J is for Josephine Baker. Who was she? What was it that made her so iconic? And how can you follow her footsteps in Paris?

Today on the show it's Brian Scott Bagley, the founder of the Musée Joséphine Baker et des Afro-Descendants de Paris. Brian comes from a career in the performing arts, and is now a cultural historian working to promote the legacy of Josephine Baker.

Find out more about Brian and book one of his walking tour experiences here: https://www.airbnb.com/users/profile/1463191761672391353

Meanwhile: The Earful Tower exists thanks to support from its members. For just $10 a month you can unlock almost endless extras including bonus podcast episodes, live video replays, special event invites, and our annually updated PDF guide to Paris.

Membership takes only a minute to set up on Patreon, or Substack. Thank you for keeping this channel independent.

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An ancient Gallic wall was recently unearthed, after being buried for two millennia beneath the Hôtel-Dieu hospital, on the Île de la Cité.

I managed to talk my way in and sit down with Julien Avinain, chief of Paris's archaeological city council department, for an exclusive tour and interview. What he showed me rewritten the history of Paris itself - a stone and wood fortification built by the Parisii tribe, the physical proof archaeologists have been searching for of where this city truly began.

The wall won't survive - it has to come down for the hospital construction to continue - but researchers are racing to preserve every detail through 3D mapping before it disappears forever.

Julius Caesar wrote about these people and this city. Now we've found where it started.

This episode brought to you by The Earful Tower Tours. Come join us in the Marais, Montmartre, or the Latin Quarter. Our Walking Tours are exceptionally highly rated online and are the best way to experience this podcast in real life.

The Earful Tower exists thanks to support from its members. For just $10 a month you can unlock almost endless extras including bonus podcast episodes, live video replays, special event invites, and our annually updated PDF guide to Paris.

Membership takes only a minute to set up on Patreon, or Substack. Thank you for keeping this channel independent.

For more from the Earful Tower, here are some handy links:

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Here's the story of how tried to get my French driving permit in a world-record time. I'm joined by Lina, who hangs around for some listener questions about fashion in Paris at the end.

This episode is brought to you by an exciting antique sale: At Home with Patricia Wells, Volume III, the final catalogue from Chez Pluie. Find more here: https://catalog.chezpluie.com/at-home-with-patricia-wells-volume-iii

The music in this episode is from Pres Maxson.

Why not check out our walking tours at The Earful Tower Tours. Come join us in the Marais, Montmartre, or the Latin Quarter. Our Walking Tours are exceptionally highly rated online and are the best way to experience this podcast in real life.

The Earful Tower exists thanks to support from its members. For just $10 a month you can unlock almost endless extras including bonus podcast episodes, live video replays, special event invites, and our annually updated PDF guide to Paris.

Membership takes only a minute to set up on Patreon, or Substack. Thank you for keeping this channel independent.

For more from the Earful Tower, here are some handy links:

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H is for Hotel de Ville, aka the Paris City Hall. In this episode, I see if I can get inside this impenetrable building with the help of intern Ashlyn Patton.

The music is from Pres Maxson.

This episode brought to you by The Earful Tower Tours. Come join us in the Marais, Montmartre, or the Latin Quarter. Our Walking Tours are exceptionally highly rated online and are the best way to experience this podcast in real life.

The Earful Tower exists thanks to support from its members. For just $10 a month you can unlock almost endless extras including bonus podcast episodes, live video replays, special event invites, and our annually updated PDF guide to Paris.

Membership takes only a minute to set up on Patreon, or Substack. Thank you for keeping this channel independent.

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Welcome back to "The 20 Kingdoms" season, where I'll visit each kingdom and introduce you to someone who truly loves it.

In this episode for the 14th arrondissement, it's Canadian tour guide April Pett who lives in the district and absolutely loves it.

Mentioned in this episode:

Coffee at Sisters Cafe

Lunch at Le Saut du Crapaud

(And more... to be published soon on Substack)

Official tour site: https://www.aprilinparistours.com/ (Say hi from me)

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aprilinparistours/?hl=en

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This episode brought to you by The Earful Tower Tours. Come join us in the Marais, Montmartre, or the Latin Quarter. Our Walking Tours are exceptionally highly rated online and are the best way to experience this podcast in real life.

The Earful Tower exists thanks to support from its members. For just $10 a month you can unlock almost endless extras including bonus podcast episodes, live video replays, special event invites, and our annually updated PDF guide to Paris.

Membership takes only a minute to set up on Patreon, or Substack. Thank you for keeping this channel independent.

For more from the Earful Tower, here are some handy links:

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Music: Pres Maxson

This week on the show, Lina and I discuss how our 2026 Bucket Lists are going.

Here's a link to the full bucket list that we shared in January.

And here are the things we've done so far, that we mentioned in the show.

1. See anything in the main hall of the Grand Rex (we saw Paul Simon)
   This is the biggest non-Imax movie screen in Europe, but they also host orchestra-led movie showings, concerts, and singalong musicals. Excellent atmosphere from the 2,000 strong crowd. Address: 1 Bd Poissonnière, 75002. Website.

2. Climb the top of Notre Dame
   I always wanted to climb this cathedral, and it's finally open to the public again after the fire. Address: 6 Parvis Notre-Dame - Pl. Jean-Paul II, 75004. Website.

3. Have a cocktail at one of the world's best bars
   Danico has been rated among the top 30 bars on the planet, totally worth a look, and it's in a part of town full of cool things. Address: 6 Rue Vivienne, 75002. Website.

4. Have absinthe at La fée verte
   This place is the real deal, totally worth a look. Address: 108 Rue de la Roquette, 75011. Website.

5. Visit the Cognacq-Jay museum
   While we have visited this 18th-century art collection from Ernest Cognacq, the founder of La Samaritaine department store, it's not our top choice for small museums in the area. Address: 8 Rue Elzevir, 75003. Website.

6. Beef bar restaurant
   Disclaimer: We haven't visited this place in Paris yet, but its little sister in Gordes (Provence) was simply epic for a cocktail. Paris address: 5 Rue Marbeuf, 75008. Website.

I personally am looking forward to seeing something at the Comedie Francaise, I'll do that soon. And in the meantime, I'll keep plugging away at my French book The Comte de Monte Cristo.

The music in this episode is from Pres Maxson.

This episode brought to you by The Earful Tower Tours. Come join us in the Marais, Montmartre, or the Latin Quarter. Our Walking Tours are exceptionally highly rated online and are the best way to experience this podcast in real life.

The Earful Tower exists thanks to support from its members. For just $10 a month you can unlock almost endless extras including bonus podcast episodes, live video replays, special event invites, and our annually updated PDF guide to Paris.

Membership takes only a minute to set up on Patreon, or Substack. Thank you for keeping this channel independent.

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I recount my recent visit to the Musée de Minéralogie, where Codex Urbanus has taken over with a street art exhibition "Codex on the Rocks".

It was quite a fascinating visit to a place I'd never been, and it was wonderful to have the artist himself explain the impressive work that went into this exhibition.

If you're an Earful Member on Substack or Patreon, you can get more information about a private tour with Codex himself.

The second half of the episode is a look back at when Codex took me into the illegal part of the catacombs.

The music in this episode is from Pres Maxson.

This episode brought to you by The Earful Tower Tours. Come join us in the Marais, Montmartre, or the Latin Quarter. Our Walking Tours are exceptionally highly rated online and are the best way to experience this podcast in real life.

The Earful Tower exists thanks to support from its members. For just $10 a month you can unlock almost endless extras including bonus podcast episodes, live video replays, special event invites, and our annually updated PDF guide to Paris.

Membership takes only a minute to set up on Patreon, or Substack. Thank you for keeping this channel independent.

For more from the Earful Tower, here are some handy links:

Website

Weekly newsletter

Walking Tours

Welcome back to "The 20 Kingdoms" season, where I'll visit each kingdom and introduce you to someone who truly loves it.

In this episode for the 15th arrondissement, it's content creator Gaby Hafner who lives in the district and absolutely loves it.

Mentioned in this episode:

• Sang Bong Lo: 8 Rue Viala, 75015 Paris
  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ssang_bong_lo/?hl=en
• Café du Commerce: 51 Rue du Commerce, 75015 Paris
  Website: https://www.lecafeducommerce.com/
• Marché Grenelle: Boulevard de Grenelle (between Dupleix and La Motte-Picquet Metro stations)
• Rue du Commerce: A major shopping street with boutiques and a Sunday flea market.
• Beaugrenelle: A large shopping mall near the Seine with a cinema.

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gaby_hafner/
• TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@gabyhafner/

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This episode brought to you by The Earful Tower Tours. Come join us in the Marais, Montmartre, or the Latin Quarter. Our Walking Tours are exceptionally highly rated online and are the best way to experience this podcast in real life.

The Earful Tower exists thanks to support from its members. For just $10 a month you can unlock almost endless extras including bonus podcast episodes, live video replays, special event invites, and our annually updated PDF guide to Paris.

Membership takes only a minute to set up on Patreon, or Substack. Thank you for keeping this channel independent.

For more from the Earful Tower, here are some handy links:

Website

Weekly newsletter

Walking Tours

Music: Pres Maxson