Author Cara Black is back on the podcast! She is a friend of the show, and has been appearing on it since 2019! We chat about writing mysteries set in Paris (she has penned over 20 of them), we talk about her upcoming book (which you can pre-order below), and we talk about Paris, of course. Helpful links for Cara: Cara Black's official site: https:…

This week on the podcast, it's The Earful's two new interns Thomas Farnham and Genevieve Victoria Gorain. They share their bucket lists for Paris for their two-month stay in Paris. I found it quite interesting to hear the perspectives of American university students on the City of Light, not least because my typical guests are a bit older. We'll ch…

This week on the podcast, I invite my three-year-old son Otis to talk about language. He has been doing a stellar job learning English, French, and Swedish at the same time, and I was curious to pick his brain about it. You'll hear him tell me how I'm no good at rolling my Rs in French, why he speaks Swedish with his mother, and what he thought abo…

Let's go deep on the Notre Dame cathedral. Our guest: Boris Petrovic, who has just published a series of historical essays on Notre Dame. His books are a series of seven, which you can buy one by one or in a heavyweight tome, all the information is here. You can also book Boris for a walking tour of Notre Dame here. Enjoying what we’re doing here a…

For this season finale, we’re on a private boat on the Seine River with Marie and Bertrand from My Private Paris. They explain how best to plan a visit to the big five, the Louvre, Notre Dame, the Musee d’Orsay, the Eiffel Tower, and the Seine. My Private Paris is a local deluxe agency, crafting itineraries for tours in Paris and beyond. See what t…

We're nearing the end of this podcast season, so here is a look behind the curtain at five exciting things that have happened... and that are about to happen. This whole season of The Earful Tower is brought to you by My Private Paris, which is an award-winning travel company creating deluxe itineraries for Paris and beyond. See what they offer her…

This week we talk about fun workshops in Paris that we've done recently, specifically stone carving and hat making. The guest: Lina Nordin Gee. The details: Stonemasonry classes are with last week's guest Grégory Philippe in his atelier in the Marais. If you want to find his studio and book one of his stone-carving sessions, you can find it online …

This week we chat to stonemason Grégory Philippe in his atelier in the Marais. He reveals the world of limestone, the most important stone in the city. If you want to find his studio and book one of his stone-carving sessions, you can find it in the heart of the Marais or online here (Address: 12 Rue du Prévôt, 75004). At the end of the episode, Ma…

Let's take a closer look at the Père Lachaise cemetery of Paris, the most visited necropolis on earth. All kinds of famous and interesting people are buried here including Jim Morrison, Edith Piaf, Oscar Wilde… and about a million more. Some 3.5 million people check it out annually. In this episode you'll hear from author Joe Start, who wrote a boo…

After ten years in Paris, my wife Lina and I couldn't be happier. We have two little Parisian children, we have a small business, and we pinch ourselves to call Paris home. BUT... we are also square pegs in rounds holes. Being a Swede and an Australian with a podcast company, while speaking questionable French, raises eyebrows. Here are a handful o…

Today we take a list of ten very popular things to do in Paris. And then Marie Segura, the co-founder of the My Private Paris tour agency, breaks them down into underrated or overrated. (And you can read it all here) Hope this helps you to plan your next trip. Enjoy! My Private Paris is a local deluxe agency, crafting itineraries for tours in Paris…

Let's visit the Louvre with author Elaine Sciolino. Today, we chat about her upcoming book Adventures in the Louvre: How to Fall in Love with the World’s Greatest Museum. The book pulls back the curtain on a building many think they know, but which still contains endless secrets and untold stories. And if you think you recognise Elaine’s name and v…

It's time for a day of stained glass windows and gothic churches, featuring a visit to three key churches and cathedrals. We begin this day trip with Chartres, a little town to the south west of Paris. Trusty tour guide Bertrand d’Aleman, from award-winning travel company My Private Paris, explains how we're in the midst of a gothic church (and sta…

This week The Earful Tower is going to the opera. To prepare, I talked to superstar Australian soprano Siobhan Stagg, who is in Paris to perform in Orlando at the Théâtre du Châtelet. She helped me to demystify the opera. Find Siobhan Stagg on Instagram to follow her artistic adventures - and find her on Spotify here. Want more from The Earful Towe…

We filmed a "viral" video with the US ambassador to France, Denise Bauer, in her official residence in Paris. This episode is a behind-the-scenes from the video, plus a general chat about what has been going on here at The Earful Tower. Mentioned in this episode: Our YouTube video The fascinating Pamela Harriman Lina's "Scoop du jour" column (read …

This week has been full of reflections as I celebrated my ten year anniversary of moving to Paris. Life has changed dramatically in those ten years and building the Earful Tower has been a major part of that. Little did I know, all those years ago, how much I had to learn about this beautiful, complicated city. It felt only right to contemplate upo…

IT'S BACK AGAIN! Every year we make a bucket list of things we want to try for the first time in Paris. In this episode, you'll hear Oliver and Lina sharing their top five things they want to do this year in Paris. Why not write your own list and join us? The full list is on our official website here. This season of The Earful Tower is brought to y…

Short answer: yes. Paris is worth visiting in the winter months. In this episode, Oliver and Lina explain why, based on their combined 22 winters in Paris. Mentioned in this episode: Ice Skating at the Grand Palais A chat with Chef Tony Xu from Shang Palace (see our video here) The Petit Palais museum At the end you'll hear from Marie Segura from M…

It's time for a day trip to Vaux-le-Vicomte! This week, I'll show you how to visit the magnificent chateau Vaux-le-Vicomte with Bertrand d’Aleman from award-winning travel company My Private Paris. We took a private van from Paris, then spent half a day exploring the chateau and its grounds. This was a family-friendly visit (two families on board!)…

Paris is home to over 100 museums, from world-renowned art galleries to quirky, hidden gems. In this episode, we highlight 5 underrated museums you won’t want to miss, each offering a unique glimpse into Parisian history and culture. Discover the Bibliothèque Nationale Richelieu, where centuries of knowledge await. This historic library houses trea…

This Week on The Earful Tower: Notre Dame's Grand Reopening In this special episode, we dive into Notre Dame's grand reopening after the fire that shook the world. I speak with Ariel Weil, the mayor of Paris' central arrondissements, about his firsthand experience inside the newly restored cathedral, and what’s next for this iconic monument. Then, …

This week on the podcast we are chatting about gin with Charlotte Buisson Dackow from La Distillerie de l’Arbre Sec. This cool, new micro-distillery is located on a quiet street, with a macabre history, mere steps from the Louvre museum in the 1st arrondissement. We visited their stunning workshop and listened as Charlotte explained the evolution o…

It's time for a day trip to Versailles! This week, I'll show you a great way to visit the town of Versailles with the help of Bertrand d’Aleman from award-winning travel company My Private Paris. We took the train from Paris, then spent a day exploring the town, but never stepped foot inside the palace or the palace grounds. My Private Paris is a l…

This week, Lina and Oliver discuss how to entertain children in Paris. Even if you're not visiting with kids, you'll find some good tips in this episode. As usual, everything is written in full, with links and more details, on the website here. Below is a short version. This season of The Earful Tower is brought to you by the award-winning travel c…

Here are the main mistakes to avoid if you're visiting Paris, according to this week's guest, writer and social media star Anna Kloots. Anna has lived in Paris for five years - and I've been here for 10 - so this list is based on 15 years of Paris experience. Watch the YouTube version of this chat, filmed on the streets of Paris, right here. For mo…

What's a baguette? A long loaf of bread, surely. WRONG! A baguette can be one of 15 different things. Here's how I found out - and a few baguette-related language facts to impress your French friends. Featuring, ever-so-briefly, the voice of Véronique from France with Véro. And here's the full French dictionary listing for 'baguette'. This season o…

Here are our six golden rules for visiting Provence, based on over a decade of visiting the region. In fact, we just got back to Paris after another visit to the sun-soaked region and now it's time to share what we've learned. In this episode, you'll hear Lina and I walking in a quiet and beautiful part of Paris, while discussing Provence. You can …

Meet Céline Flores-Tavukcuoglu. She is a Texan in Paris who runs Céline Concierge, a private concierge service that specializes in Paris. She shares her five golden rules for if you're thinking to move to Paris (or indeed, France). And even if you're not thinking to make the move, this conversation will shine a light on life in the French capital. …

It's time for a day trip to the Champagne region! This week, I'll show you a great way to visit the Champagne region with the help of Bertrand d’Aleman from award-winning travel company My Private Paris. We took the train to Reims, then hired a car to get to the Pommery house, followed by smaller Pierre Paillard house, which has been in the same fa…

Meet Romu Oudeyer, a top private chef in Paris. We talk about cooking for celebrities in Paris, France's relationship with food, and how to find good restaurants in Paris. Follow him on Instagram here and explore his website here. To read the full menu from the home-cooked lunch we discussed, click here. This season of The Earful Tower is brought t…

What’s the most “fitting” thing to find in each of the 20 Paris districts? Something – a bar, a cafe, a street, a park… something that’s representative of its neighbourhood? For example… the eighth arrondissement is something of a business district that’s affluent and beautiful. What site matches that energy? (Spoiler alert: a private art museum). …

This week I finally got into the Hotel de Beauvais, the 400-year-old aristocratic mansion in the Marais. Here's how I did it, and how you can too! Address: 68 Rue François Miron, 75004 Paris More info on the Heritage Days: https://journeesdupatrimoine.culture.gouv.fr/en/ Become a member! For $10 a month you can join the other Patreon members and un…

A mysterious email from Will asked for the ideal itinerary for a 12-hour layover in Paris. Hosts Oliver and Lina went head-to-head suggesting their own versions of the perfect one-day plan. But who is Will? Could he really be a Wall Street hound with expensive taste? Or a med student who prefers cheap lunches and riding bikes? We have no idea - but…

This week on the podcast it's author Scott Carpenter, whose new book is called Paris Lost and Found. To kick off this "Paris if..." season of the show, he shares his thoughts on how to "roll with it" and see Paris like a local. You can find him on Instagram here (https://www.instagram.com/frenchlikemoi) and find his book in all good bookshops and o…

Here are my final thoughts on the Paris Olympic Games. In this episode, it's just me, your host Oliver Gee, sharing a few pros and cons of the Olympics. ******* 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…

Meet Anne Carminati and James Wesolowski, the authors of 111 Museums in Paris You Shouldn't Miss. We chat about the museum scene in Paris, the pros and cons of large and small museums, and a few good ones to find. Their official website: https://www.111places.com/111-museums-in-paris ******* The Earful Tower exists thanks to support from its Patreo…

Meet Alexandre Durand and Tom Carles - also known as Alex and Tom - but better known as AT Frenchies, a social media duo that has captivated millions with their take on France and the French language. Their official website: https://www.atfrenchies.com/ Here's the specific clip they were talking about at the end of the episode, via TikTok. ******* …

Here's a chat with Ariel Weil, the mayor of Paris Centre (arrondissements 1-4). He talks about the challenges of hosting the Olympics, especially security hassles that have come with the openening Ceremony on the Seine River. The Opening Ceremony, perhaps the most ambitious part of the whole games, has turned Ariel's districts into what he compares…

Meet Tanisha Townsend, a Chicago native who became a wine expert in Paris. She gives us a general info to wine and Paris wine bars, plus her take on wine tastings in the French capital. Find more about Tanisha (aka Girl Meets Glass) via her website here and her Instagram page here. And here's the link to book a wine tasting with her. ******* The Ea…

This week we're talking about the Latin Quarter. The guest is Earful Tower tour guide Hannah Coyle, discussing one of her favourite neighbourhoods. The discovery tour of the Latin Quarter is our newest walking tour, you can book a private or semi-private walk, and we're rolling it out on Tuesday afternoons to start. Find more here. ******* The Earf…

Did you know there are 8 Statues of Liberty in Paris. Maybe more. And this week, I'll find them all and show you. This episode gives you the facts and the history. Here's the blog link to go with the eight (plus!) statues: https://theearfultower.com/2018/07/04/did-you-know-there-are-five-statue-of-liberty-replicas-in-paris/ And here's the YouTube l…

Vanessa Grall, aka Messy Nessy Chic, is selling the Seine. Or at least, little bottles of it, from her new boutique Messy Nessy's Cabinet, in the fifth arrondissement. She is this week's guest on The Earful Tower, talking about her boutique, her viral idea for selling the Seine, and her wildly popular channel Messy Nessy Chic. Find more about Vanes…

Auctioneer Christophe Lucien is on The Earful Tower, talking about his incredible sales of Paris memorabilia. His current sale (June 17 and 18, 2024) include everything from a Hector Guimard art nouveau bench to an actual bouquiniste stand by the Seine. The main drawcard, as pointed out by Christophe, are the chandeliers in the Grand Hôtel of the P…

So you've seen all the main Paris sights, and maybe even a few of the offbeat ones. But let's go deeper. Here are 20 truly hidden gems, one from every arrondissement, according to podcast host Oliver Gee. An important note: the secret for the 10th arrondissement has now closed for good! See pictures, and links, and more, here: https://theearfultowe…

Our new children's book, The Animal Games in Paris, left us with some unusual questions. Does meter rhyme with cheetah? Apparently not, according to some. And if not, should we keep it in the book? And on that note, should we spell it meter, or metre? Or both? And that's just a few of the text-based questions from Oliver, who wrote the book. As for…

Meet Morgan Walesh, an American in Paris who specializes in the hidden underbelly of the city. She talks of her love for the catacombs, the "history of the streets", and how she tried to talk her way into an infamous Paris apartment... Find out more about Morgan and her work on "Paris History of our Streets" via her website here, Instagram here, an…

Meet Parisian woman Virginie Dubost. In 2018, she became a quadriplegic after a surfing accident. Now, she is an accessibility advocate and has made headlines in Paris for drawing attention to accessibility issues in the city. She joined us in the lovely Square Santiago-du-Chili in the 7th arrondissement to talk about Paris, its low level of access…

Meet Daniel Christensen, an avid boulderer in Paris. He talks of how the trend of climbing - aka bouldering - is captivating people's attention in Paris, and how the worldwide sport actually started near Paris in Fontainebleau. Even if you're not a climber, this makes for an interesting chat about Paris and how sports/hobbies/pastimes are changing.…

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

If you've been to a Paris cemetery, you might have seen curious collections of unusual objects on certain gravestones (especially celebrities like Jim Morrisson and Oscar Wilde). You can find potatoes, chewing gum, Metro tickets, apples... and much more. In this episode, Ana Gimena from LivTours breaks down some of the main offerings you can find o…