The Earful Tower: Paris

This podcast episode features host Oliver Gee and his co-host Lina exploring the history and physical traces of the Bièvre, a lost river in Paris. Once a vital waterway that flowed into the Seine, the river was entirely buried and built over by 1912 due to industrial pollution. In this updated re-release, we lead a "scavenger hunt" with a group of enthusiasts to find medallions, plaques, and archi...

B is for Brocantes! This podcast episode features an interview with Sharon Santoni, a long-time expert on French lifestyle and author of the book "The Art of Antiquing in France." She discusses the nuances of the "brocante", which she defines as accessible antiques that possess a unique history and patina. The conversation explores the cultural importance of repurposing vintage items and provides...

New episode: Let's take a deeper dive into the 19th arrondissement of Paris. You've hopefully already heard the previous episode, where Ben McPartland shared his thoughts on the 19th Kingdom.  In this brand new episode, we visited some of the places he recommended, plus more. And we report back to you! (Scroll down for the spelling/websites of each place mentioned).  This episode brought to you by...

Welcome back to "The 20 Kingdoms", a new season of The Earful Tower podcast. As you probably know, there are 20 districts in Paris, known as arrondissements . They may as well be kingdoms, at least for this podcast season, where I' ll visit each kingdom and introduce you to someone who truly loves it. That's the whole concept. This isn't me recommending cafes or restaurants in different parts of t...

Let's take a deep dive into the Paris Rose Line. This is an updated re-release of the time I did another A to Z season, where A was for Arago, the name of the scientist who helped map out the Paris meridian line (François Arago (1786-1853)).  In this episode, I explored the "Rose Line" (as it was called in the Da Vinci Code), sought out the bronze medallions along the streets of Paris, through the...

It's another new season - and we're doing a new take on the A to Z of Paris. This time, A stands for Arc de Triomphe. A big thanks to the team at the Arch, who opened this majestic monument just for me! I had the whole thing to myself, did an interview on top - and then made this episode.  You'll hear my wife Lina as my sidekick as I share about 10-15 cool things about the Arch, at least five of w...

Let's take a deeper dive into the 20th arrondissement of Paris. This is an updated re-release of the time we visited the 20th arrondissement as part of our Paris Countdown season.  You'll hear dinnertime singalongs, a cemetery visit, and more about the best pizza in Europe. There is even an interview with a Polish singer called Gosia who had just finished leading an Edith Piaf show at a local rest...

Welcome to "The 20 Kingdoms", a new season of The Earful Tower podcast. As you probably know, there are 20 districts in Paris, known in French as arrondissements . But my brother once referred to them as kingdoms and I liked it. It's true, each of the districts has its own soul, quite separate from the next. They may as well be kingdoms. At least for a podcast season.  In this 20-episode season of...

Have you ever heard of Rungis? It's the world's largest wholesale food market, it provides all the Paris markets and restaurants with their fresh produce, and you can find it near the Orly Airport.  Or can you? This place may as well be top secret. Only the vendors and restauranteurs can access it - yet it's as big as a village. Every night, at around 2am, produce sellers (like fishermen and chees...

I speak English with our two children (soon to be 2 and 5 years old). My wife speaks Swedish with them. The outside world is in French. (Note: We all speak all three languages too).  Here's a glimpse at how that works, with special guests Otis and Astrid. Hope you find it as fascinating as I do! This episode is brought to you by the members, who get the new 2026 PDF guide to Paris for free. For ev...

Paris has a new mayor! That's right, after 12 years at the helm, Anne Hidalgo has stepped down. Parisians voted for a new mayor, and taking her place will be Emmanuel Grégoire. But who is Emmanuel Grégoire? What does a Paris mayor actually do? And what will be the legacy of Anne Hidalgo? This week's guest is Paris-based reporter Katy Lee, the co-host of the podcast The Europeans, and the woman beh...

We bought a house in the charming Provence town of l'Isle sur la Sorgue! That's right: the Pearl of Provence, the Venice of the South, the same place we recorded the Christmas episode last year. And while we'll still live in Paris and do business as usual, this exciting news will surely add a new scent of lavender to everything we do. So: Why did we buy this house? How? What next? Are we leaving P...

Almost like a sacred ritual in France, the  apéro  is much more than just a drink with friends.  Véronique Savoye from France With Véro explains more.  And be sure your membership is up to date to see Vero and I answer your questions about Paris in mid March 2026. This is an episode from The Earful Tower archives.  *********** The Earful Tower exists thanks to support from its members. For just $1...

I took my wife on a bohemian date in Montmartre - we called this episode "B ohemia on wheels". Join us as we take you through Montmartre in a 2CV with three nostalgic and bohemian stops along the way. Earful members can get 15 percent off your own unforgettable 2CV experience in Paris. The experience : 2 CV with Cedric's Paris Website:  https://cedricsparis.com/en/home/ This episode was recently r...

Last week we introduced you to Sophie, the newest character in our world of children's books.  Today, we're checking in - with a huge thank you - halfway through the Kickstarter campaign.  As you may have seen, we hit the target in 15 minutes. Now, as the campaign continues, we're donating books to local schools, hosting Online Salons, and giving you two last chances to be in the book... if you're...

Here she is: Sophie in Paris. Meet Sophie, the newest character in our world of children's books.  She's a clever little girl who lives in a tiny attic by the Eiffel Tower. And when a problem appears on the tower itself, Sophie takes it upon herself to save the day. Sophie is a brave, curious, capable girl who reminds us that even the biggest problems can be solved by one person with the courage t...

I did it! I climbed the south tower of the Notre Dame cathedral and it was every bit as wonderful as I had dreamed.  I brought the microphone up there with me, join me for the full experience.  *********** The Earful Tower exists thanks to support from its members. For just $10 a month you can unlock almost endless extras including bonus podcast episodes, live video replays, special event invites,...

A personal guide from us - smaller, quieter museums we genuinely love, chosen for their intimacy and character rather than hype. None of these are in the top 15 most-visited museums in Paris. PS: The music from this episode is an original from Pres Maxson called Guimard's  Abbesses. Here's the list of museums mentioned in the episode. For the full list with addresses, details, websites, etc, check...

IT'S BACK AGAIN!  Every year we make a bucket list of things we want to try for the first time in Paris. In this episode, you'll hear Oliver and Lina sharing their top five things they want to do this year in Paris. Why not write your own list and join us? The full list will be on our official website and Substack shortly. *********** The Earful Tower exists thanks to support from its members. For...

Let's take a look back at 2025. Here's a good episode for the fans who might be curious to know what was the most popular, and for new listeners to get a good idea of where to start.  Thanks to all for listening, watching, and reading in 2025.  *********** The Earful Tower exists thanks to support from its members. For just $10 a month you can unlock almost endless extras including bonus podcast e...

For the first time ever, I'm in France for Christmas. Specifically, I'm in the charming Provence town of l'Isle sur la Sorgue. But what do the French eat on the big day? I have no idea.  I walked around this beautiful town, the Pearl of Provence, the Venice of the South, and I asked the locals.  You'll hear from Nathalie at Maison Moga and Aluna from Maison Jouvaud, both excellent stop-offs if you...

Have you seen Lupin? Or Emily in Paris? What about The Bureau? Or Call My Agent? Maybe you've seen all four of them, perhaps more. It's undeniable, French TV (and even movies) are having their moment right now, and in the post-Olympic Paris glow, people are even more fascinated with France. Let's talk about it with an expert, Lucille Béfort, who runs the French Vibes Club . Her very popular Instag...

This week it's The Earful Tower's musician Pres Maxson. We talk about his new novel, how he came to work on The Earful Tower, and French music in general. This chat was streamed live for Earful Tower members, join the crowd and meet cool people in Paris ( Membership takes only a minute to set up on Patreon,  or  Substack .  As for Pres, find his new book, Chinatown Troubadour:  https://www.amazon....

Paris by night. So many possibilities. Sure, it's easy to create magical memories with a stroll along the Seine or a cobblestoned Marais street. But there are also more than 5,000 restaurants, over 2,000 bars, and hundreds of shows every night. So where to begin? If you've only got a few nights in the city, you simply can't afford to get it wrong. We talk you through how to do it best. We also are...

Let's talk theatre.  This week on the show is Irish actor/playwright Hannah Coyle (who is also one of the Earful Tower tour guides!) Hannah talks about the theatre scene in Paris, especially the English-language scene,  She also talks about Alchemy  Theatre's forthcoming production of  Three Sisters, which she personally reimagined from Chekhov's classic play. It runs at Théâtre de l'Opprimé (78 R...