About this episode

In this episode, Oliver Gee explores the 19th arrondissement of Paris with local Ben McPartland, discussing the neighborhood's charm and local favorites.

Welcome back to "The 20 Kingdoms", a new season of The Earful Tower podcast. As you probably know, there are 20 districts in Paris, known as arrondissements . They may as well be kingdoms, at least for this podcast season, where I' ll visit each kingdom and introduce you to someone who truly loves it. That's the whole concept. This isn't me recommending cafes or restaurants in different parts of town. This is true locals telling us about the soul of their kingdom and what they like to do there. The goal is to give you a very real look at each of these districts from a local's perspective. And for the 19th Kingdom, the second episode of the season, you'll meet Ben McPartland, the presenter and producer of the Talking France podcast , which is made by The Local France news website here in Paris. He loves this "genuine neighbourhood" of an arrondissement, and I met him at the edge of the Bassin de la Villette for a pint of beer, which he also loves. Here's what he had to say. Mentioned in this episode: Drinks, Food & Canal Hangouts Paname Brewing Company A floating brewery on the Bassin de la Villette with an easygoing, almost London-style pub atmosphere. Great beers, lively crowds…

People in this episode

Host: Oliver Gee

Guest: Ben McPartland

Topics covered

• Paris arrondissements
• local perspectives
• neighborhood exploration
• cultural insights
• food and drink

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Talking France, The Local France

Places: 19th arrondissement of Paris, Bassin de la Villette, Paname Brewing Company, L'Atalante, La Rotonde, Paris

More episodes of The Earful Tower: Paris

• Exploring the Paris district where the Statue of Liberty was built · June 11, 2026 · 17 min
• The 17th arrondissement of Paris (with a local) · June 8, 2026 · 32 min
• Cheese Crime in Paris: The Viral Dinner Party Photo That Shocked Us All · June 5, 2026 · 29 min
• The day I had Paris's best museum to myself (and risked missing my son's birth) · May 31, 2026 · 24 min
• Montmartre: The old village of a thousand facelifts · May 29, 2026 · 15 min
• The 18th arrondissement of Paris (with a local) · May 24, 2026 · 28 min

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