A closer look at Paris without tourists

With France’s borders closed to most off the typical tourists, the city of Paris is strangely empty.

Sure, there are a lot of French people about… and quite a few Europeans. But all the main tourist groups have vanished, and it makes for an interesting time in the City of Lights. 

The Bois de Boulogne

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It’s doubly interesting because the social distancing rules mean that a lot of the cafes and restaurant terraces are spilling out onto the street. Meanwhile a lot of streets are getting pedestrianized or being given to bikes – so the city has never looked like this before.

Anyway, with all this in mind, here is a bunch of pictures I’ve taken while wandering around a fairly deserted Paris.

Around Paris…

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And while you’re browsing, here’s a new podcast episode explaining a little more on what it’s like, how the Parisians are reacting, the mask situation, and all the other questions you probably have.

The Jardin du Luxembourg

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The Musée d’Orsay

And as I mentioned in today’s episode, I’m going to experiment with live podcast recordings on Zoom. Wanna be in the crowd? Sign up as a member today on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/theearfultower

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The Eiffel Tower

One of my favourite places to wander at the moment is the Champ de Mars and the river near the Eiffel Tower. (We’re still based in the 7th arrondissement at the moment!)

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The Pullman hotel

The hotels and their bars are typically pretty empty too. The pics below (and the main pic at the top of this blog post) are from the Pullman hotel, which had an empty and INCREDIBLE spot on the top floor.

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Ah, I hope these pics will quench your thirst for Paris. Here’s the podcast again in case you missed it. And just a note: I’ve been sharing photos like these every single day in the Instagram stories. Follow me there for an escape to Paris each day.

And if you want a more in-depth look at the Paris streets right now, here are a few live videos I did last week. There are many more like this for members only, sign up on Patreon to see them all.

A walk with the Mayor of Montmartre on Rue des Abbesses and beyond

Newly re-elected mayor of the 18th district, Eric Lejoindre, joined me for a live stroll through the prettiest street in Paris.

A walk with Ernest Hemingway at midnight in Paris.

More info on this walk here. Yes, I met with Hemingway in the 1920s and asked him all your questions. This may just become a series…

Now that we’ve done the videos and the photos, I can share some more news: My book, Paris On Air, is getting its second print run. To celebrate, I’m offering a combo package for anyone who wants to preorder it. Book and audio performance (by me and the other characters of the book) for just 30 euros (and that includes postage!) Click below to purchase – enjoy!