Paris, beyond the postcards: a second-trip guide with Oliver Gee from The Earful Tower

You’ve done Paris once. Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, Luxembourg Gardens—check. Now what? In this episode, we sit down in a café in the 11th arrondissement with Oliver Gee, host of The Earful Tower, to plan a “second visit” to Paris that steps off the tourist track: covered passages, neighborhood cafés, budget-friendly bouillons, cabarets that are actually fun, where to stay, and how to arrive without wrecking your first impression. Guest Oliver Gee , host of The Earful Tower and founder of Earful walking tours in Paris. What you’ll learn Why your second trip is when Paris really clicks Which neighborhoods reward wandering (11th, 19th, 20th) The covered passages worth seeking out and why they’re special Lunch spots and coffee bars locals actually use Bouillons: beautiful rooms, classic fare, tiny bills—what to expect Solo-friendly nights out (including cabaret) Smart lodging and airport choices that save time and sanity Places, eats, and experiences mentioned Covered passages : Galerie Vivienne ; Passage Jouffroy (home to Hôtel Chopin ) Cafés & lunch favorites : Café Méricourt ; Holybelly Vintage shopping : Kilo Shop (pay-by-weight, multiple locations) Budget dinner, big atmosphere : Bouillon Chartier ; Bouillon Pigalle Night out : Moulin Rouge and other cabarets around Pigalle/Montmartre Where to stay : Aim central (arrondissements 1–11) to cut transit time Getting into town : Consider a taxi from CDG/ORY for a smooth first impression; if you have a choice, many prefer Orly for speed and simplicity Oliver’s walking tours Earful Tower tours focus on discovery over dates and statues—courtyards, stories, and hidden details. Oliver personally leads a Monday-morning Marais tour most weeks. Book: Earful Tower Walking Tours — The Earful Tower (podcast): Host’s field notes (post-interview) The covered passages are as atmospheric as promised. Highlights: Galerie Vivienne ; Passage Jouffroy with Hôtel Chopin tucked inside. Kilo Shop is a fun, budget-friendly vintage stop—great with teens. Bouillon Pigalle (more modern) and Bouillon Chartier (old-school classic) both deliver on vibe and value. Go off-peak to avoid lines. Links Earful Tower Walking Tours : The Earful Tower (podcast): Galerie Vivienne : Passage Jouffroy : _ Hôtel Chopin : Bouillon Chartier : Bouillon Pigalle : Café Méricourt : Holybelly : Kilo Shop : Moulin Rouge : Note: Some links mentioned may be affiliate links. Using them to book comes at no extra cost to you and helps support this podcast. Mentioned in this episode: Check out all of our other travel podcasts from around the world This podcast is part of the Voyascape Network, a collection of some of the world’s best travel podcasts. Explore more at Voyascape.com. For advertising or sponsorship opportunities across the network, see the link below. Voyascape Podcast Network Check out the Smart Travel Podcast This week's show is supported by the new Smart Travel Podcast. Travel smarter — and spend less — with help from NerdWallet. Check out Smart Travel at the Link below: Smart Travel Podcast

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Paris, beyond the postcards: a second-trip guide with Oliver Gee from The Earful Tower is an episode from Travel in 10: 10 Minute Travel Podcast.

This episode is 19:49 long.

This episode was published on Dec 17, 2025.

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