The Earful Tower: Paris

Hello listeners! France is a massive country with wildly diverse landscapes and breathtaking monuments. There's A LOT more to see than just Paris and Provence. With this in mind, I've come up with ten things you should absolutely visit on your next trip, all taken from our recent honeymoon trip around the country. This list is about landmarks, specific things to see, rather than beautiful towns (Annecy!) or pretty villages (Menerbes!). I was going to list out the ten places right here, but I think it might be nicer to get a surprise by what crops up. The full list is here on the website with extra info and pictures. And as I mentioned in the episode, if you want to see a 7-minute video version of this list, check it out on YouTube and subscribe for more footage from France. *********** 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

This week we're talking all about a memoir, A Year in Provence, a book that may not have changed the face of the French village of Ménerbes, but apparently changed the rest. It sold 6 million + copies over the past 30 years and was translated into 40 languages, sending tourists from all over the world to find out exactly what was so charming about the little village. The memoir was the subject for The Earful Tower's Book Club for October and I, too, stopped into the village to take a look around and speak to the locals about how it changed life in the village. Referenced in this podcast is this obituary from The Telegraph, and this article from the Washington Post. Join the book club if you're on Facebook and you like books. It's free to join, but I recommend you sign up at $5 a month on Patreon to support it and secure its future. Find it on Facebook here. November's book? Suite Francaise by Irene Nemirovsky. *********** 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

It's the honeymoon season finale, more or less, as we've made it back to Paris. Yep, 4,000 kilometres (2,500 miles) at 45 km an hour (30 miles) on one little red scooter. Here we answer some of the frequently asked questions from you listeners, we share the ups and downs, and give a few tips for places you should visit if you ever need a new spot to see in France. Oh, and we also discuss how the scooter is allegedly a stolen vehicle... Season five on the way. *********** 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

In 218 BC, war general Hannibal famously crossed the French Alps with 37 elephants. In 2018 AD, we crossed the same Alps on a little red scooter. Here's our story, plus some info on what we absolutely consider to be the most beautiful town in France, Annecy. *********** 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

Imagine you had seven days to spend in Provence but didn't know what to see. Never fear, we've done the research for you. We just scooted through the region and can recommend the following. The Roman arena in Arles. The Camargues national Park The cathedral overlooking Marseille Getting lost in the old town of Aix en Provence Chanelling your inner travel writer in Ménerbes (where A Year in Provence was set) Taking in the Sunday market in L'Isle sur la Sorgue Dancing on the Pont d'Avignon That's 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 Instagram - Facebook - TikTok Find our books Book a walking tour Patreon membership

Hello from Carcassonne in south western France, a town that's easily the most interesting that I've seen in France. This episode will explain why - and will introduce you to my new hero - Eugene Viollet Le Duc - the man who changed the face of France. Read a whole lot more about my thoughts on Carcassonne on the blog here. Help me make better podcasts by supporting on Patreon here. And find more about the T-Shirts we mentioned 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 Instagram - Facebook - TikTok Find our books Book a walking tour Patreon membership

Imagine your own child is more French than you are. Well that's a reality for Catherine, an American in Carcassonne, who's today's guest on The Earful Tower podcast. Catherine, who writes the Taste of France blog, talks about bringing up a bilingual child, the differences between French and American schooling, and the difficulties of parenting between two cultures. Check out Catherine's blog, Taste of France, here. PS: Did you see there are now Earful Tower T-shirts? Limited edition honeymoon versions, available for ten days! Find out more 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 Instagram - Facebook - TikTok Find our books Book a walking tour Patreon membership

Hi guys, It was such a busy week on the road that I decided to just share it all. Here are ten tales, a mix of anecdotes, tourist tips, and marvels to find - all in the space of 35 minutes. Mentioned in this episode: The Cognac Tour of Otard. The Cité du Vin museum in Bordeaux The Grosse Cloche in Bordeaux The town of Cadillac The town of Saint-André-du-Bois The town of Sauveterre de Guyenne The tiny town of Castelmoron-d'Albret (or The town of Puymirol The restaurant of Michel Trama The old town of Carcassonne. Sign up on Patreon for more from The Earful Tower, including the Bordeaux walk tour, and the Toulouse Market tour. Here's the link to the new Facebook page for the Book Club. *********** 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

This time it's a chat with Mike Foster, who runs Le Map Bordeaux, a city guide to one of France's most famous cities. His tips are in the form of things you should do, and things you shouldn't -- aka the Bordeauxs and Bordeauxn'ts. It makes sense when you hear it... sort of. Anyway, enjoy the episode, I'm off to enjoy my birthday. Until Monday! *********** 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

Hi guys from a chateau in cosy Cognac This is episode seven of the Earful Tower Honeymoon season today it's: Three tips for life in a small French village A mad weekend of vintage cars in the city of comic books, Angouleme And why you need to visit Cognac - and it's not just because of my new doorway obsession. Support this show and find out more about the new Book Club via Patreon. Go on, now's the time to finally sign up. Click 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 Instagram - Facebook - TikTok Find our books Book a walking tour Patreon membership

This week I met with Kev Hay, a Brit who moved to the French countryside ten years ago for his retirement. What's retired life like in rural France? Was it difficult to do? What are the obstacles? Listen to Kev as he walks us through his journey. And as usual, there's a lot more on Patreon. Kev hung around for a live video to answer questions from subscribers. Join the fun 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 Instagram - Facebook - TikTok Find our books Book a walking tour Patreon membership

This episode of the Earful Tower's honeymoon season has three segments: First, it's our look at the beautiful town of La Rochelle and the stunning island Ile de Ré. Second, we tell the tale of how the scooter broke down and how we were rescued by two kindly French farmers. Third, we tell the story of Verteuil-sur-Charente and the woman who was married to both the king of France and the king of England. Imagine that. *********** 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

This episode has three segments: First, it's our look at five interesting habits of the Bretons. Second, we review the stunning town of Vannes, Brittany. Third, we tell the story of getting chased by what may have been a wolf through a small Breton village. *********** 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

Hello, we're two weeks into the honeymoon season of The Earful Tower and my wife and I are currently in the small village of Plédran in Brittany. We've driven 800 kilometres on the scooter and we've seen more than we can remember. Since the last episode, we've stayed near Deauville, on Normandy farms, and near D-Day beaches, before passing through the top half of Brittany. Now that our time in the north west is coming to an end, here's our list of the ten things you absolutely must do before you die. Press play below to hear the 30-minute podcast episode and scroll down for the list. Subscribe to the podcast on Apple here and Google here. 1. Walk the top of the old city walls in Saint Malo at sunset It's really as magical as it sounds, the old fortified walls will leave you gobsmacked. Prepare for wind! 2. See the tapestry of Bayeux We'd heard about this museum, but nothing compares to walking along the 70m tapestry and taking it in yourself. Be sure to check out the local cathedral too, well worth a visit! 3. Walk through the old town of Bernay Ever heard of Bernay? Neither had we. But it's absolutely a hidden gem of the north west - stop there on the way to Deauville, perhaps? 4. Explore the pink granite rocks at Ploumanac'h Not only is this place one of the prettiest villages in the country (it won an award for it in recent years), but the seaside is mesmerising. 5. Try local delicacies such as cider, galettes, crepes, and Kouign-amann Avoid your typical restaurant choices at all costs - go with the flow. Even if you can't pronounce it. Ten points if you can pronounce Koign-amann. I still can't. 6. Check out the Mont Saint Michel at low tide Write a message in the sand and see it from the monastery above! 7. Visit the charming village of Dinan Another pearl in Brittany, be sure to add it to your itinerary. Why not have a cider by the water while you're there? 8. Find a museum along the D-Day Beaches We went to the Juno Beach centre, which was a good one, but there are plenty more to choose from. 9. Stay in a farm-house with a French family We found a few via Airbnb and they were excellent. I suppose you never know what you're going to get, but a good French family will take you in and treat you like their own. Good luck! 10. Take the back roads and find the small villages Can't stress this one enough - get off the highways and you'll be amazed at what you find! That's it for now. If you wanna see all the bonus footage and support this show at the same time then sign up on Patreon today and unlock it all. See you on the other side, I hope! *********** 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

Hello, we're one week into the honeymoon season of The Earful Tower and my wife and I are currently in the small coastal village of Courcelles-sur-Mer in Normandy. We've driven 400 kilometres on the scooter and we've seen a lot, staying in Chantilly, Pacy-sur-Eure, Bernay, and Saint Hymer before arriving on these northern beaches. Here's what we've learned so far about the French countryside and the French people living there (compared to Paris and the Parisians we've lived among for the past few years). 1. People are friendly In fact, they're very friendly. They've been going out of their way to be helpful too. Anyone who says that French people are all rude have clearly never travelled in the French countryside. We've literally had someone running after us in the street to correct their travel directions. 2. Waiters are slow, but they care Parisian waiters are excellent and attentive. They get you in and out before you even know what's happened. But it's not so in the countryside, where they take their time and help you pick what they consider to be the best food for you. 3. People aren't obsessed with how they look People in Paris wouldn't be seen dead in their sports clothes outside the gym. They're slim, chic, and always on trend. But it's not like that in the countryside. People don't tend to put on airs, they're simply themselves - and it's sometimes quite refreshing. 4. There are many hidden gems It's amazing how many villages that are just a name on the map turn out to be outstandingly beautiful spots. Case in point: Bernay in Normandy. If you're a Patreon supporter, go and watch our live walk through Bernay - it's like a fairytale setting. 5. There's actually a lot of info in English In Paris, you'd be lucky to find a tourist sign that's translated in English, at least one with any interesting information. But not so in many countryside spots. Even small villages (like Bernay, for example) sometimes have translations for us English-speaking tourists about the history of buildings and so on. 6. There's a list of the most beautiful villages Here the link to find the prettiest French villages, officially. Good to bookmark this page if you're travelling too :) We checked out La Roche Guyon and it was fantastic (did a live Patreon walk there too!). 7. Things can be very pricey Nine euros for ice cream in Chantilly, 20 euros for a cocktail in Deauville… it's not just Paris that's expensive in France. Beware: Touristy traps come with the price tag. But don't worry, everything else is pretty cheap. 8. People have more time for you There's simply a slower pace in the French countryside. We've ended up in conversations in bakeries and pharmacies with the other customers - something that rarely happens in Paris - if ever. And it's been happening a lot. 9. People are proud of their villages It's very easy to see that French villagers love their villages. There are colourful flower displays on every corner, often no graffiti at all, and everything is exceptionally clean. People are proud of their homes - and it's not always the same vibe in the French capital. 10. People don't switch to English (even if they can) In Paris, you may have tried to speak French with a waiter only to hear them respond in English. It can be frustrating at best. But in the countryside, people are very encouraging and patient, and happy to help you along with your French - even if it's not perfect. That's it for now - we've got a lot more road to travel. *********** 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

It's Monday, it's (still) Paris, and the honeymoon is about to begin! Welcome to season four of The Earful Tower, here's an episode laying it all out, playing brand new music from Slim and the Beast (written specifically for this honeymoon trip), and explaining the exciting details for the first leg of the trip. The song in the episode was Go For a Ride by Slim and the Beast, to stream and purchase the band's music, check this out. To know their gig, dates, and news: instagram @slimandthebeast. *********** 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

Hi guys, it's the off-season here and I'm off getting ready to be married, so I'm looking back to the most popular episode ever from The Earful Tower. You'll hear the voice of myself and my old co-host James as we tackle the best of the best French words with the help of 24 guests! Enjoy. And read the full list 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 Instagram - Facebook - TikTok Find our books Book a walking tour Patreon membership

It's the season three finale so I figured we'd get a little introspective. So, I've brought back the star of last season's Finding Mary episode - Eddie Gee my little brother. He co-hosts our chat about the past, present, and the future of this very podcast, and there's a surprise guest at the end. Who could it be? *********** 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

This week it's comedian Sebastian Marx, discussing the French language, performing comedy in French (even though he's an American), and of course, Paris. Join us for the 30-minute chat, and consider signing up as a flaneur on Patreon to see our 50-minute Walk Show on the Grands Boulevards of Paris (where we ended up on the stage of a local theatre). And last, but not least, Happy Birthday Seb!! Here's more on his new show, The French Language Explained by an American. *********** 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

Hello! This week it's Michael Huffman in the studio talking about chocolate. He's the brains and the tastebuds behind the Paris Chocolate Guru, a group that does chocolate walking and tasting tours in Paris. We discuss where to find the best chocolate in Paris, what kind of chocolate to bring to a French dinner party, and Michael gets into detail about why chocolate is just as interesting as coffee and wine -- and just as important :) Be sure to join the $10/Month group on Patreon to see our Walk Show video live on Thursday... it should be pretty sweet indeed. *********** 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

The list of the top ten things to see in Paris, according to the city's Official Visitors Bureau, is fantastic…. but it's a bit obvious. The Louvre, the Opera Garnier etc etc. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Sure, it's an iconic list of things to see. But for your second trip to Paris (or maybe your third), here are some real pearls that you should look for instead. Today's guest: Amber Minogue, whose new theatre show Becoming Mamam is drawing crowds each week - and restarts in September 2018. Here's the basic list of what we talk about, in case you want to find some of these treasures yourself. *********** 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

Hi guys, Today's episode is an interview with The Reverend Michelle Wahila, a New Yorker who has called Paris home for six years. Perhaps better known by the moniker Ruffled By Grace, she whips around Paris in lace and Converse sneakers giving blessings to people who want to live out their dreams of a wedding in the City of Light. She was in The Earful Tower studio to discuss just why people are obsessed with Paris - and also the best practices for if YOU want to get married here. And of course, we talk a whole lot about Paris too, as always. Check out Michelle's website here. And if you want to support The Earful Tower, here's how to get a lot more from this show. Or get all the good stuff for free for the rest of this month by entering the code word on the secret Facebook group... *********** 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

Did you know Paris is home to a massive cemetery called Pere Lachaise, where all kinds of famous and interesting people are buried? Jim Morrison, Edith Piaf, Oscar Wilde… and about a million more. And it's the most visited cemetery in the world with 3.5 million people checking it out annually. Anyway, today's guest, Joe Start, has written a book on Père Lachaise and it's called The Chairfather - a literal translation of the cemetery's French name. Joe visited the tombstones countless times to research the book and interview the dead, and today on The Earful Tower he shares his tips on which graves to find, what to avoid, and how not to act if you're a tourist there. And if you like what you hear, you can find the Chairfather book here or on ebook here. Joe's audio tours can be found here and here. Are you a Patreon supporter of The Earful Tower? Well today's your lucky day, you get one of the cemetery audio tours FOR FREE! Yes, Joe hung around for a chat about Oscar Wilde's tomb stone, and you can find the link to get your free tour there right now. *********** 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

This week, I'm going to take you on a journey around my newest obsession in Paris - The Philippe Auguste Wall. This wall circled the city 800 years ago, and was gradually torn down, built over, and swallowed up by Paris as the city expanded upwards and outwards - with the wall never to be seen again. Or was it… Unbelievably, some relics, some vestiges of this ancient wall have remained intact, many of them hidden for centuries and only revealed in fairly recent renovations. And you can still find these traces of it in the most unlikely places in the city. This episode is my journey to find those remnants - plus my search for what one historian said were the potentially unfound parts of the wall. Meanwhile, if you want to find the pieces of the wall yourself, look here on The Earful Tower's official site for loads of pictures from the trip. That's it, good luck hunting the wall down, and get in touch with me if you want me to show it to you personally. Meanwhile, this episode took a lot of work, so if you like it, consider becoming a supporter on Patreon to allow me to continue with similar episodes! There's never been a better month to join than now, June 2018. Look at this lineup. *********** 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

This week's podcast episode is with YouTube superstar Geraldine from Comme Une Francaise. We discuss over 30 minutes the following five points, not to mention a little about where she lives in Grenoble, why she calls her channel Comme Une Francaise, and I retell the story about how I accidentally called all the French guys "My darling" when I moved to France. Here are the mistakes you're probably making. Falling for false friends If you want to talk about preservatives, don't just say the same word in a French accent. That means "condoms" (preservatifs). Translating literally from English Don't translate literally. If you want to say "Well done", don't say "bien fait", that means something completely different. Pronouncing the French words incorrectly (sometimes to hilarious effect) Be careful of your pronunciation. For example: The French word canard means duck, but the worryingly similar word connard means bastard. You'll surely make your waiter laugh. Falling for the cultural faux pas Never hug a French person, they might have a heart attack, says Geraldine. You've gotta know when to kiss cheeks (always), and it's good to know Making subtle mistakes that will embarrass you later You've gotta master tu and vous, for example, and you need to know when to avoid swearing. And if you're at a more advanced level, you need understand textbook French, otherwise it might harm your chances of getting a job. Now, these are the five tips in brief. There are much more in-depth explanations in the chat, which you can also listen to below. As for Geraldine, she has featured in a few Patreon-only Walk Shows. Sign up as a flaneur on Patreon to watch the 30-minute versions of these walks (and to see the upcoming ones live!) And buy my new guide 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 Instagram - Facebook - TikTok Find our books Book a walking tour Patreon membership

This week it's award-winning author Cara Black, best known for her "Murder in…" Paris series. There's Murder in the Marais, Murder in Belleville… and murders in all but two of the other arrondissements. Anyway, in this podcast episode we spoke about everything from how Cara meets with cops in Paris for research, to why paying in euros 'isn't sexy', and to what Julius Caesar's Paris blog would be about. And Cara was an excellent sport and hung around for two videos. First, here's when we traced the route between the home and office of her fictional detective, Aimee Leduc. And if you like that video, please subscribe on YouTube :) Cara also did a 30-minute live walk show with me as well, starting on Rue de Paradis (where she set the book Murder on the Rue de Paradis). Please consider supporting The Earful Tower on Patreon to unlock access to the full video and much more. Cara's new book is Murder on the Left Bank and it's coming in June. Find out more here. And lastly, a deep and sincere thank you to the lovely Patrons who keep this show going. You guys would be the heroes if I ever wrote a Paris detective novel. Oliver *********** 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

Hi guys, It's quite the episode today - we've got Stefanie Kouatchet from the city hunt company Paris in Action revealing some of her favourite stories about Paris. Each of these places are linked to a place in Paris you may have walked past a million times without ever knowing the stories behind them. Featuring: The 'Spiderman' who stole five paintings from the Museum of Modern Art The Paris Meridian line and how to find it France's answer to Romeo and Juliet - Heloise and Abelard The palace that burned down in the very middle of Paris Plus plenty of extra pics on The Earful Tower's website here. And remember, one lucky Patreon supporter will win a free city hunt from Paris in Action. Winner announced next week. *********** 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

This week we have Ben and Adeline, the brains behind a new French-learning company called Ilini, and they share some truly interesting things about the French language. This is an episode for you language lovers and language learners out there. Oh yes, and Ilini is a website that helps you learn real life French via videos that are a mix of entertainment and news. Check it out if you want to improve your real-life French skills. The 19 observations: Small talk 1. You can respond to "how are you" ('ca va') with "The peach". Yes, if someone asks how you are and you're in good form, you can respond with "La peche". It means you're feeing good. Try it. 2. … You can also respond with "the potato". How are you? The potato. Yep, you can also say "la patate" if things are going well. 3. If you're having a good time, you've "got the banana" Yep, if you've got a big smile on the face, you've got the banana. Why? Well, it's the same shape as your smile. 4. You can answer "how are you" with "always". Oui, if someone says "ca va", you can respond with "toujours" meaning that things are always good. It's quite a pleasant response, give it a shot. 5. Or you can respond by just saying ca va in response. In fact, you can even have a whole conversation using ca va six times in a row. More on that in point five in this list. 6. And it's not uncommon to say 'meh' in response Or, in French, it's just 'bof'. And apparently it's a totally acceptable response to ca va. Complaining 7. If you want to complain, you can say you're bowl is full. If you have le ras le bol, you're saying your bowl is full, and you've had enough. There's not really a good translation for it in English - but the French use it all the time. 8. You can complain by saying "it makes me defecate myself". In French: Ca me fait chier 9. And in the same style, the French don't "piss you off", they "shit you off". In French: Faire chier quelqu'un Funny French expressions 10. If someone's lying, they're "Telling salads". Or as the French say: Tu me racontes des salades 11. If you've got the blues, you've "got the cockroach". Or as the French say: Jai le cafard 12. If someone's annoying you, they're "breaking your feet" Or as the French say: Tu mes casses les pieds English Words that don't exist in French Yep, lastly, here are seven common English words that don't have a good, single word translation into French. 13. Healthy 14. Cheap 15. Hug 16. Siblings 17. Successful 18. Sleepy 19. Abroad That's the list. Listen to the full episode if you want to hear these ideas explained a bit more. And once again, sign up for Ilini here. It's free to get a taste. *********** 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

This week we're talking all about music and the guest is Bonnie Brown, an Australian concert pianist based in Paris. We talk about everything from life with a piano in your Paris apartment, to how French pupils study classical music in France. We also take about Bonnie's upcoming (free!) concert at the Australian embassy on June 3rd. And at the end, we have Lina in the studio talking about the developments in the Honeymoon season 4 of the Earful Tower, the love heart scooter journey around France. While I say "studio", I really mean Lina's Grandma's living room, so excuse us if the sound is a bit echo-y for the last few minutes. Anyway, enjoy the episode! *********** 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

What is France's place in Europe? This week I've got fellow podcasters Katy and Dominic from The Europeans Podcast and we're talking about France's place in Europe. So how does the rest of Europe look at France? How important is France? And what have we got to look forward to in France? We also, of course, talk about their podcast. At the end of the episode, Lina is back in the studio to talk about the latest in the plans for the Honeymoon Season 4 of The Earful Tower. I say studio, it's more of a cupboard in my Grandma's countryside home in the UK, hence why my voice is a little quiet (Grandma was asleep after all, bless her). Here's how you can find the Europeans Podcast. Tune in to their show in time for my own guest appearance on Tuesday. And if you want to support The Earful, here's a link to buy my new tote bags, as modelled on The Earful Tower's website by the guys from The Europeans Podcast. *********** 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

Imagine travelling around the entire country of France on the back of a scooter for your honeymoon. Crazy, huh? That's what today's guests plan to do in August this year - to ride around France in a big love-heart shape to celebrate their honeymoon. Oh yes, and the guests are me, your host, and my soon-to-be-wife Lina. Here's what you can expect for season four of The Earful Tower - the Honeymoon Season. Coming this summer. And please, get in touch if you have any feedback, ideas, tips, suggestions, or empty chateaux in the French countryside. Oliver PS: If you're in Paris, come to the live show about Why Invest in Paris with Adrian Leeds on Wednesday 18th April. More info here, and tickets 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 Instagram - Facebook - TikTok Find our books Book a walking tour Patreon membership

Hi guys, Here's the first ever LIVE podcast episode for The Earful Tower. Here's what you missed if you didn't tune in on Facebook or the radio station for the actual live event. And here are all the links you need below for more info on the guests. The guests: Amber and Sarah on raising French kids and their new comedy Becoming Maman. Tour guide April Pett talking about a crazy animal-related story from Paris's history Sam Barrantes on music, jingles, and having his book in Shakespeare and Co. Adrian Leeds talking about House Hunters International and our upcoming event Mystery Guest revealing the wild, wild plans for Season 4 of The Earful Tower If you're not following on Facebook, now is the time to do it if you want to watch live next time. Lastly, email me for tickets to the live show with Adrian Leeds on Wednesday 18th April - [email protected] And support the show on Patreon if you love live videos like this - I do one every week! *********** 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

Hi guys! Let's get something straight. I have no idea why you'd want to annoy a French person. I wouldn't. I love French people. But perhaps you want to know how to avoid annoying them. In that case, here are a few of the things you shouldn't say if you meet a French person, according to Veronique from the hit blog French Girl in Seattle. Enjoy the episode, and please consider supporting The Earful Tower on Patreon here. Follow French Girl in Seattle on Facebook here - or follow her site 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 Instagram - Facebook - TikTok Find our books Book a walking tour Patreon membership

Earful Tower listeners! Thanks for a record-breaking month in March - why not celebrate with a cocktail or ten? Here are the ten best speakeasies in Paris according to cocktail queen and return guest Forest Collins. If you're only here for info and no discussion, skip straight to the nine-minute mark, or just check the full list of bars on The Earful Tower's website here. And email me at [email protected] for tickets to the live show on April 18th. 10 euros per ticket to be there, or join Patreon at $5 a month to see it streamed live. *********** 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

This week we've got Guy Griffin in the studio talking about hipsters, coffee, and Paris. He's the man behind Cafe Oberkampf and Cafe Mericourt in the trendy 11th arrondissement. Check those coffee shops out right now. Some may say Guy is a hipster himself, so who better to discuss hipsters and how they're changing Paris? Guy hung around for a Walk Show after the episode, which you can watch if you become a Patreon member here. Lastly, if you want tickets to the next live show - with Adrian Leeds at Cafe Mericourt on April 18th -- message me now to reserve a spot ([email protected]). Tickets €10 - and the show will be streamed live for Patreon members. *********** 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

If you've not heard of His Excellence the Australian Ambassador Brendan Berne (or 'Bernie' to his mates), you missed him going viral in December. Yes, his proposal to his partner was the talk of the town and made headlines around the world (watch it here). Now, three months on, The Earful Tower heads to the scene of the video - the ambassador's residence on top of the embassy - to talk about the video, how to get Australian delicacies in Paris, and just what exactly an ambassador in Paris does. Here's the podcast interview. After the interview, we did a Walk Show around his incredible residence. Here's the short version on The Earful Tower's brand new YouTube page, please consider signing up on Patreon to see the whole thing. And you'll hear from me again on Monday, as always. *********** 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

How well do you speak French? If you're anything like me, you could probably use some improvement. This week's guest is Camille Chevalier-Karfis, the founder of the French Today website, which teaches both traditional and modern French. She talks about some simple tricks for how to improve your French speaking. In fact, she gives five simple tips. Regular listeners might remember Camille from Season Two, where she talked me through the ten hardest French words to pronounce. This time around, she's in the studio talking about the French language in general, as well as a chat about how she learned English and a bit about how I learned French. Camille hung around for a bonus chat for Patreon subscribers at the $1 level and above. If you're keen to hear it, find all the details here. And if you haven't subscribed to The Earful Tower's new YouTube channel, now is the perfect time to do 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 Instagram - Facebook - TikTok Find our books Book a walking tour Patreon membership

We have the empress of Paris real estate - Adrian Leeds - in the studio today talking about property in Paris. You might recognize her from the hit TV show House Hunters International. She suggests good places in Paris to buy an apartment, she discusses the difficulties of buying a place as a foreigner, and how it might not be as tricky as you think to start a new life in Paris. If you want to buy a place with her, check her site out here. If you want tickets to my show with Adrian on Wednesday April 18th, get in touch now to reserve places. See you next Monday! *********** 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

Paris is home to some of the most famed classical art in the history of the world. The Mona Lisa in the Louvre. Rodin's sculpture of The Thinker. Monet's game-changing forays into Impressionism. But there's one Paris art movement that's getting a lot of people very excited - and it's right beneath our noses, by our shoulders, and above our heads. Yes, I'm talking about the mosaic-tiled works of urban artist Invader, a man whose identity remains unknown but whose work has sold for up to €200,000. He has put up 1,341 pieces across Paris and you've maybe seen them without even realizing. But who is Invader? And why is he putting art around Paris? And why are people going around with their phones and "collecting" them? For today's episode, we have the insights of Jay Swanson, a YouTuber in Paris, who is a "Flash Invader" - someone who goes around collecting photos of the art as part of a popular app by the same name. He tells us all there is to know about Invader. And Jay is followed by a second guest, journalist David Chazan, who once found an Invader mosaic in his own home. Unfortunately, that one ends as a tale of woe - but it's a great story. Oh yes, and welcome to Camille from French Today who joins us at the end to teach me a French lesson in one minute, this time how to pronounce a word related to Invader and his work. Now, enjoy the episode, buy one of my tote bags before they run out, and be sure to leave an iTunes review for me to read out next week. Oh yes, and become a Patron here. All photos used on The Earful Tower site on this story were taken from the official Space Invaders website - check it out for more cool pics. Talk next week! *********** 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

Today's episode is a top-20 bonanza! I had tour guide extraordinaire April Pett in the studio to take me on a virtual walk through Paris. She gives her favourite street in each of the 20 Paris arrondissements. I like her list because it's not just streets, there are bridges, alleyways, elevated walkways and more, and she recommends them for different reasons. One street has the city's only baguette vending machine, for instance. Book a tour to see the streets of Paris with April here, at April in Paris tours, and be sure to drop my name. Now, before we get to the list, I've started taking my video camera and walking down these streets as a true Parisian flaneur. If you're a Patreon member in the brand new "Flaneur Club", I'll invite you to a closed Facebook page where I will take you down all 20 streets over the course of the coming months (and a lot more). I did the first one today in the 7th arrondissement by the Eiffel Tower. Thanks to those who joined live! Sign up today, your crowdfunding helps me make the show better! Anyway, enjoy the episode, here's the list of streets so you can mark them down for yourselves. Pictures to follow shortly on The Earful Tower. 1. Pont Neuf Sure, it's a bridge, but it's also a street and it's a great one. You can see the Eiffel Tower in the distance and you can peer over into the beautiful little Square du Vert-Galant park. 2. Rue des Petit Champs This street is the access way to all the hidden passages of the 2nd arrondissement, some aren't very visibly marked so just walk along this street . These passages are a glimpse into yesteryear, says April. 3. Rue de Franc Bourgeois In the heart of the Marais, you'll find people flocking here, but don't worry. It's one of the best shopping streets in the city. On Sundays, in front of the Carnavalet museum, there's a cute little jazz band of elderly musicians. It's like an open-air concert, says April Pett. There's Place des Vosges at one end too! 4. Rue des Barres Great for an afternoon glass of Rosé on a sunny day - and there are very colourful facades too! 5. Rue Mouffetard A lively, beautiful market street. April calls it a sensation for all of the sense. Plenty of cobblestones. Cheese, pastry, crepe, wine… it's a foodie haven on any given day. There's a great tart restaurant - La Maison des tarts. Get a tart to go for 2.50. 6. Cour du commerce Saint-Andre A combination of a small medieval cobblestones streets - don't wear your high heels on this street! The Cafe Procope (see below) has been whipping out java since 1686. 7. Rue de Monttessuy Perhaps the best street for a view of the Iron Lady - get there in the evening if you want to see her sparkle, says April. 8. Avenue Montaigne It's full of luxury shops. If you're lucky enough to see it at Christmas, you'll understand why Paris deserves the moniker of City of Light. 9. Rue du Faubourg Montmartre Access to more hidden passages and the home to the oldest chocolate shop, A la Mere de la family, a chocolate shop from 1761. Bouillon Chartier, a legendary institution, 1896 and the prices are from 1896 too. It's a big dining hall. You'll feel like you're at the halls of Oktoberfest. 10. Quai des Jemappes When the sun is shining, everyone goes down to the canal and has a glass of Rosé. 11. Passage Turquetil A beautiful little place with framed art along the sides of the buildings, not to mention the old shoes they've made into plant pots. 12. Coulee vert The elevated walkway, a great view of the 12th arrondissement. Get away from the hustle and bustle of the city. 13. Avenue des Choisy Restaurants, shops, and a great look into the Asian community of Paris. And it's where you'll find Pho 14 too, see below. 14. Square Montsouris It feels like an extension of the nearby Parc Montsouris, it's townhouses, and it's very green, says April. It's a pocket of village inside bustling Paris. 15. Rue Paul-Barruel The only street in town with a baguette vending machine. The bread is partially cooked before it's put in the machine. You put in a euro and it gets you a warm, freshly cooked baguette. 16. Rue de Passy Great place for boutique shopping, including the covered market of Passy. Check out the oyster and wine bar in the market, says April. 17. Rue des Dames Just north of Place de Clichy. It's a nice place for an evening out, try the Cave Populaire wine bar - 7 euros for a bottle of wine. And 8 euros for a charcuterie board. And it's not touristy at all compared to the nearby Montmartre. 18. Rue des Montcenis On the backside of Montmartre, these are the legendary stairs leading up to the Sacré-Coeur. You'll never feel more Parisian than when you're scaling these stairs. 19. Rue de la Villette A small street north of Parc de Belleville and leading to Buttes Chaumont, check out the restaurant there called Escargot (if you like things like snail, frogs' legs, and kangaroos), says April. 20. Rue Denoyez This place is an open canvas for street artists to lay out their masterpieces, says Apri

So what's the big difference between France and Paris? Are they the same? Or are they wildly different? We have Janine Marsh - the woman behind The Good Life France website - in the studio to chat about it all, and also her new book My Good Life in France. Find out more here. Referenced in this episode: My one-million hit Facebook video about How to Fake French. Janine's book My Good Life in France Bike About Tours where Christian works - and Le Peloton cafe where we recorded the last bit of the episode. New episode, as always, on Monday. *********** 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

The best way to understand a country is to understand the person running it. That's my theory at least. And with that in mind, we've got Adam Plowright in the studio. Now, Adam may not be the person running France, but he is the man who wrote the first book in English about France's President Emmanuel Macron He explains the "Macron handshake", the president's fascinating rise to power, and how he dreams of Macron after following him around for a year. He also gives us a few tips on how to become successful, from what he's observed from Macron. Find Adam's book - The French Exception: Emmanuel Macron – The Extraordinary Rise and Risk - here. After Adam, we have a new voice on the show, April Pett who runs the April in Paris tours. Due to a hilarious miscommunication, she didn't come with a story about Macron - but about macarons, the sweet meringue-based confection. Thanks in advance, and maybe see you in Paris? *********** 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

We're back! Season three already! We're starting off with a bang, talking to Clotilde Dusoulier, the brains behind the hit website Chocolate & Zucchini. In case you don't know her, she was the first ever French food blogger - and she does it in English! She explains how to tackle French food markets, how to find the perfect baguette, and how to write a recipe. Here are a few links to things mentioned in the show. Clotilde's new book: Tasting Paris: 100 Recipes to Eat Like a Local. Pre-order the book here and claim the pre-order bonus here. And here is Clotilde's website Chocolate & Zucchini and her "Change ma vie" podcast. Meanwhile, the tour guide at the end was Richard Nahem. Until next Monday! *********** 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

Merry Christmas Earful Tower listeners... here's a little hello from me and Corey Frye, plus a bit of news about the show. PS: The wolf wall we talked about is at the corner of Rue de la Fontaine au Roi and Rue Saint Maur in the 11th arrondissement. Happy holidays *********** 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

Earful Tower listeners - here's the season 2 finale. I'm purposely going to go light on the details here, but recommend you get comfortable for this story - I can guarantee it's one you've never heard before. Thanks to Josh Vardey who stepped in for the editing on this one. This episode was performed live in Paris on December 13th, 2017. Patreon members can watch the video from the show 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 Instagram - Facebook - TikTok Find our books Book a walking tour Patreon membership

It's a very different episode of The Earful Tower this time around. Meet Eddie Gee, my little brother, who has just been in Paris trying to help me solve a ten-year-old mystery. In short, we're tracking down Mary, a woman who saved both of our skins on our first trip to Paris a decade ago. Along the way, we see loads of Paris and meet a few interesting characters too. But can we find Mary? Images from this episode are 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 Instagram - Facebook - TikTok Find our books Book a walking tour Patreon membership

Forget the studio this week, we're heading into the Metro system. Yes, I'm joined by podcaster Luke Thompson from Luke's English Podcast to take Line 2 around town while recording an episode about the subway system itself. And did we time it right so Corey Frye gets on the train as Luke gets off? Listen in to find out. To answer some of the unanswered questions from the episode: 1. Colonel Fabien is named after Pierre Georges, one of the two members of the French Communist Party who perpetrated the first assassinations of German personnel during the Occupation of France during the Second World War. 2. The fire at the Couronnes station was in 1903, and killed 84 people. 3. The link to our previous story on the Metro - 30 things about the Paris Metro that even Parisians don't know. *********** 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

Meet Jennifer Greco, better known online as the woman behind the Chez LouLou blog, and a cheese and wine tour guide extraordinaire. And we're talking cheese. Specifically, the mistake people make while eating it! Here are some of the points so you can remember, but please listen below (and hang around for a story at the end from Corey Frye - also related to cheese and France's history). Mistake 1: Taking the cheese straight out of the fridge - get it to room temperature first (at least an hour) Mistake 2: Cutting the nose off the Brie (don't cut the pointy tip off - it's like taking the heart of the cheese) Mistake 3: Pre-slicing the cheese (it loses its moisture). Mistake 4: Serving it as an appetizer (it's more of a separate course before dessert). Mistake 5: Storing it near other smelly food in the fridge (you should keep it in the drawer). Oh, and don't wrap it in plastic. *********** 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

Today I've got a Frenchwoman who teaches French at French Today to teach me French pronunciation today. Still following? Good. Here comes Camille Chevalier-Karfis, who runs the French Today website, and she sets me straight on how to pronounce the following ten words. (Plus we have a good old chat, with me in the studio and her at home in Paimpol, Brittany). Here are the words: Brouilly (a wine, and a place in France) Reims (a place in France) Caen (a place in France) Rouen (a place in France) Buoux (a place in France) Grenouille (a frog) Serrurerie (a locksmiths) Bouilloire (a kettle) Ecureuil (a squirrel) Vadrouille (a wander about) Hang around for a story from Corey Frye, this time about language too. PS: The movie Camille refers to is called La Grande Vadrouille. *********** 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

Yep, this time we have Julie Collard in the studio to talk about her one-woman stand-up show "Oh My God she is a Parisienne". But what IS a Parisian woman, and are any of the myths actually true? Apparently they're all myths, at least according to Julie. Hang around at the end of the episode for another story from Corey Frye, tour guide extraordinaire, who has a theatre-related Paris story. This time we're talking Moliere and how he died. It's a good one. Lastly, find more about Julie's show 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 Instagram - Facebook - TikTok Find our books Book a walking tour Patreon membership