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.GuestOliver 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 sanityPlaces, 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 simplicityOliver’s walking toursEarful 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.Bouillon Pigalle(more modern) andBouillon Chartier(old-school classic) both deliver on vibe and value. Go off-peak to avoid lines.LinksEarful 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/EWLWk69bPKPassage Jouffroy:https://tripadvisor.stay22.com/voyascape/vPe_qlc-k_Hôtel Chopin:https://expedia.stay22.com/voyascape/kAi6jwzSwOBouillon Chartier:https://tripadvisor.stay22.com/voyascape/ChjgrLpu65Bouillon Pigalle:https://tripadvisor.stay22.com/voyascape/R0lquYf-FCCafé Méricourt:https://tripadvisor.stay22.com/voyascape/CxHC_wg8VQHolybelly:https://tripadvisor.stay22.com/voyascape/r8REHD-T4MKilo Shop:https://tripadvisor.stay22.com/voyascape/pCUKWUrJifMoulin Rouge:https://getyourguide.stay22.com/voyascape/yJ9bYglmxuNote: 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 worldThis podcast is part of the Voyascape Travel Network, that brings together the world's best travel podcasts. You can find all of our podcasts from around the world at Voyascape.com. If you are interested in advertising or sponsered content on any of our shows you can find out more at the link below.Voyascape Podcast Network