Coffee Pot Conversations hosted by An Englishman in Paris

Coffee Pot Conversations
  • 0.0 (0)
  • PERSONAL JOURNALS
  • UPDATED BIWEEKLY

Bonjour and welcome to Coffee Pot Conversations, the podcast that gives you something a little bit different of Paris. My name is Paul and I'm here to help you experience the city like a visitor, not a tourist. So, grab yourself a coffee, settle in, and let’s discover Paris together. Every 2nd and 4th Tuesday (January-May, July-November)

  1. 1D AGO

    5.5 King Louis XIV of France (pt 3)

    In this episode, we move away from the battlefield to explore a more "peaceful" side of the Sun King’s reign. From founding the most prestigious academies in the world to transforming a vegetable field into the Champs-Élysées, we look at how Louis XIV turned his declaration of "L’Etat, c’est moi" into a cultural legacy that defines Paris today.Key Takeaways The Royal Patron: Louis XIV’s absolute authority extended to the stage, the dance floor, and the laboratory. Molière & Lully: The creators of the French Baroque style who lived and worked in the shadow of the King’s household. The "Brains" Behind the Throne: Jean-Baptiste Colbert, the man who shaped the French economy and founded nearly every major academy in Paris. Urban Rejuvenation: How the "most beautiful avenue in the world" began as a grandmother's garden project before the Sun King and André Le Nôtre got involved. If you are wandering the 1st arrondissement, don't miss these Sun King landmarks: Hôtel Lully: Located at 45 rue des Petits Champs, built for the composer by Daniel Gittard. Église Saint-Eustache: Located opposite Forum des Halles; the final resting place of the economic mastermind Jean-Baptiste Colbert. The Avenue des Tuileries: Now the lower end of the Champs-Élysées, originally redesigned by the King to be wider and more regal.

    19 min

  2. FEB 24

    5.4 King Louis XIV of France (pt 2)

    In this, the previous and the following episode of Coffee Pot Conversations, I take a shallow dive through the reign of King Louis XIV - the Sun King - without pretending to be a historian, while still treating history with the respect it demands. Rather than racing through dates, this is an attempt to understand why Louis XIV looms so large over French history, Parisian identity and European power politics - and how his reign shaped everything from war and religion to art, architecture and daily life. This is Louis XIV not as myth, but as mechanism. Coffee Pot Conversations is a slow, reflective podcast about Paris, history, culture, and the unexpected connections that appear when you follow curiosity rather than chronology. It is intentionally non-academic, but never casual with facts.

    26 min

  3. FEB 10

    5.3 King Louis XIV of France (pt 1)

    In this and the next two episodes of Coffee Pot Conversations, I take a shallow dive through the reign of King Louis XIV - the Sun King - without pretending to be a historian, while still treating history with the respect it demands. Rather than racing through dates, this is an attempt to understand why Louis XIV looms so large over French history, Parisian identity and European power politics - and how his reign shaped everything from war and religion to art, architecture and daily life. This is Louis XIV not as myth, but as mechanism. Coffee Pot Conversations is a slow, reflective podcast about Paris, history, culture, and the unexpected connections that appear when you follow curiosity rather than chronology. It is intentionally non-academic, but never casual with facts.

    24 min

  4. JAN 27

    5.2 Paris and Her Villages (pt 2)

    In the second part of this 2-part episode, we continue to embrace the spirit of the flâneur - the intentional wanderer. We trace the history of the Parisian "Escargot" (the snail-shaped numbering system) and discover why the city layout changed so drastically in 1860. From the bohemian heights of Montmartre and the vibrant markets of Belleville to the posh mansions of Passy, we look at how these former independent villages still maintain their unique "village" feel within the administrative quarters of the capital. We also tackle the mystery of the "unlucky 13th," the history of Paris’s wine warehouses and the psychological boundary of the Périphérique. All in the Coffee Pot Conversations style. Sorry…

    33 min

  5. JAN 13

    5.1 Paris and Her Villages (pt 1)

    Welcome back to Coffee Pot Conversations - Season 5! In this 2-part episode, we embrace the spirit of the flâneur - the intentional wanderer. We trace the history of the Parisian "Escargot" (the snail-shaped numbering system) and discover why the city layout changed so drastically in 1860. From the bohemian heights of Montmartre and the vibrant markets of Belleville to the posh mansions of Passy, we look at how these former independent villages still maintain their unique "village" feel within the administrative quarters of the capital. We also tackle the mystery of the "unlucky 13th," the history of Paris’s wine warehouses and the psychological boundary of the Périphérique. All in the Coffee Pot Conversations style. Sorry…

    30 min

  6. 12/25/2025 · BONUS

    Coffee Pot Christmasations (2025)

    In this ad-hoc, ad-libbed Christmas special episode, I continue waffling on and making people wonder they follow my podcast. What I don't mention is that I'm going to be a little more focused this coming year with photos for Instagram and more Blog entries. For financial support, please consider either using https://buymeacoffee.com/anenglishmaninparis or https://patreon.com/coffeepotconversations, where you can treat yourself to the knowledge that you're helping me with the trips to Paris or simply offer the gift to someone else for Christmas. That's a great little idea. Let me know and I'll give them a shout out in the following episde! That's 2 gifts for the price of one. Which really are the only benefits of signing up.

    12 min

  7. 11/25/2025

    4.10 The Best Bits

    📹 YouTube - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://youtube.com/@coffeepotconversations⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 📷 Instagram - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/anenglishmaninparisblog/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ✒️ Blog - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://anenglishmaninparis.blog/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ☎️ Message - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://voicenote.anenglishmaninparis.blog/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 📧 Email - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠4.10@anenglishmaninparis.blog⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 🔗 Links - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://anenglishmaninparis.start.page/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 📣 Shout out - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠shoutout@anenglishmaninparis.blog⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 🎂 Birthdays - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠birthday@anenglishmaninparis.blog⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 💰 Support - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/coffeepotconversations⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ #paris #travel #vlog

    27 min

  8. 11/11/2025

    4.9 A November Overnight Stay in Paris (pt 18)

    📹 YouTube - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://youtube.com/@coffeepotconversations⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 📷 Instagram - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/anenglishmaninparisblog/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ✒️ Blog - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://anenglishmaninparis.blog/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ☎️ Message - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://voicenote.anenglishmaninparis.blog/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 📧 Email - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠4.9@anenglishmaninparis.blog⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 🔗 Links - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://anenglishmaninparis.start.page/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 📣 Shout out - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠shoutout@anenglishmaninparis.blog⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 🎂 Birthdays - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠birthday@anenglishmaninparis.blog⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 💰 Support - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/coffeepotconversations⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ #paris #travel #vlog

    35 min
See All (59)

About

Bonjour and welcome to Coffee Pot Conversations, the podcast that gives you something a little bit different of Paris. My name is Paul and I'm here to help you experience the city like a visitor, not a tourist. So, grab yourself a coffee, settle in, and let’s discover Paris together. Every 2nd and 4th Tuesday (January-May, July-November)

Information

More From Coffee Pot Conversations