The Earful Tower: Paris

Hear ye, hear ye: I officially challenge you to join our 2021 Paris Bucket List challenge. The rules are simple: Find five things you've never done before in Paris, rank them in ascending order of difficulty, then do them all before the year ends. This will work even if you are just visiting for a week. Today's episode is Lina and I talking through our respective lists. Join us! Become a member here: https://www.patreon.com/theearfultower Follow The Earful on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theearfultower/ Follow Lina on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/parisianpostcards/

It's the top ten episodes from 2020, counting down from number 10 to number one. Which episode was the most downloaded? Which celebrities made the top ten? How many have you heard? All will be answered in this end-of-year episode from your host, Oliver Gee. Thanks for listening in 2020. To get the beautiful scroll from this episode and to support the show at the same time, become a Patreon member here: https://www.patreon.com/theearfultower PS: The Earful has been selected as the number one France Travel and Culture Podcast on the web. Check it out: https://blog.feedspot.com/france_travel_and_culture_podcasts/

This week I'm joined, by author, Stephen Clarke. We discussed being a writer in Lockdown, WWII in Paris, and British spies. As well as his brand new book The Spy Who Inspired Me. This interview was held via Zoom to an audience of Patreon members, you can watch the replay on the link below if you're a member. https://www.patreon.com/theearfultower

We are leaving Montmartre! It's been a wonderful two years in our little apartment overlooking Paris, but this chapter is now over. To mark the occasion, Lina and I took one last walk around our old neighbourhood, with microphone in hand. If you close your eyes, you can probably imagine that you're walking the cobbled streets with us. Where in Paris will we be next? Well, you'll have to keep listening :) Loads of extras to go with this episode if you're a Patreon member: https://www.patreon.com/theearfultower And our neighbourhood in Montmartre was the setting for the final chapter in my book, Paris On Air. You can order a copy here: https://theearfultower.com/memoir

Traditions, meals, markets, and music... Camille from French Today explains how the French celebrate Christmas. Find out more about Christmas in France with stories from Camille. The Legend of Saint Nicolas - bilingual story 10 ways to wish Merry Christmas (with audio) French Christmas traditions 100 French Christmas terms with audio Authentic French Christmas Dialogue (bilingual + audio enunciated and spoken modern French recordings Christmas Meal If you want to watch episodes like this being recorded live, join The Earful Tower's members today: https://www.patreon.com/theearfultower

Big news: The Earful Tower is now officially a company. Here's a little explainer from me and the company's first lady, Lina. Our book, Kylie The Crocodile, is available here: https://theearfultower.com/croc Thanks to all the Patreon supporters who got me this far. Join them here: https://www.patreon.com/theearfultower

Montmartre. A hotspot for tourists and Parisians alike. But what happens when such a district goes through two lockdowns in one year? This week I'm joined by Lily Heise, a 17-year resident of Montmartre, to answer that very question. We also discussed her new book There's Only One Paris. Follow the link below to order a copy! For Lily's new book, find it on Amazon here: https://amzn.to/2V20jgL For more from Lily, find her website here: http://jetaimemeneither.com/ For more content from The Earful Tower, support it and guarantee its improvement on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/theearfultower

Meet Anna Kloots, a writer, a créatrice, and a traveller who moved to Paris in 2020. But rather than lament the fact she perhaps picked the worst year of all to move to Paris, she has grabbed the city by the horns and made the most of every minute, sharing her adventures with her hundreds of thousands of fans online. We chat about life in Paris from a terrace in Pigalle, enjoy the episode. For more from Anna, find her on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/annakloots/ For more content from The Earful Tower, support it and guarantee its improvement on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/theearfultower

Today's episode is Roni Amelan, a man I met recently whilst sipping a flat white outside Le Peloton cafe. Within 2 minutes I invited him onto the pod, and today's bonus episode is the result! We discuss what I've deemed to be The Pearl of Paris, the island in the Seine called the Île Saint-Louis! Roni has lived on the island for 20 years so who better than him to tell me everything there is to know about the small island in the Seine called the ile Saint Louis. For more content from The Earful Tower, support it and guarantee its improvement on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/theearfultower

This week, Oliver shares an honest look at the second lockdown in Paris. It began on October 30th and has been scheduled to run for four weeks. Mentioned in this episode: Stohrer Bakery, Le Bombardier pub, Saint-Ètienne-du-Mont church, Boulangerie Vandermeersch for the Kugelhopf, the park called Square Roger-Stéphane, and monsieur Segas for the canes. Here are the pictures from Empty Paris in the first lockdown: https://theearfultower.com/2020/04/20/scenes-from-paris-in-lockdown/ Listen to me sharing my Top 5 Paris Secrets in the last episode:https://theearfultower.libsyn.com/my-five-best-paris-secrets To get a lot more, sign up as a Patreon supporter here: https://www.patreon.com/theearfultower To get my memoir: https://theearfultower.com/memoir/ To get the children's book: https://theearfultower.com/croc/ Find me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theearfultower

A bonus episode! Here's a presentation of my five best Paris secrets. Hidden gardens, speakeasies, secret cafes... they're all here. And more importantly, I've included the fun stories of how I found them all. Enjoy the episode, and if you want the Scroll for free, here's the link to get it: https://theearfultower.com/scroll-top-5-secrets/ For more content from The Earful Tower, support it and guarantee its improvement on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/theearfultower

With the new lockdown in Paris, we're only allowed to stray one kilometre from home. And luckily for me, they've kept the parks and cemeteries open this time - meaning my daily wanderings can now include the Montmartre Cemetery. Here, you can find dozens of friendly stray cats and hundreds of wonderful gravestones. Here's my episode from inside the cemetery, enjoy! To get my memoir: https://theearfultower.com/memoir/ To get the children's book: https://theearfultower.com/croc/ To become an Earful member and see all the pics from this episode: https://www.patreon.com/theearfultower

Bonus episode!! This week I had the honour of speaking as an author at the American Library in Paris. I also had the honour of interviewing myself for the first time! Here's the full chat, which I hope you will even enjoy if you've read the book and heard my story. I slipped in a lot of new stuff :) To get my memoir: https://theearfultower.com/memoir/ To get the children's https://theearfultower.com/croc/ To become an Earful member: https://www.patreon.com/theearfultower

As Paris goes into lockdown again, here's how I spent my last day of freedom. You'll hear a lot of extra voices in this episode, and plenty of locations. Including: Papilles Coffeehouse: 77 Rue de Rochechouart, 75009 Paris Boneshaker Donuts: 77 Rue d'Aboukir, 75002 Paris Le Peloton Cafe: 17 Rue du Pont Louis-Philippe, 75004 Paris Find way more information about these places, and plenty of bonus content, by becoming a member here: https://www.patreon.com/theearfultower

This weekend we escaped Paris for a weekend in Burgundy. We stayed at the magnificent Chateau de Missery, which has been in the command of the British Hawkes family for decades. On the way to the chateau, Lina and I discovered the architectural wonder of the Chateau de Guedelon - and also the nearby Colette Museum. This entire episode was filmed on the go - we hope you feel like you're right there with us. For much much more on this episode and beyond, become a Patreon supporter here: https://www.patreon.com/theearfultower And to get a copy of our new children's book, click here: https://theearfultower.com/kylie Find the Chateau de Missery here: http://www.chateaudemissery.com/

We've made a children's book! We are so proud to finally announce the launch of Kylie The Crocodile in Paris. A project we've been working on behind the scenes for months, Lina did all the illustrations, and I wrote the words. And it's a tale I'm sure you will all recognize! To pre-order a copy and back the project check out our Kickstarter page: http://kck.st/3o3TBUy There you can find everything you need to know about the story, how to order a copy, and even how you can get your name in the book!

I scored the phone number to legendary French singer Edith Piaf via a dream and an apparent time portal. Here's what happened when I dialled the number. At the end of the episode, I also chatted with tour guide Edith de Belleville, who you can find here: https://en.edithdebelleville.com/ If you enjoy The Earful Tower, want to see it thrive, and want the bonus content, sign up on Patreon here: www.patreon.com/theearfultower

Property consultant Adrian Leeds joins me to discuss daily life in Paris and how it has changed since the pandemic. Recorded in the heart of Montmartre in the Farfelu cafe, we discussed everything from face masks and lockdown to the new Netflix show Emily in Paris. Adrian also answers whether now is a good time to buy in Paris. For more from Adrian Leeds, click here: www.adrianleeds.com For much more from this episode and beyond, become a Patreon supporter: www.patreon.com/theearfultower

This week I have friend of the podcast, and world famous author Cara Black back in studio. We talked Hitler in Paris and Cara's new book. Inspired by a mysterious footnote, Cara went down a rabbit hole of dates, times and events - leading her to write Three Hours In Paris. More on Cara and her books here on her official website. Become a Patron of The Earful Tower here to get the Scroll for this episode and to join the community: https://www.patreon.com/theearfultower

This week I'm joined by Boris Petrovic aka Boris the Brain to discuss the history (and future) of walking in Paris. We discussed the Haussmannian origins of Paris's wide streets, tales of man-eating wolves invading the city, pulling teeth on the Pont Neuf, and the plans for the future of the city. Also, a special side note, it's my birthday! And to celebrate I wanted to give YOU a present. The book and audio package for just 20 euros. https://theearfultower.com/birthday Become a Patron of The Earful Tower here to get the Scroll for this episode and to join the community: https://www.patreon.com/theearfultower

Last week, I pitched a question to the Earful Tower Members; What is the first thing you will do once you can get back to Paris? I had an amazing response and for this episode I've pulled a selection of my favourite answers to discuss with none other then my wife, Lovely Lina. The idea: To try and determine just what it is that makes Paris such a popular destination. Become a Patron of The Earful Tower here to get the Scroll for this episode (and to join the community discussions like this one): https://www.patreon.com/theearfultower

Yes, yes, this is a podcast about Paris and France, but I decided to cast the net wider for this episode and take a closer look at Sweden. Why? Well, today's guest is Swedish, we're both in Sweden right now, and as you might remember, I spent about five years in Sweden before Paris. So with about 10 years of observing the very fascinating Swedes under my belt, I pitched to Lina the ten most unusual things I've noticed about Swedes to see what she thought. Here's that conversation. Become a Patron of The Earful Tower here to get the Scroll for this episode (and much more): https://www.patreon.com/theearfultower

This week on the show it's Kobus Botha talking about braai, being 2 meters tall, and catering for 6,000 people. Kobus is the BBQ King of France with his enormous touring barbecues, we discuss his work and some of the exciting catering gigs he's had across France Become a Patron of The Earful Tower here to get the Scroll for this episode (and much more): https://www.patreon.com/theearfultower

This week on the show it's Jacqueline Ngo Mpii talking about La Goutte d'Or, a neighborhood beside Montmartre. But while millions and millions of tourists flock to Montmartre next door, few venture to the east to see Little Africa - not least after it was labelled a "no-go zone" in international media. Jacqueline explains how she is working to change that, and details how you too can help to crowdfund a cool cultural centre in the heart of the village. Check out the crowdfunding details here: https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/little-africa-2-0-a-parisian-village Become a Patron of The Earful Tower here to get the Scroll for this episode (and much more): https://www.patreon.com/theearfultower

Throughout my time in Paris I've come across many an untranslatable word in the French language. I've talked about these before, even discussed them in my memoir, but for this episode I've rounded up my ten favourites. Or the ten best, if you will. The rule to be classed as untranslatable: That it doesn't exist in a single word in the English word. Enjoy the episode :) If you want more about French words and France and Paris, grab a copy of my book here: https://theearfultower.com/memoir/ Become an Earful Tower member here: https://www.patreon.com/theearfultower And subscribe to my weekly newsletter here: http://eepurl.com/gzMRhT

Meet Katrina Lawrence a beauty journalist and certified Francophile. She first fell in love with Paris at the age of five, and since then her roads have continually led her back to Paris. We talk about her book Paris Dreaming, which chronicles her love for the French and how the city has inspired her. Find Katrina on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/parisfordreamers/?hl=en Find her website here: https://parisfordreamers.com/ And help me make this show better by becoming a Patreon member today: https://www.patreon.com/theearfultower

The Notre Dame Cathedral caught fire on April 15 2019. So - where are we now? Well, French author Agnes Poirier has just written a book on the topic called "Notre Dame: The Soul of France" so I sat down to chat about the cathedral's past and present. This episode also features the voice of Ariel Weil, the mayor of Paris Centre, to talk about the future of the cathedral. A few links that are relevant: Find Agnes's book here and my Book Club here. Meanwhile, Ariel Weil was also on this podcast in Season 6 episode 40. The night of the fire, I went live on Facebook here. For a shorter version, with the Parisians singing hymns, click here. For more about the fire, here is a link to a post I wrote shortly after the incident. Support The Earful Tower on Patreon here.

Meet Jane Webster, an Australian woman who has just spent lockdown in a 72-room chateau in Normandy. She is the woman behind Chateau de Bosguet, which you can find more about on the links below. We chat about chateau life, Paris, having a one-hectare vegetable garden, and much more! By the way, the covered passage in Paris that Jane discussed was the Passage Choiseul. Find Jane on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/janewebsterthefrenchtable/ Find her website and chateau here: https://www.thefrenchtable.com.au/ And help me make this show better by becoming a Patreon member today: https://www.patreon.com/theearfultower

I visited the Palace of Versailles to see what it looked like during the pandemic. Hoping for empty rooms, I must admit I was a little disappointed to see the crowds, but it was a grand experience as always. Here's the visit in podcast form, with my wife Lina as a special guest, and with background music from Mozart, Bizet, and Handel. Enjoy! Want to be part of the gang? Sign up on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/theearfultower Wanna see some pics from the trip? Check the blog soon or Instagram now: @theearfultower and @parisianpostcards

With many countries still on the "don't visit list" for France, the city of Paris is strangely empty. Sure, there are a lot of French people about... and quite a few Europeans. But all the main tourist groups have vanished, and it makes for an interesting time in the City of Lights. My wife Lina and I discuss how the city has changed and what that means for us locals. Want to be part of a live recording of an episode? Sign up on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/theearfultower

Janet Hulstrand is back on the show! Janet is the editor of my book, Paris On Air, and we discuss what it takes to make a memoir. If you need a book editor, check her out, she is wonderful! Find more from Janet here: Her blog: https://janethulstrand.com/ Some articles mentioned in the episode: Is My Book Idea Worth Pursuing? https://janethulstrand.com/2011/11/05/is-my-book-idea-worth-pursuing/ Hulstrand's Five Golden Rules of Editing https://janethulstrand.com/2010/09/26/hulstrands-five-golden-rules-of-editing/ Posts About Writing from the Heart https://janethulstrand.com/category/about-writing-from-the-heart/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/JJHWriter/ and https://www.facebook.com/DemystifyingTheFrench/ Janet on Twitter: https://twitter.com/janetjoy Lastly, if you want to become an Earful Tower member, here's the link to Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/theearfultower And here's the link to preorder a copy of my book: https://theearfultower.com/preorder

Meet Casey Laulala, a Samoan rugby player turned Paris restauranteur. He talks about how his life in the sports world taught him how to run a Paris restaurant. Find his restaurant Itacoa on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/itacoa_paris/ Find the restaurant website here: http://www.itacoa.paris/ And find Casey on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/casey_laulala/?hl=en Want more from The Earful Tower? Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/theearfultower

"Jazz is a compressed history of the modern world." So says Alex Freiman, a jazz musician from Paris who also works as a bookseller at Shakespeare and Company. We sat down in the Square René Viviani park beside the bookshop, where Alex had just finished a live set in front of a crowd. We talked about the vibrant jazz scene in Paris, great musicians to get you into the jazz world, and how Alex is bringing live music to the streets of Paris. We also talked about how jazz music can lead to life as an outcast, the trouble with how the movie La La Land depicted the Paris jazz scene, and the day the Notre Dame burned down. 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. To get Alex's album, Play It Gentle, from Shakespeare and Co, click below. https://shakespeareandcompany.com/d/3341348159997/play-it-gentle While you're at it, why not add my book to the bundle as well :) https://shakespeareandcompany.com/d/9781098301996/paris-on-air If you're enjoying The Earful Tower, become a member here: https://www.patreon.com/theearfultower

I'm gobsmacked at how impressively this community has flexed its collective muscle. At the time of recording we have raised over $9,000 for an important charity. If you're quick, you can join in too: https://charity.gofundme.com/o/en/campaign/paris-fans-lets-make-a-difference Links mentioned in this show: YouTube video of "Intro to Black Paris": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iKR7xS1ksTo YouTube video of wine tasting with Tanisha: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=17-1XQbrcBM The podcast I mentioned is Wine School Dropout: https://www.girlmeetsglass.com/podcast

It's a different episode today, a look into Black Lives Matter from a Paris perspective. But it's also an investigation into what I can do as a podcaster to diversify and to amplify black voices. Let's make a change folks, I've already started and you'll notice it in the show going forward. Not just in the upcoming episodes, but I mean in the upcoming months, years, and decades. Some upcoming guests on the show who'll share their Paris include these guys, go and follow them all. Sutanya from the amazing podcast Paris for One: https://www.instagram.com/dinnerfor.one/?hl=en Yannique from the awesome community My Parisian Life: https://www.instagram.com/myparisianlife/?hl=en Jim the excellent lifestyle photographer: https://www.instagram.com/thatguyyoujustmet/?hl=en Danielle who is the kindly voice of Le Peloton Cafe: https://www.instagram.com/tribe_a_team/?hl=en

We all know it's important to say "bonjour" no matter where you are in France. That's hardly a secret. But let me tell you, there's no better way to get a conversation going than to ask "ca va?" directly afterwards. French people will disagree with me, but ignore them: this is a foreigner hack that absolutely works. The tone, accent, and body language are all important too... but believe me, this works. This episode is me explaining perhaps the one part of my new book that people keep asking me about - and that has apparently changed the life of one French follower. Imagine that. Grab a copy of my book here if you're in the US or France: https://theearfultower.com/us And here if you're anywhere else: https://theearfultower.com/memoir/ Become an Earful Tower member here: https://www.patreon.com/theearfultower

You might know the Shakespeare and Company bookshop from popular films like Midnight in Paris or Before Sunset. You might know it from your last visit to Paris... You might have even bought a book here. But what really goes on at the iconic and mysterious Shakespeare and Company? Is it true that they let writers sleep here for free? (Yes) Is it true they're removing the roof and renovating its insides? (Well, yes and no). And can you get a copy of my new memoir there? (Amazingly, yes!) Together with Events Manager Adam Biles, I sat down inside the upstairs reading library, which features George Whitman's private collection. Adam has lived in Paris for 15 years and worked at the book store for over three years, and we chatted books, Tumbleweeds, and lockdown. Here's the chat, and below are some important names and links we mentioned in the show. Naomi Klein is a Canadian author, social activist, and filmmaker known for her political analyses and criticism of corporate globalization and of capitalism. John Peter Berger was an English art critic, novelist, painter and poet. Rachel Cusk is a Canadian-born novelist and writer who lives and works in England. George Saunders is an American writer of short stories, essays, novellas, children's books, and novels. Valeria Luiselli is a Mexican author living in the United States. Louis Sebastian Theroux is a British-American documentary filmmaker, journalist, broadcaster, and author. Buy the Notre Dame Poetry book Adam mentioned here for €6 https://shakespeareandcompany.com/d/9791096101016/poems-for-notre-dame Grab my book Paris On Air €20 https://shakespeareandcompany.com/d/9781098301996/paris-on-air And visit their website here: https://shakespeareandcompany.com/ Lastly, if you're enjoying The Earful Tower, become a member here and catch my upcoming walks from around the Eiffel Tower: https://www.patreon.com/theearfultower

I didn't know the 7th district of Paris very well until this week. Thanks to the mysterious Goddess of Fortune (aka Leah Walker from Paris Perfect rentals), Lina and I have landed in a luxury apartment by the Eiffel Tower for two weeks. Leah, who runs the social media for Paris Perfect, joined me for a chat about the 7th district, what it's like without the tourist (France's borders are still closed), and she also talks about how apartment rental companies like hers have had 100 percent cancellations. (Which is how I ended up here!). As promised, here's the spelling of all the street names we mentioned. Avenue Junot, which in Montmartre is the only street not on the Left Bank (the rest are). Rue Jacob Rue de l'Université Avenue de Bourdonnais (where the apartment is) Her fave street was Rue Saint Dominique And the neighbourhood is called the Quartier du Gros-Caillou (big stone or pebble) Find Leah on Instagram @LeahTravels (https://www.instagram.com/leahtravels/) Find Paris Perfect here: https://www.instagram.com/parisperfectrentals/ And here is the apartment we're in, the "Bergerac". That's it for now, thanks for listening!

The vast majority of restaurants in Paris are still closed due to the lockdown. Those that have opened their doors are only offering takeaway. So what does an acclaimed restaurant critic like Alec Lobrano do instead? I chatted with the American writer about all things food, his life under lockdown, and how every Paris restaurant is like a theatre. We also talk about the future of the Paris restaurant industry, what happens when someone spots him buying frozen pizza, and where he'd go for his last meal in Paris. Spoiler alert: He chose Le bon Georges which you can find at 45 Rue Saint-Georges, 75009 Paris. Find out more about Alec on his website here: https://www.alexanderlobrano.com/

The lockdown is lifted. We can go out without permission, without a reason, and for as long as we wish. I chatted with Ariel Weil, the mayor of the Marais, about what will happen now. About how the city will change. About what a mayor does in lockdown. And much more. Thanks for listening - and thanks for helping me reach a million downloads! Merci! Become a member here: www.patreon.com/theearfultower

Today it's an excerpt from the audio experience for my new memoir, Paris On Air. It's Eddie Gee, my little brother, reading his lines with me as we retell the story of our first trip to Paris. If you enjoy it, please buy the full audio experience for just €20. The first five chapters are ready to go. Want each segment as it's recorded? Join Patreon for $10 a month and become a member for more like this every day!! Here are the links: Audio experience: https://theearfultower.com/memoir/ Become a member: https://www.patreon.com/theearfultower

Guy Griffin from Cafe Oberkampf and Cafe Mericourt joins the show to talk about the restaurant industry in Paris and how it'll cope during the lockdown... and then what'll come next. He discusses his rethinking of the hospitality industry, the government's "chômage partiel" for staff members (part-time unemployment), and his plans to reopen. And he says the days of sitting in a Paris cafe all day with one coffee and a cake may be over... For the facts: The government has given May 11th as the end of lockdown, but that doesn't apply for cafes and restaurants, many of which have already been reworking their strategies for home delivery and click and collect options. Oh yes, and a tromp-l'oeil is an art technique that uses realistic imagery to create an optical illusion. As Guy said, a coffee on him if you can be the first to guess which character he played in my audiobook, which you can listen to every day on Patreon here. We're halfway through! www.patreon.com/theearfultower My site: www.theearfultower.com Find the cafes on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cafeoberkampf/ https://www.instagram.com/cafemericourt

Paris has been closed down for about six weeks now and everyone's life has changed. Last week I checked in on friends of the show to hear about how the city looks different. This week I'm talking with three Paris influential online personalities to hear how the Paris lockdown has affected their respective businesses. Here are the links to the guests, how you can find them online, and where you can hear them in this slightly longer episode. (From 2.40) Carin Olsson from Paris In Four Months, talking about how being an Instagram influencer and photographer means work has totally dried up for the foreseeable future. Her Instagram is here: https://www.instagram.com/parisinfourmonths/ (From 18.20) Lindsey Tramuta from Lost In Cheeseland talking about how her new book "The New Parisienne" has had a delayed publication. Her Instagram is here: https://www.instagram.com/lostncheeseland/ (From 35.50) Sophie Nadeau talking about how her popular travel blog Solo Sophie has seen the statistics nosedive. Her Instagram is here: https://www.instagram.com/sophieannenadeau/ ------ That's it! I've got pictures from all the guests, I'm adding them to The Earful Tower site now. Become an Earful Tower member on Patreon here: www.patreon.com/theearfultower More episodes every Monday, as always

Paris has been closed down for over a month now. Me, I'm confined to a radius of 1km in peaceful Montmartre... but was wondering what the rest of the city looks like. This episode features chats with five friends of the show, sharing their lockdown observations from their respective corners of Paris. Here are the links to the guests and what they mentioned, in order of appearance. (From 3.55) Veronique from French Girl in Seattle (who's on Patreon too), talking about Vincennes and the "petite couronne" in the suburbs) (From 17.58) Jay Swanson from YouTube (who's also on Patreon), talking about Trocadero and the Arc de Triomphe. (From 24.10) Adrian Leeds from House Hunters International (visit her site here), talking about the Marais. (From 35.05) Author John Baxter (find his site here), talking about the Left Bank and the Jardin du Luxembourg. (From 43.50) Boris Petrovic from Paris in Person (find his app Notre Dame Fiat Lux anywhere you find apps - link to Apple here), talking about the 7th, the Eiffel Tower, and the Seine. ------ That's it! I've got pictures from all the guests, I'm adding them to The Earful Tower site now. Become an Earful Tower member on Patreon here: www.patreon.com/theearfultower More episodes every Monday, as always

Lina Nordin Gee aka @parisianpostcards on Instagram has been painting a watercolour every day about Paris, France, and famous French faces. She's the guest on today's podcast, sharing the stories behind her paintings, what it's like to have your real job put on hold, and what it's like to host a Paris-themed quiz night every weekend. Links: Lina's paintings on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/parisianpostcards/ Lina's prints to buy here: https://www.etsy.com/shop/parisianpostcards Lina's shoes and handbags here: https://www.deuxiemestudios.com/ Support The Earful Tower on Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/theearfultower Get my memoir here: https://theearfultower.com/memoir/ Subscribe on YouTube for pub quizzes here: https://www.youtube.com/theearfultower

When the lockdown hit Paris, all non essential work was forbidden. So a local film crew didn't have time to remove a huge set on rue Androuet in Montmarte. I've been visiting the street since they started building, here's the strange and slightly eerie story, with the help of an American whose home was taken over by the film, and one of the actors. There are 100+ pictures on my site: https://theearfultower.com/ Support my work on Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/theearfultower Buy my memoir here: https://theearfultower.com/memoir

Unbelievable. After a strange dream, I found myself with a direct phone number for Ernest Hemingway in 1925. I called the number... here's what happened. Afterwards, I spoke with Sam Lopez-Barrantes who gives Hemingway tours. Here he is on Twitter if you wanna book one of his tours when things get back to normal. Support The Earful on Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/theearfultower

It has been two weeks and we're keeping busy to keep sane. Pub quizzes, puzzles, and daily sketches - here's how we're keeping busy while staying home. Also... The books arrived! Get yours here: https://theearfultower.com/memoir/

Italy is about a week ahead of France when it comes to the coronavirus. Italy is the worst affected country in the world with 7,500 deaths as of March 25th. I chatted with an Australian freelance journalist, Josephine McKenna, who has been living in Italy for 12 years, for her take on the scene. While this is a podcast about Paris, I thought it would be informative and interesting to learn what we in France (and indeed what you around the world) might be in for. Jo shared her tips for quarantine, a glimpse into life in Italian lockdown, and a few insights into regular life in Rome (which I admit I don't know much about). Why not send some kind words to Jo on Instagram? Her account is: https://www.instagram.com/josephine.mckenna/ Support The Earful Tower on Patreon here: www.patreon.com/theearfultower

A friend of mine, 45-year-old David, has been in quarantine after coming down with the virus that's bringing the world to a standstill. When he told me the news, and told me what he had to do to keep his girlfriend and unborn child safe, I asked if he'd share the story with us all. So here's that story. David, a Breton "stuck in Paris", tells of how he caught the virus, what it did to him, and how he got through quarantine. He also talks about French healthcare and the French response, how he is staying healthy, and he shares an impressive imitation of bagpipes. Support The Earful Tower on patreon here: www.patreon.com/theearfultower Get my memoir here: www.theearfultower.com/memoir