The Earful Tower: Paris

Caroline de Maigret on Parisian women and Pigalle

02 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Today's chat is with model Caroline de Maigret, who has just published a book about ageing called Older But Better, But Older. She's the ultimate Pari...

The most elegant district of Paris

24 Feb 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Today's chat is an on-the-go episode co-hosted by my wife Lina. We visit all kinds of amazing spots, including the Champs-Elysées, the Petit Palais, ...

The seven wonders of the 7th arrondissement

17 Feb 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Today's chat is with tour guides Marie and Bertrand from My Private Paris. They share what they consider to be the seven wonders of the district.  I'...

What happened on your first trip to Paris?

14 Feb 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Hello everyone! It's a bonus episode today, co-starring my little brother Eddie.  We're talking about your impressions from your first trip to Paris...

The Paris cafe that feels like home

10 Feb 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Hello everyone! It's season seven of The Earful Tower, and I'm exploring each of the 20 arrondissements in order. Seeming we're in the sixth week of t...

Five things to find in the 5th arrondissement

03 Feb 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Today it's tour guide Marie from My Private Paris. She claims to know every cobblestone in the fifth, and shares her best tips. We talk about ancient ...

The Seine River (with Elaine Sciolino)

31 Jan 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Today it's a stroll along the most romantic river in the world, The Seine, with author Elaine Sciolino. Her book, The Seine, The River That Made Pari...

What to see in the Marais (according to its mayor)

27 Jan 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Here's a chat with Ariel Weil, the mayor of the fourth arrondissement. We talk about ancient walls, churches in the Marais, and the district in gener...

Picasso and the Marais

20 Jan 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Here's a chat with Emilia Philippot, the curator of the Picasso Museum. We talk about Picasso himself, the museum, and the district in general. After...

Amanda from Boneshaker Doughnuts

13 Jan 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Today it's Amanda from Boneshaker Doughnuts! She's a repeat guest so no need for more introductions, but find her shop at 77 Rue d'Aboukir or here on...

ROAD TRIP: How I will bring Paris to YOU

08 Jan 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Hello everyone! We did it! We've passed the target on the Kickstarter stretch goal and that means I am coming to the US on a book tour. In May, 2020 n...

Inside an empty Louvre museum

06 Jan 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Hello everyone! It's a brand new season of The Earful Tower, where I'll be exploring each of the 20 arrondissements in order.  So naturally, we will ...

An interactive French lesson

30 Dec 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Hello everyone! To round out 2019 we have a live French lesson with Camille from French Today! In it, we have a little chat, speak French for about si...

Renovating a chateau in the French countryside

23 Dec 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Hello everyone! It's the end of the year so it's time to escape Paris and head to a chateau in the French countryside.  Meet Julie Huh, a well-known ...

How to make an audio book into an experience

18 Dec 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Hello everyone! Today I am joined by Aaron Lopez-Barrantes, from local Paris band Slim and the Beast.  We're talking about how to create an audio exp...

An Idiot's Guide to the French Revolution

16 Dec 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Hello everyone! Today I am joined by guest Mike Duncan, titan of the history podcasting world and host of Revolutions Podcast. Mike explained the Fren...

The chaos of my Paris book launch

13 Dec 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Hello everyone! On Wednesday I launched my Kickstarter campaign to fund the initial print run of my Paris memoir, Paris on Air. I sat down with friend...

I wrote a memoir about Paris

09 Dec 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Hello everyone! Something a little different today - I'm the guest on my own podcast. Yes, lovely Lina takes the reins to interview me about my new me...

Paris Bucket List

02 Dec 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Hello everyone!  It's a bonus podcast episode from The Earful Extra podcast! Starring Lovely Lina and introducing my friend Shelly Bittler, this is a...

Notre Dame fire update with the Mayor of the Marais

25 Nov 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Hello everyone! In April 2019, the world watched in horror as the Notre Dame burned. But that was seven months ago - where are we now? I met with the ...

Should you ask French people to correct your French?

18 Nov 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Hello everyone! Today it's an episode with Camille from French Today and we're talking about the whole idea of asking French people to "correct you" w...

Secrets of Paris: The Best Bits

11 Nov 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Forest Collins describes a hidden cocktail bar hidden in a taqueria on Season 3 Episode 10 The former Mayor of 4th Christophe Girard reveals a secre...

Foodies in Paris: The Best Bits

04 Nov 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Hello everyone!  Today is a bonus episode of The Earful Tower. In this show, you'll hear snippets from past episodes sharing top tips and stories rel...

Talk show at the Australian Ambassador's Residence

28 Oct 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Hello everyone! Today is a very special episode of the Earful Tower–it's the season 6 finale! This episode is the first ever LIVE talk show I have d...

The Mysterious 'Parisian Man'

25 Oct 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Hello everyone! We've all heard the mysteries about the Parisian woman, but what about the Parisian man? Today's episode features guest Greg Pouy, hos...

Why do French people respond in English?

21 Oct 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Hello everyone! Sometimes the most frustrating thing when learning French is when local shopkeepers and waiters to respond to you in English! In this ...

Chatting with a Hemingway at Bar Hemingway

14 Oct 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Hello everyone! Today's guest is Claudine Hemingway, a relative of famed American writer Ernest Hemingway. Claudine and I met at Bar Hemingway at the ...

Opening a craft beer brewery in Paris

07 Oct 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Hello everyone! Today's guest is Michael Kennedy from Paname Brewing Company, a brewery and tap house in the 19th arrondissement. Michael shares his s...

Secret vineyards of Paris

30 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Hello everyone! Today's guest Geoffrey Finch from Paris Wine Walks shares the history of wine in the French capital and his tips on how find the hidde...

How to Shop in Paris

23 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Hello everyone! Today special guest Lina Nordin Gee, head of Deuxieme Studios, shares her top tips for where to shop in Paris, from the Grands Magasin...

Exploring the Marais

19 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Hello everyone! This week it's a chat with distinguished author David Downie.  I met him in Jardin des Rosiers in the Marais, in the shade of a fig t...

Tu and vous

16 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Hello everyone! The two most important French words, as far as I'm concerned, are tu and vous (which both mean "you").  In this episode with Camille ...

What to find in the Latin Quarter

09 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Hello everyone! This week it's a chat with distinguished author John Baxter.  I met him in his apartment on the Left Bank. We talked about his tips f...

Pigalle and how it's changing

05 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

The red light district of Paris, Pigalle, has been undergoing a pretty serious facelift. And Nico, the guy behind the popular cafe KB, has been watchi...

The Mayor of Montmartre

02 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Hello everyone! This week it's a chat with the Mayor of the 18th arrondissement, Eric Lejoindre. I met him in his office at the Town Hall at Jules Jof...

The man who knows all the Paris streets

29 Aug 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Meet David Smith, a British man who claims to know all the streets of Paris. His job? A delivery man, a courier, who gets from A to B by bike.  He do...

The best rooftop terraces of Paris

26 Aug 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Hello everyone! Here are addresses mentioned in the show, in order.  1. Terrass Hotel: Address: 12-14 Rue Joseph de Maistre, 75018 Paris 2. Tour Sa...

Ann Mah on food, books, and Julia Child

22 Aug 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Hello everyone! Today it's Ann Mah, author of the new bestseller The Lost Vintage.  We chat about her book, food in France, and Julia Child (plus mu...

Raising a bilingual family

19 Aug 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Hello everyone! It's time for your monthly dose of French chat with French Today, except this time it's with Camille's husband Olivier.  Olivier spea...

How to capture Paris with photographer Paris Adele

15 Aug 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Paris is a beautiful city, that much is for sure. But how on earth are you supposed to capture it? Adele, from the hit Facebook page Paris Adele, has ...

Life in Paris when it's closed for August

12 Aug 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Hello everyone! Today's guest is Anne Ditmeyer - the woman behind Pret-a-Voyager.  We're chatting about Paris in August Find out more about Anne and ...

A visit to Marie Antoinette's hamlet in Versailles

08 Aug 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Hello everyone,  This week I went out to Versailles and was blown away by the hamlet of Marie Antoinette. Here's an episode with some of my thoughts...

Rue des Abbesses: The best street in Paris

05 Aug 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Hello everyone!   Today it's a walk down the beautiful Rue des Abbesses in the 18th district of Montmartre.  Co-host is Lovely Lina aka @parisianpod...

Culture shocks in Paris

01 Aug 2019

Contributed by Lukas

So you come to Paris and you realize that you're not in Kansas anymore. Or not in Virginia anymore, as the case is for today's guest. Yes, it's psych...

Things you should NEVER do in Paris

29 Jul 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Hello everyone! Today's guest is YouTube superstar Jay Swanson.  We share some tips for what you should never do in Paris.  As promised here are the...

Good books about Paris according to a local bookseller

25 Jul 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Hello everyone! This week it's Penelope Fletcher, who runs The Red Wheelbarrow Bookshop in Paris.  If you want to find the shop, it's at 9 Rue de Mé...

You probably speak more French than you think

22 Jul 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Hello everyone! It's time for your monthly dose of French chat with Camille from French Today.  As always, use this link if you want that additional...

Shakespeare in a Paris arena

18 Jul 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Hello everyone! Today's guest is French theatre actress Audrey Mikondo.  She talks about theatre in Paris, Shakespeare in English, and when French an...

How to visit Paris 'like a local'

15 Jul 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Hello everyone! Today's guest is podcaster Oliver Gee who runs The Earful Tower.  He shares his 12 tips for how to enjoy Paris "like a local", whatev...

Elephants in Paris

11 Jul 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Hello everyone What do the Bastille, the Moulin Rouge, the Arc de Triomphe, and the Paris Zoo all have in common? Yes, that's right! They all have ama...

Becoming a French citizen

08 Jul 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Hello everyone! Today's episode is a chat with Australian expat Sam Davies who recently took the plunge and became a French citizen.  It's pretty fas...

A day trip to Versailles

04 Jul 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Hello everyone! Ever been to Versailles? I headed out to the chateau to explore the gardens on bike, to walk through the castle on a semi-private visi...

The iconic booksellers of Paris

01 Jul 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Hello! After a listener emailed in wanting more information about the iconic "bouquinistes" of Paris, I decided to go and find out more.  I stumbled ...

Donuts in Paris

27 Jun 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Hello everyone! Here comes Amanda, who runs Boneshaker Doughnuts, the first donut joint in Paris. We chatted about how Amanda studied pastry and ended...

How to fight the fear of speaking French

24 Jun 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Hello everyone! It's time for your monthly dose of French chat with Camille from French Today.  As always, use this link if you want that additional ...

Antiques in Paris

20 Jun 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Hello everyone! This episode is all about Paris and its antiques. Listen as Christophe Lucien walks us through how to buy them, what to look out for, ...

George Eddy: Calling basketball for French TV

17 Jun 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Hello everyone! Meet George Eddy, a man who has been the voice of basketball in France for 34 years.  He's only really known in France. Back home in ...

Day trip to Giverny

13 Jun 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Hello everyone! I've just been to Giverny, where the famed Impressionist Claude Monet had his house and gardens.  With my wife, Lina, by my side, I w...

Famous in France: Meet American singer Valli

10 Jun 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Hello everyone! Meet Valli, a woman who sang in France's first ever rap song in 1982. The song - Chacun fait (c'qui lui plaît) - went on to sell 2.5 ...

Best small museums in Paris

06 Jun 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Hello everyone! Today we have Emma Jacobs in the studio talking about her brand new book "The Little(r) Museums in Paris". She lists six smaller museu...

Fascinating French History

03 Jun 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Hi everyone! France has a fascinating history and there aren't many people who appreciate it as much as today's guest, Diana from The Land of Desire P...

Are the French really rude? Or is the problem with the Americans?

27 May 2019

Contributed by Lukas

This week's episode features Janet Hulstrand, an American in France who has just written a book called Demystifying the French.  Of course, we talk a...

Language hacks for learning French quicker

23 May 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Bonus episode! It's Camille from French Today talking about how to learn French quickly and efficiently. One of the big takeaways is that everyone is ...

How to get away with a murder in Paris (with Cara Black)

19 May 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Hello!  This week it's Cara Black, author of the Murder in Paris series - 19 books about fictional detective Aimee Leduc. Her newest one is out June ...

Stockholm: The Paris of the north?

13 May 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Hello! This week I was off gallivanting around Stockholm and I was very intrigued to see some serious links between France and Sweden. Whether it's th...

The struggles of moving to Paris as an expat

06 May 2019

Contributed by Lukas

This week's podcast guest is American Matt Kepnes from the hit travel website Nomadic Matt. And believe it or not, he's recently moved to Paris. I inv...

Which French should you learn?

29 Apr 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Hello everyone,  It's an episode with Camille, the voice behind French Today, and we're talking about the different registers people use when speakin...

Notre Dame Fire

22 Apr 2019

Contributed by Lukas

The Notre Dame Cathedral caught fire on Monday and one week on continues to make international headlines.  So what now? Today's guest Philippe Hertzb...

How to photograph Paris

15 Apr 2019

Contributed by Lukas

This week's guest is Rebecca Plotnick from the hit website Everyday Parisian. We chat all about how to capture the beautiful city of Paris on your cam...

How to be a detective in Paris

08 Apr 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Hello everyone! Meet Felix and Joris, two young Frenchmen who've created what I think is the most fun immersive experience in Paris. These two guys sp...

How to be Parisian

01 Apr 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Hello everyone! This week it's Caroline de Maigret, the author of How to Be Parisian Wherever You Are, the model, the music producer - and the ultimat...

Walking in Paris

25 Mar 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Hello everyone, What is it about Paris that makes it so synonymous with a good walk? A historian might suggest that the city was built for walking –...

How to learn French

21 Mar 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Hello everyone,  It's a bonus episode from Camille, the voice behind French Today, answering the age old question: How should I learn French? More sp...

Live music in Paris

18 Mar 2019

Contributed by Lukas

We've come full circle! The very first guests on this podcast, two years ago, were the Paris band Slim & the Beast. They're the guys who wrote the ori...

The Paris museum pass: Which museums to visit?

11 Mar 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Paris offers the creme-de-la-creme when it comes to museums but it can be quite daunting to decide which ones to see. It's even daunting for Parisians...

Is there more to France than Paris?

04 Mar 2019

Contributed by Lukas

This week's guest is podcasting titan Annie Sargent from the popular Join us in France show.  She explains why, of course, there is a lot more to Fra...

Day trips from Paris

25 Feb 2019

Contributed by Lukas

This week's guest is Annabel Simms, a British woman who has explored the surrounds of Paris perhaps more than anyone! She has written two books on the...

French dinner etiquette

18 Feb 2019

Contributed by Lukas

This week it's Antoine Litaise from Voulez Vous Diner, a French company that's kind of like Airbnb but for dinner. You find a chef online, book a dinn...

How to speak the language of love

14 Feb 2019

Contributed by Lukas

This week it's my favourite language teacher, Camille from French Today. And seeming it's Valentine's Day we took the opportunity to discuss all the F...

Luxury in Paris

11 Feb 2019

Contributed by Lukas

"Paris is a city made for spending money, there's temptation around every corner." That's a quote from Leah Walker, this week's guest, a luxury trave...

Gay Paris

04 Feb 2019

Contributed by Lukas

This week's guest is Bryan Pirolli, an author, marathon runner, and a tour guide around Gay Paris. He explains a little about the city's gay history, ...

Moulin Rouge Showgirl

28 Jan 2019

Contributed by Lukas

This week it's off to the Moulin Rouge - the number one cabaret show in the universe (and one of the top attractions in Paris). Luckily for me, I g...

How to tackle beginner French

24 Jan 2019

Contributed by Lukas

So you're coming to France. Statistically, you're probably coming to Paris. And you don't know much beyond bonjour and merci.  This bonus episode is ...

The most interesting thing in every Paris arrondissement

21 Jan 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Meet Boris from Paris in Person. He is a tour guide who knows Paris inside out. He shares the most interesting thing that you can find in every one of...

Paris for the history nerd

14 Jan 2019

Contributed by Lukas

This week's guest is Beckett Graham of The History Chicks podcast. It's her first time in Paris and I was curious to know what a history buff like he...

Paris in Four Months

07 Jan 2019

Contributed by Lukas

 This week's guest is Carin Olsson, the Swede behind the hit website Paris in Four Months. Almost a million people follow her on Instagram - so she s...

Best of 2018

31 Dec 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Hello everyone and Happy new year! As I prepare for an enormous and exciting 2019, I thought we could do a flashback episode to the number one most do...

Christmas in France

24 Dec 2018

Contributed by Lukas

It's Christmas in Paris. Well, it's Christmas elsewhere too, but today we're keeping it France-related. So how do the French celebrate Christmas? And ...

French culture shocks

17 Dec 2018

Contributed by Lukas

This week it's Rosie McCarthy from the hit YouTube channel Not Even French She shares a few observations about the French people that she has picked u...

David Lebovitz

10 Dec 2018

Contributed by Lukas

This week it's the 100th episode of The Earful Tower! To celebrate, here's a chat with celebrity chef and author David Lebovitz, who has just written ...

Women of Paris

03 Dec 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Why do all the tour guides focus on the men in French history? What about the women?! This is a question that haunted Heidi Evans - so much so that sh...

How to find a rental home in Paris

26 Nov 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Finding a rental property in Paris can be like finding a needle in a haystack. But imagine there are hundreds of other people looking for that needle ...

Paris: Left Bank vs Right Bank

19 Nov 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Choosing between the Left and Right Banks of Paris is like picking a favourite child. Tough, but often necessary. But of course, there's no real answe...

What to wear in Paris

12 Nov 2018

Contributed by Lukas

So what should you pack for a trip to Paris? Paris-based shoe designer Lina Nordin Gee, co-star of The Honeymoon Season, shares her top tips for if ...

Ten incredible things to see in France

06 Nov 2018

Contributed by Lukas

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 ...

A Year in Provence

29 Oct 2018

Contributed by Lukas

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 appa...

We did it!

22 Oct 2018

Contributed by Lukas

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...

Crossing the French Alps on a scooter

15 Oct 2018

Contributed by Lukas

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.  ...

How to spend a week in Provence

08 Oct 2018

Contributed by Lukas

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...

France's most interesting city

02 Oct 2018

Contributed by Lukas

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 - ...