The Earful Tower: Paris

So what is Franglais Wordplay? Basically – it's mixing a French word and an English word together to help explain France. For example: What's the name for the unwritten rules of breaking bread with the French? Baguettiquette, of course. Expect laughs, groans, and creativity as three journalists present five new examples of "Franglais wordplay" that they've made up. And we even have judges to determine the winner… what's your favourite?

A chat with three fully bilingual guests. These guys didn't learn English and French at school, but by growing up in cross-cultural families. They can switch from one to another without even realising it, and create a language only they can understand: "Franglais".

What's it like to write a memoir about Paris – and what makes Lisa's different? She joined us in the studio to talk about it, read from the book itself, and have a good old laugh about some of the stranger French habits Lisa also co-founded No Love Locks to stop the wave of love-locking tourists who were destroying the bridges of Paris. And it has been pretty successful so far… just don't let her ever catch you hanging a padlock on the Pont des Arts! Check out Lisa's website here.

If you want to know about the how Paris is moving away from the typical cafes and into the new wave of coffee shops, then Tom Clark is your man. He takes us behind the beans of the coffee world, and admittedly catches us out in our blind taste test. In the second part of the show, we discuss driving in Paris, which is a lot less pleasant of an experience than a coffee in Coutume! Find the Coutume coffee shops in Paris via the official site here, and be sure to check out the brand new location on Rue Martel in the tenth.

If you want to find a book in English in Paris, head to the Shakespeare and Company bookshop – which is also where we found journalist-turned-author Elaine Sciolino. She talks all about her new book The Only Street in Paris, Life on the Rue des Martyrs. Rue des Martyrs, in northern Paris, is well worth a visit if you're up that way. Our tip: Take in a coffee at KB at the top of the hill (thought it's far too hipster for Elaine, she says). Find out more about Elaine via her website here, where you can also pick up her book.

Local folk band Slim & the Beast, who have just launched their first EP, bring their gear into the studio for a jam. We also talked to the lads about the French "backwards" slang known as Verlan. If you wanna know more about it then this link will help you out. As for the band, check out their videos here, and follow them on Facebook.