The Earful Tower: Paris

Meet Simon Kuper, a British (and naturalized French) journalist in Paris. He talks of how the changing face of Paris and its suburbs - and his new book Impossible City: Paris in the Twenty-First Century. Find out more about Simon and his work on his Twitter profile here. *********** 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

If you've been to a Paris cemetery, you might have seen curious collections of unusual objects on certain gravestones (especially celebrities like Jim Morrisson and Oscar Wilde). You can find potatoes, chewing gum, Metro tickets, apples... and much more. In this episode, Ana Gimena from LivTours breaks down some of the main offerings you can find on gravestones at Pere Lachaise and Montparnasse cemetery. See our full blog post with all the addresses here. Book a walking tour of Pere Lachaise with LivTours here. LivTours offer more than 30 experiences in and around Paris (and hundreds more across Europe). Their tour groups are small - max 6 people - or private and include everything from Pere Lachaise Cemetery and the Catacombs, to day trips in Versailles, Giverny, and Champagne. They also do food tours of the Marais, small group and private visits to the Louvre, and TukTuk tours of Paris. Find out more here about LivTours here.

Meet Frank Adrian Barron, an American baker in Paris (better know as Cake Boy Paris). He talks of how he made it as a baker in the city, sharing his sweet treats on social media, and his book Sweet Paris. Find out more about Frank and his work via his Instagram page here, his website here, and his book here. *********** 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

Meet Scott Hillier, an Australian movie director in Paris, who runs the European Independant Film Festival (the ÉCU). He talks of the iconic light in the city of Paris, his film festival, and his exploits around the world as a director and war photographer. Find out more about the annual Film Festival here, 2024 marks the 19th festival, and it runs on April 19th, 20th, and 21st in Montparnasse. *********** 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

Meet Allie Goodbun, a Canadian dancer at the iconic Moulin Rouge in Paris. She talks of how she got the job, her life in Montmartre, and her love for the City of Light. Want to join the fun on Allie's social media? You can find her on TikTok here and Instagram here - and here's the link to her new clothing brand for Ready Freddie dancewear. Here's a snippet of this very podcast episode on her Tik Tok channel. *********** 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

This week it's food critic and cookbook author Patricia Wells. Originally from the US, she moved to Paris in 1980 where she worked as a restaurant critic for the International Herald Tribune and later the French weekly newspaper L'Express. Along the way she has published 15 books and made a home in Paris and Chanteduc, in Provence. We also talk of how Patricia is selling her collection of antiques and furniture via antique's dealer Chez Pluie. You can find the collection: At Home with Patricia Wells by following this link. *********** 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

This week on the show we make mille-feuilles - the "thousand layer pastry" to celebrate 1,000 reviews of The Earful Tower podcast. Thanks to all who've left reviews over the years. You might know a mille-feuille as a Napoleon, a custard slice, or a vanilla slice. But we all know it as delicious, especially when it's freshly baked. For this episode, you'll join our team as we prepare this iconic dessert at Cook'n With Class, complete with some pastry and chocolate tips from the chef. Please click here to book a class with Cook'n With Class, and write "The Earful Tower" at checkout so they know I sent you. If you book before the end of March 2024 I'll send you my PDF guide to Paris for free as a thanks! Their English-speaking cooking classes are a delightful blend of fun, education, and gastronomy. Designed for culinary enthusiasts of all levels, they offer a unique opportunity to explore French cuisine through hands-on experiences in a welcoming atmosphere. *********** 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

This week on the show we welcome back Diederick de Jongh, the owner of Flora Magnifica, which sells the finest faux flowers in France. He was last on the show in 2021, but since then he has changed locations of his shop to be further north in the Marais by a famous bistro. We chatted about business, Paris, and his new project supplying flowers to cultural heritage institutions around France. We also talk about what happens to a small shop in the Marais after it features on The Earful Tower podcast! How to visit Flora Magnifica Address: 58 rue des Tournelles, 75003 Paris Hours: Open Tuesday – Sundays For more information visit their website here and follow them on Instagram here This episode was brought to you by Cook'n With Class, click here to book a class with them. *********** 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

Is Paris a safe city? The truth is, it's probably about as safe as any other big city. In other words, you need to be smart when you're here. And this week on the podcast, American content creator in Paris Amanda Rollins shares her tips and tricks for being street smart in the City of Light. Amanda has made a name for herself on her wildly popular social media accounts as American Fille, where she shares how to stay out of trouble in Paris (and many, many other things). Find her on TikTok here (over a million followers!) and Instagram here. The chat spans lot of other topics too! This episode was brought to you by Cook'n With Class, click here to book a class with them. I did the sauce-making class and LOVED it. *********** 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

If the words "French Revolution" seem daunting to you, then you're not alone. It would take a whole series of podcast episodes to truly understand it all - and luckily for us - podcaster Mike Duncan has done exactly that. His Revolutions Podcast is world renowned. In this episode of The Earful Tower, he breaks down the French Revolution to its simplest essence. You could call it "The French Revolution For Idiots", where I, your humble host, play the part of the idiot and ask all the questions you are too shy to ask. As for Mike, a self-confessed "complete history geek", you can find more of his work via his Twitter page here. This episode was first aired on The Earful Tower in 2019. This episode was brought to you by Cook'n With Class, click here to book a class with them. I did the sauce-making class and LOVED it. *********** 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

Lina and I discuss how circumstance has led to us raising our nearly three-year-old son in French, Swedish, and English. This episode was brought to you by Cook'n With Class, click here to book a class with them. I did the sauce-making class and LOVED it. *********** 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

Buying property in Paris (and France, in general) isn't easy. Aside from the dreaded French admin, there is a whole world of traps and tricks to consider. Omissions in the property listing, negotiating prices, and why you shouldn't share a notary with the seller.... This week, lawyer and buyer's agent Christine Bacoup-Tidas explains some of the key pitfalls to avoid in the process. She also chats about property in Paris in general, and her previous life as a ballet dancer and then lawter in New York City. Find her and her website Tomette Paris here to get help buying your own place: www.tometteparis.com *********** 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

There's a lot of talk right now about the iconic booksellers by the Seine, aka the bouquinistes. In recent months, the Paris Town Hall officials threatened to remove the stalls to make way for the Olympic Games, but President Macron overturned the decision this week. The book stalls are here to stay. I figured many Earful Tower listeners might want to know more about these mysterious bouquinistes, so let's revisit my chat with Sydney Zekley, who ran one of the stalls not too far from the Tour d'Argent restaurant. The music in this episode is an original tune from Pres Maxson, fittingly titled Sunset on the Seine. The original chat with Sydney was from July, 2019 (season 6, episode 9). This week's version has been updated, remastered, and edited accordingly. *********** 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

Chef David Lebovitz is back on the show to talk about the Aligre Market (le marché d'Aligre) in the 12th arrondissement of Paris. Follow David here for his newsletter on Substack. Music in this episode is from Pres Maxson. *********** 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

Author Samuel Lopez-Barrantes is on the show talking about being a writer in Paris. Perhaps it's not as romantic and lovely as it might sound. Or perhaps it is! Sam has just published his new book, The Requisitions, which you can find here. Follow Sam on Substack here for his page "If Not, Paris" which offers "fiction, essays & music from Paris". Music in this episode is from Pres Maxson. *********** 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

This week, Australian Sam Davies is on the show talking about bars in Paris. He has grown an online following by asking bartenders in Paris (and around the world) to recommend other bars. He talks about the Paris bar scene and how it is evolving, and also lists ten bars worth visiting. In the list is everything from places to get fancy to places to bring your mates. There's something for everyone here. Click here to read the full list, with all the addresses. As for Sam Davies, find his Instagram Great Place To here. Music in this episode is from Pres Maxson. *********** 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

I love the French language. I feel like I could make an episode like this every year. The ten words and words like I like, that make me smile, or that have some kind of a fun story to them. You can hear me describing them and pronouncing them in greater detail in this week's podcast episode, or click here to read the blog and see the spelling. Music in this episode is from Pres Maxson. *********** 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

This week I recap my recent three-hour checkup at the Parisian doctors. Whether you've been to the doctor in France a million times or never before, I'm sure you'll learn something from my experiences and observations :) *********** 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

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 - and we also share the lists of everyone on the Earful Tower team. Why not write your own list and join us? The full list will be on our official website very soon: www.theearfultower.com

The season is over, the year is over. It's time for a little reflection. In this episode I answer 15 audience questions about our epic ABCson. All the questions come from the Patreon members. Join them here. https://www.patreon.com/theearfultower The music in this episode is from Pres Maxson, find his Substack here. Click here for our walking tours of Paris.

Z is for Zinc. In this season finale episode, we tackle the topic of zinc, which is used to make 75 percent of the Paris rooftops. I chat with Constance Allard, who runs the zinc workshop Les toits Parisiens. I also climbed onto a zinc roofing construction site in the 1st arrondissement, and chatted with roofer Frederic Cordier from the roofing company La Louisane. You can see some amazing pictures from our rooftop escapades here on the official website. 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, find his Substack here. Click here for our walking tours of Paris.

Y is for Yesteryear. In this episode, I chat with two long-time Paris residents about their first impressions of the city. First, you'll hear from American music journalist Valli about life in Paris in the early 1980s. (Valli was first on the Earful Tower in 2019: "Famous in France: Meet American singer Valli") Then it's Englishman Jim Bane who first came to Paris in 1963. (Jim was first on the Earful Tower in 2017: "Paris expat for 50 years".) 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, find his Substack here. Click here for our walking tours of Paris.

X is for Xmas, obviously. In this episode, we share what happened on our eXciting and eXhausting and eXhilarating Christmas walk around the Pantheon. This is, more specifically, a recap of our 2023 Christmas party, when I took 35 people on an evening stroll, while bumping into five famous characters from the past 1500 years of French history. For the full experience, listen to the interactive version of the show as a Patreon member. You can hear the audio from the big night and even answer the questions. Find it 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, find his Substack here. Click here for our walking tours of Paris.

W is for Wall. In this episode, I take you for an exciting and historic walk through the Left Bank of Paris to discover hidden vestiges of the Philippe Auguste Wall. This episode marks the end of my wall trilogy. The first part of the trilogy covered the right bank of Paris, the second part was the 5th arrondissement. Today, we're focused on the sixth arrondissement and I'll take you into libraries, restaurants, hotels, offices, and car parks in search of this elusive 800-year-old wall. You'll hear the voice of Florian-Élie Vaz from the Officine Universelle Buly (the perfume place featuring the tower). Find their perfume emporium online 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, find his Substack here. Click here for our walking tours of Paris.

V is for Vegan. In this episode, we talk to Amanda Bankert, the owner of Boneshaker Donuts, who has just released a book called Voilà Vegan (double V!). In the book, she reveals that this famed donut shop has been secretly vegan for years!! As a vegan herself, Amanda shares her insights into the city's vegan scene and how it has developed over the years. Mentioned in this episode: Voila Vegan (remember to leave reviews on Amazon!) Boneshaker Donuts & Coffee 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, find his Substack here. Click here for our walking tours of Paris.

U is for Underground. In this episode, we take you below Paris: On the Metro, through the sewers, and into the (illegal) catacombs. Mentioned in this episode: Luke's English podcast Amber's Paname Podcast The Comte de Saint Germain who does audio walks of Paris 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, find his Substack here. Click here for our walking tours of Paris.

T is for Tour d'Argent. In this episode, we take you inside the famed Tour d'Argent restaurant on the Left Bank of Paris, and you'll hear from me and my wife Lina Nordin Gee as we dine. We also discuss our thoughts on the renovation job from 2022/2023, which has made for one of the most stunning dining experiences in France. And as for the food: Wow. Mentioned in this episode: The Tour d'Argent restaurant. Book a table here. Tour d'Argent address: 15 Quai de la Tournelle, 75005 Paris 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, find his Substack here. Click here for our walking tours of Paris.

S is for Sainte-Chapelle. In this episode, I'll take you inside this ancient royal chapel with its incredible stained glass windows. You'll hear from tour guide and Paris expert Amber Minogue, who gives us some insight into the 13th century chapel. You'll also hear my own thoughts about visiting the Sainte-Chapelle on a VIP tour when it was completely empty. Those tickets are unavailable for the foreseeable future, but you can book their Sainte-Chapelle skip-the-line tour on this link.) Mentioned in this episode: Skip-the-line Sainte-Chapelle & Marie Antoinette's Prison Medieval Tour. Book here. Sainte-Chapelle address: 10 Bd du Palais, 75001 Paris. Amber Minogue's podcast: Paname Podcast 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, find his Substack here. Click here for our walking tours of Paris.

R is for Richelieu. In this episode, we'll take you inside the newly renovated Richelieu Library, and then its incredible upstairs museum. This episode is co-hosted by Lina Nordin Gee. Featured in the episode: Find the library and museum here. Address: 5 Rue Vivienne, 75002 Pariss The app we mentioned is called BNF Richelieu The museum room I loved was the La Galerie Mazarin 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, find his Substack here. Click here for our walking tours of Paris.

Q is for Queer. In this episode, I'll give you an insight into Gay Paris. And by gay I mean LGBTQIA+. Where is the gay quarter... or perhaps a better question.... what's happened to the gay quarter now that gentrifcation has hit the Marais? Also: What's a gay bookshop? What do they sell and to whom? Featured in this episode: Bryan Pirolli from The Gay Locals, Boris from Le Ju' cafe, and Nicolas Wanstok from Les Mots à la Bouche bookshop. Find more from The Gay Locals here. Find the bookshop Les Mots à la Bouche here: Address - 37 Rue Saint-Ambroise, 75011 Paris Find the bar with the rainbow umbrellas, Le Ju' cafe, here: 16 Rue des Archives, 75004 Paris 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, find his Substack here. Click here for our walking tours of Paris.

P is for Provence. In this episode, you'll hear some thoughts on the lovely southern French region, with the help of some great guests. First, you'll hear from Suzannah and Hugh Cameron from the antique shop Chez Pluie Provence, sharing some practical travel advice. Then it's my own mother, her first time on the pod, sharing her Provence ponderings. Then it's Lina aka Parisian Postcards discussing her thoughts on her week in Provence. Five towns/villages mentioned in this podcast episode: Avignon Isle-sur-la-Sorgue Oppède Le Vieux Menerbes Saint-Rémy-de-Provence 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, find his Substack here. Click here for our walking tours of Paris.

O is for the Olympic Games. In this episode, you'll hear my first look ahead to the 2024 summer Olympics. Given it is still so far away, this is more of a light intro to the topic, with the help of some great guests. First, you'll hear from the American Ambassador to France, Denise Campbell Bauer, talking about Americans and their connection to Paris, then sharing some practical travel advice. Then it's Coutume cafe owner Tom Clark, an Australian in Paris, who gives his thoughts on the Games from a business and local perspective. 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, find his Substack here. Click here for our walking tours of Paris.

N is for the Notre Dame. In this episode, you'll hear about where we're at with the restoration of the Notre Dame cathedral. Short answer: It will reopen December 2024. Long answer: I chat to one of the carpenters involved in the restoration project, I visit the new Virtual Reality exhibition (which is exceptional), and I take a look in the crypt. 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, find his Substack with specific show notes to this episode here. Click here for our walking tours of Paris.

M is for the Marais. In this episode, you'll hear my thoughts on how I'd spend a perfect last day in the Marais district of Paris (in other words, the third and fourth arrondissements). You'll also hear from Paul Barron, co-owner of Le Peloton Cafe and Bike About Tours, and then from tour guide Amber Minogue! Mentioned in this episode: Musée Carnavalet Musée de la chasse et de la Nature Musée des archives Hotel de Sully Place des Vosges Miznon restaurant A whole lot more 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 M is for Maxson. Click here for our walking tours of Paris.

A bit of reflection as we reach the halfway point of this AB-Season. As I said in the episode, a big thanks to musician Pres Maxson, photographer Augusta Sagnelli, editor Eddie Gee, and occasional co-host Lina Nordin-Gee.

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.

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)