The Earful Tower: Paris

Latest Episodes:

A day trip to Versailles Jul 04, 2019

Show notes

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 visit, and stayed around for the fireworks show.

Check it out!

The episode was brought to you by Fat Tire Tours. Book the same trip I did right here, but be sure to add the code word earful at the checkout for a ten percent discount.f

The music in the background is (rather fittingly) called Invitation to the Castle Ball by Doug Maxwell.

The iconic booksellers of Paris Jul 01, 2019

Show notes

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 upon Sydney Zekley, who hails from Los Angeles, but spends her days selling books along the Seine River.

Here is our chat, plus a lot more about the bouquinistes of Paris.

Support the Earful on Patreon here.

And to get that additional ten percent off from French Today, go via this link.

Donuts in Paris Jun 27, 2019

Show notes

Hello everyone!

Here comes Amanda, who runs Boneshaker Doughnuts, the first donut joint in Paris.

We chatted about how Amanda studied pastry and ended up making donuts, about how she had to convince Parisians that donuts and pastry aren't so different after all, and about how a lot of us expats in Paris have complicated back stories.

Her shop: Boneshaker Doughnuts, 77 rue d'Aboukir 75002.

Support The Earful Tower on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/theearfultower

Direct link to the video from our walk show (member only link).

Get ten percent off Fat Tire Tours by using the code word Earful at the checkout. Here is the specific Fat Tire Tour that I did.

How to fight the fear of speaking French Jun 24, 2019

Show notes

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 ten percent off the audiobooks.

Antiques in Paris Jun 20, 2019

Show notes

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, and where to find the treasures.

Find out more about his work here at Lucien Paris.

The video that we did earlier this year can be found here (free to watch on Facebook), with a lot extra for Patreon supporters via this link (will only work if you're a member).

Get ten percent off Fat Tire tours at the checkout with the code word "Earful" on this site: Fat Tire Tours

George Eddy: Calling basketball for French TV Jun 17, 2019

Show notes

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 the States, he can walk the streets uninterrupted. Fancy that!

I met him on the outskirts of Paris to discuss basketball, smiling in Paris, and how he considers France to be the ideal country.

Support the Earful on Patreon here.

And to get that additional ten percent off from French Today, go via this link.

Day trip to Giverny Jun 13, 2019

Show notes

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 went to check out these gardens and I took my recorder with me. This episode is the whole day summed up in 30 minutes.

There's picnics, cheese shops, walking, cycling, and exploring, all recorded on the scene.

Now, I left a little bit of French in there without translating - it's from the cheese shop in Vernon. The gist of the conversation is that she is talking about the Comté cheese and how it's aged 10 or 24 months. I went with the 24-month option. The rest is just small talk :)

If you've never been to Giverny I highly recommend it, this was my first time and I thought it was fantastic.

In case you want to book the same trip I did in this episode, it was the "Monet's Gardens Bike Tour" via Fat Tire Tours. You can find it here. They do the same tour without bicycles here.

Remember, you can get ten percent off this tour and all other Fat Tire tours in ten cities by entering the coupon code earful at the checkout, right before you pay.

And if you're a more visual person, here's the Walk Show I did with tour guide Kit on Facebook. The rest of the walk is for Patreon members only :)

Happy travelling!

Oh yes, and I spliced a whole song of music in here called Et Voila by Chris Haugen.

Famous in France: Meet American singer Valli Jun 10, 2019

Show notes

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 million copies and made Valli so popular that she still gets stopped on the street to this day.

But she's only really known in France. Back home in the States, she can walk the streets uninterrupted. Fancy that!

I met her in her home in the 12th arrondissement to discuss fame, music, and how answering machines and American cowboy boots were hot property in France in the eighties.

I highly recommend you check out her song, by Chagrin d'amour, which you can find on YouTube here.

Someone has translated the song into English here.

Pictures from our chat will be on social media and the site very soon.

Support the Earful on Patreon here.

And to get that additional ten percent off from French Today, go via this link.

Best small museums in Paris Jun 06, 2019

Show notes

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 museums you should check out in this city, while also discussing her lovely illustrated book.

Now, I'll write all this up in a blog post very soon, but if you're looking for the spelling of these six museums, voila:

Musée de la chasse et de la Nature

Address: 62 Rue des Archives, 75003 Paris

Musée Nissim de Camondo

Address: 63 Rue de Monceau, 75008 Paris

Musée Jacquemart-André

Address: 158 Boulevard Haussmann, 75008 Paris

Musée d'Ennery

Address: 59 Avenue Foch, 75116 Paris

Musée Gustave Moreau

Address: 14 Rue de la Rochefoucauld, 75009 Paris

Appartements de Nélie Jacquemart

Address: Chaalis Abbey 60300 Fontaine-Chaalis

You can find Emma's book online here.

You will also notice that the show has a new sponsor - Fat Tire Tours - so simply enter the word "earful" while booking any of their tours around the world and you'll get ten percent off!

Enter the code at the checkout, right before you pay. Here's the link to their Paris page - and this week I specifically took the night time ride around Paris and the sunset river cruise. You might have seen it on my Instagram stories.