Five unexpected things I learned about Paris this month: November edition

November was a record-breaking month – we reached over 14,000 podcast downloads, over 12,000 website hits, and did our first ever live episode.

Here are five surprising things I learned about Paris during this month of podcasting.

1. There’s a museum in the Paris sewers… and it stinks

Yep, I headed into the sewers of Paris (for just €4.40) and strolled along the foul-smelling canals. That’s where I recorded the episode below, with the help of Amber Minogue. Below is a picture of the “poo-buster” ball they roll through the sewers, with me for scale.

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2. You can find the remnants of an old Paris guillotine

I went LIVE on Facebook to tell you the spooky story about the spot in Paris where you can still see parts of an old guillotine where hundreds lost their lives. Watch it below. If you want to find it, it’s in the 11th arrondissement at the intersection of Rue de la Roquette and Rue de la Croix Faubin.

3. Moliere died while acting on stage

This story is from our most recent episode. Essentially the writer Moliere liked to act, and while performing in 1673 he had his last ever coughing fit. By the way, that’s Moliere in the top picture, in the middle.

4. People put Metro tickets on Serge Gainsbourg’s tombstone

After the live episode with John Baxter, I took his recommendation of checking out the Montparnasse cemetery where I found the grave of singer Serge Gainsbourg. I was surprised to see the Metro tickets that littered his headstone, and later learned Gainsbourg had sung a song about being a ticket puncher on the Paris Metro.

Below is the live episode with Baxter, followed by the Gainsbourg song with English translations. Oh, and here are some cool pics from the live episode.

5. The narrowest street in Paris is very narrow indeed

After hearing the tale about the tiny Rue du Chat qui Peche (The Fishing Cat Street), on the episode about the Left Bank, I had to go and check it out. Below is a picture of my little brother wedged in the 1.8 metre street. Stay tuned for an episode that he co-hosts soon about his and my first trip to Paris.

And here’s the episode, all about the Left Bank of Paris.

Well, there you have it. Five new things about Paris.

If you like these tips, be sure to check out The Earful Tower’s Guide to Paris.