We’ve been here for a week now, and if there’s one sense you cannot ignore or block out at any point in the day, it’s the sounds of a bustling metropolitan area. Between the sounds of what seems like 80 million conversations on the street or the lone accordion player in your metro cart, there’s always something to listen to- for better or for worse.
As our dorm faces the street, my roommate and I have slowly begun to accept the inevitable late night screaming session that happens in the court yard below our window. The typical noises include (but definitely are not limited to): the monorail line, screaming men and women in large groups, motorcycles revving their engines (the pickup trucks of France), music from the food shack 50 feet from the dorm, and our favorite one yet, the pipe-flute band. All of these tend to happen between 1-4 in the morning, and end a solid hour before sunrise.
While these sounds may be annoying during the night, there are others that definitely will never get old. The sounds of the metro coming to your platform, the wind racing around the narrow tunnel. The gentle waves and splashes of the Seine at night, looking black and icky as the lights dance off its waters. Birds chirping along as the sun rises in the early morning, along with the sounds of the city itself slowly waking from its slumber. Water trickling down the water refill stations or one of the many beautiful fountains. Paris offers many things for the senses as you wonder through it, but these sounds are definitely some of my favorites so far and will most likely continue to be the things I look forward to on an average day exploring the city.
I agree, it is very loud. Don’t forget Acoustic Guitar Man (TM) from night #3 who just played “Hit the Road, Jack” on repeat for three hours. I also love how the acoustics of the room amplify all sounds so that it seems that the excitement is right there beside us. I do think that noise pollution in Paris is an interesting phenomenon that doesn’t necessarily match up with most people’s perceptions of the city.
If only you guys got to experience Very Loud Truck each morning thy sounds like it’s crashing everyday, truly a once in a lifetime sound!
The first night we were here Lily and I left our windows open and every time the monorail went by it sounded like a hurricane was coming through. Let’s just say we did not get much sleep that night.