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 — https://theearfultower.com/the-earful-tower-walking-tours/

The Earful Tower (podcast): https://theearfultower.com/the-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: https://theearfultower.com/the-earful-tower-walking-tours/
• The Earful Tower (podcast): https://theearfultower.com/the-podcast/
• Galerie Vivienne: https://tripadvisor.stay22.com/voyascape/EWLWk69bPK
• Passage Jouffroy: https://tripadvisor.stay22.com/voyascape/vPe_qlc-k_
• Hôtel Chopin: https://expedia.stay22.com/voyascape/kAi6jwzSwO
• Bouillon Chartier: https://tripadvisor.stay22.com/voyascape/ChjgrLpu65
• Bouillon Pigalle: https://tripadvisor.stay22.com/voyascape/R0lquYf-FC
• Café Méricourt: https://tripadvisor.stay22.com/voyascape/CxHC_wg8VQ
• Holybelly: https://tripadvisor.stay22.com/voyascape/r8REHD-T4M
• Kilo Shop: https://tripadvisor.stay22.com/voyascape/pCUKWUrJif
• Moulin Rouge: https://getyourguide.stay22.com/voyascape/yJ9bYglmxu

Note: Some links mentioned may be affiliate links. Using them to book comes at no extra cost to you and helps support this podcast.