signing up today here.

If you want to see more from this walk, we have beautiful professional photos on the way, please check out The Earful Tower on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and YouTube. 

More from the Earful Tower on the homepage here, and don't forget to support the show on Patreon here. Thanks to Pres Maxson for the music throughout. 

In this podcast episode, you'll hear me and Veronique Savoye walking along a stunning Parisian street called rue Montorgueil.

It's a market street in the first and second arrondissement. We walked from the corner of rue Tiquetonne all the way to the Sentier Metro station (so south to north). 

We talk about things we see (in real time), how this market street has been changing, and also about Paris, France, the city of Tours, Emily in Paris, and McDonald's and its influence on France. 

We also talk about Vero and her work, which you can find by searching France With Vero anywhere, more specifically: on Facebook and Instagram and YouTube and Patreon. 

Before we recorded the podcast, we did a live video stream for Patreon members. You can watch the replay by checking your Patreon account and clicking on the top post, or, by signing up today here.

If you want to see more from this walk, we have beautiful professional photos on the way, please check out The Earful Tower on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and YouTube. 

More from the Earful Tower on the homepage here, and don't forget to support the show on Patreon here. Thanks to Pres Maxson for the music at the end!!

Meet Chloe Jantzen, a French antique dealer specialing in canes (as in, walking sticks). 

You can find her shop at 18 rue de Beaune in the 7th arrondissement. 

You can find her website here, and follow her on Instagram here. 

If you want to see more of these canes, check out our Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and YouTube channel this week. 

More from the Earful Tower on the homepage here, and support the show on Patreon here.

Meet Sarah Donnelly, an American stand up comedienne in Paris. She joins the show to discuss the comedy of living in Paris, her popular new show, and her infatuation with France's handsome president. 

You can find her tickets for "The Only American in Paris" here, and follow Sarah on Instagram here or search @sarahdcomedy on social media. Her official website is here.

Her upcoming shows are at the Théâtre Bo Saint Martin on March 9th and March 30th at 21h30.

More from the Earful Tower on the homepage here, and support the show on Patreon here.

Susannah and Hugh Cameron are two Australian antique curators based in the sunny fields of Provence.

Their initial interest of street brocantes and finding the perfect French decor for their home soon turned into a passionate search for the most exquisite French antiques and the creation of their online boutique, Chez Pluie.

You can discover their entire French antique collection on their website and keep up to date with them on their Instagram @chezpluie.

More from the Earful Tower on the homepage here, and support the show on Patreon here.

I'm not proud to say it, but we got scammed pretty hard. Here's the full story. 

Mentioned at the end of the episode: Our walking tours of Paris: http://www.theearfultower.com/tours

Music by Pres Maxson.

***********

The Earful Tower exists thanks to support from its members. From $10 a month you can unlock almost endless extras including bonus podcast episodes, live video replays, special event invites, and our annually updated PDF guide to Paris. 

Membership takes only a minute to set up on Patreon, or Substack. Thank you for keeping this channel independent. 

For more from the Earful Tower, here are some handy links:

Website 

Weekly newsletter 

So you're coming to Paris for the third time? How exciting!

But what should you do? After we tackled the FIRST and SECOND trips in recent weeks, it's time to get a little more off the beaten path - and in this episode Earful teammate Charlotte Pleasants is on the show too. 

Good luck with the trip and keep an eye on the website where we'll be blogging about tips for your third, fourth, and fifth trips too…

Here's the website, theearfultower.com.

And join the members on Patreon here.

Paris trip checklists:

• Your FIRST trip
• Your SECOND trip
• Your THIRD trip

@charlotte__pleasants

@cygnet.theatre

www.cygnettheatreparis.com 

@tapistheatre

So you're coming to Paris for the second time? How exciting!

But what should you do? After we tackled the FIRST trip last week, it's time to get a little off the beaten path - and in this episode Earful teammate Paris Kay is on the show too. 

Good luck with the trip and keep an eye on the website where we'll be blogging about tips for your third, fourth, and fifth trips too…

Here's the website, theearfultower.com.

And join the members on Patreon here.

Paris trip checklists:

• Your FIRST trip
• Your SECOND trip
• Your THIRD trip

So you're coming to Paris for the first time? How exciting!

But what should you do?

Despite doing six years of this Paris podcast, I've never focused on a tourist's first Paris trip - so here are my tips, including a checklist of monuments and a smattering of cultural suggestions.

Good luck with the trip and keep an eye on my website where I'll be blogging about tips for your first, second, and third trips too…

Here's my website, theearfultower.com.

And join the members on Patreon here.

Paris trip checklists:

• Your FIRST trip
• Your SECOND trip
• Your THIRD trip

 

IT'S BACK AGAIN! 

Today's guest is the reigning champ of The Earful Tower Bucket List, Oliver Gee. That's right, me! I'm joined by the Stockholm Sting aka my wife Lina, who also has her finger firmly on the pulse of things to do in Paris. 

We share our top five things that we want to do this year in Paris - and we also share the lists of some prominent Parisians including Australian Ambassador Gillian Bird, France expert Véronique Savoye, the eternal Comte de Saint Germain, baker Molly Wilkinson, and blogger Shannon Pratuch. 

Why not write your own list and join us?

The full list will be on the website very soon: www.theearfultower.com 

Become a Patreon supporter here. 

Oliver breaks down the top blogs posts and podcasts episodes of 2022.

All this information with helpful links is on this post here.

Become a Patreon supporter here. 

Oliver and Lina take a stroll through the Tuileries Christmas Market. They also took a microphone.  

Here's what they found - from German food to mulled wine, ghost rides to disgruntled employees. 

Ho ho ho, here we go!

Become a member on Patreon here: www.patreon.com/theearfultower 

All music by Pres Maxson, including his newest song: Noel a Paris.

 

Australian author Jayne Tuttle almost died after an elevator accident in Paris. 

She retells the harrowing story and explains how her excellent memoir series helped her with the recovery process.

Her books: Paris Or Die and My Sweet Guillotine. 

http://www.jaynetuttle.com/

https://www.instagram.com/jaynetuttle/?hl=en 

If you enjoy the Earful Tower, become the newest Patreon supporter today: https://www.patreon.com/theearfultower 

Is French difficult to learn?

I asked polyglot and YouTube superstar Nathaniel Drew.

Find more from him here:

https://www.nathanieldrew.com/ 

@nathanieldrew_

Become a member of The Earful Tower here: 

https://www.patreon.com/theearfultower 

 

Meet Alex Freiman, a Parisian jazz musician.

In this episode, we discus the vibrant jazz scene in Paris and how Alex is bringing live jazz to Paris (most recently via the Blitz Society - a chess/jazz club).

We also talked about how jazz music can lead to life as an outcast, the trouble with how La La Land depicted the Paris jazz scene, and the day the Notre Dame burned down.

We recorded this podcast in the Square René Viviani park beside the Shakespeare and Company bookshop, where Alex works as a bookseller. You'll hear people in the background, the occasional church bell, siren, and the crunch of Parisian gravel under people's feet as they walk past. 

Click below to get Alex's album, Play It Gentle, from Apple Music. 

https://music.apple.com/us/album/play-it-gentle/1268554715 

If you're a Patreon supporter, check out this episode's transcription in The Earful Gazette, out now! www.patreon.com/theeearfultower 

This week we shared a picture on social media of a cheese massacre at a Parisian dinner party. The culprit? A newly arrived American in France. The victim? An innocent 18-month-old Comté slice.

After the picture went viral in the Earful community, we took a much deeper look at what happened. Here comes an interview with some mortified cheesemongers, some first-class acting from Earful VIPs, and the full story from the knife-wielding Texan. 

I'm sure I don't really need to say it, but a lot of this episode is tongue-in-cheek, so don't take anything too seriously. Though the info about how to actually cut Comté is legitimate. 

If you're a Patreon supporter, check out our very first transcription in The Earful Gazette, out now! www.patreon.com/theeearfultower 

This week on the podcast, it's The Earful's two interns Thomas Farnham and Genevieve Victoria Gorain. And it's time to hear how they went with their bucket lists after their two-month internship is over. 

Here's the post with all ten ideas they mentioned in the episode. 

Also mentioned in this episode:

• The Earful Everywhere podcast (currently in Italy): https://theearfultower.substack.com/p/its-here-the-official-launch-of-the
• Our walking tours of Paris: http://www.theearfultower.com/tours

Music by Pres Maxson.

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The Earful Tower exists thanks to support from its members. From $10 a month you can unlock almost endless extras including bonus podcast episodes, live video replays, special event invites, and our annually updated PDF guide to Paris. 

Membership takes only a minute to set up on Patreon, or Substack. Thank you for keeping this channel independent. 

For more from the Earful Tower, here are some handy links:

Website 

Weekly newsletter 

To celebrate the launch of our new book, Grace the Giraffe in Paris, we've put together a little pub quiz for you all. 

Ten questions, getting progressively harder. 

The rules: Answer out loud. If you're right, you get the points. That's it. 

Good luck.

Find our book here: www.theearfultower.com/grace or browse the whole shop here: www.theearfultower.com/shop 

Become a Patron here: www.patreon.com/theearfultower 

Today on the pod it's Australian author Sarah Turnbull, the woman behind the 2002 smash hit memoir Almost French.

But she isn't in Paris anymore, no no! She is in Sydney, which couldn't be more different. So with all these years gone by, what does Sarah miss about Paris?

Of course, this is but one part of a sprawling conversation we had at Frenchy's cafe in Mosman. We also touched on how Australia "does" French things and we get an exclusive insight into Sarah's new book!!!

You can find Sarah's books "Almost French" and "All Good Things" online (and in bookshops!) and you can encourage her to keep going on Instagram here: @sarahturnbullauthor

If you're enjoying The Earful Tower, tell your friends! Then become a Patron for all the bonuses: https://www.patreon.com/theearfultower 

 

Edward Chisholm joins The Earful Tower to talk about his new hit book "A Waiter in Paris: Adventures in the Dark Heart of the City".

He also gives his thoughts on how much to tip a French waiter, the truth behind the service industry, and what goes on behind closed kitchen doors.

We recorded the chat inside the lavish Belle Époque brasserie Bofinger in the 4th arrondissement, so with the background noise you might just feel like you're sitting there with us.

Edward's official website: https://www.edwardchisholm.com/ 

Edward's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/edward_chisholm_/?hl=en 

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In Earful Tower news, find more about the Australian book tour here: https://theearfultower.com/2022/10/08/the-earful-tour-how-to-find-us-in-australia/

Become a Patron here: https://www.patreon.com/theearfultower 

Music by Pres Maxson.