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 learnWhy your second trip is when Paris really
clicksWhich neighborhoods reward wandering (11th, 19th, 20th)The
covered passages worth seeking out and why they’re specialLunch
spots and coffee bars locals actually useBouillons: beautiful
rooms, classic fare, tiny bills—what to expectSolo-friendly nights
out (including cabaret)Smart lodging and airport choices that save
time and sanity
Places, eats, and experiences mentionedCovered
passages:Galerie Vivienne;Passage Jouffroy(home
toHôtel Chopin)Cafés & lunch
favorites:Café
Méricourt;HolybellyVintage
shopping:Kilo Shop(pay-by-weight,
multiple locations)Budget dinner, big
atmosphere:Bouillon
Chartier;Bouillon PigalleNight
out:Moulin Rougeand other cabarets around
Pigalle/MontmartreWhere to stay: Aim central
(arrondissements 1–11) to cut transit timeGetting into
town: Consider a taxi from CDG/ORY for a smooth first
impression; if you have a choice, many
preferOrlyfor 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
JouffroywithHôtel Chopintucked
inside.Kilo Shopis a fun, budget-friendly vintage
stop—great with teens.