Click here for more images of Paris streets at night.

However, as we began recording the sounds of the Jardin d’Agronomie Tropicale, it soon became evident that noise was in the air, too. The périphérique motorway was in earshot, and its dull constant rumble was polluting the natural rustles and chirps of the garden.

The delicate distinction between a noise and a sound once again popped its head up recently with the launch of a new website in Paris. Offering live updates on noise levels in the capital through a series of brightly colored maps and charts, it’s almost like a child’s game, though the subject itself is serious. “Noise is a very significant source of annoyance in Ile-de-France (the Paris region) due to the high concentration of housing and the exceptional density of transportation infrastructures,” the homepage reads. “Among disturbances of quality of life,” it continues, “noise is the first nuisance mentioned.”

The website was created by Bruitparif, a nonprofit organization which aims to fight noise pollution. Two kinds of maps can be found on the site: A static map, which paints the historic noise hotspots across the city (the darker the color, the higher the decibels), and a series of live charts from active captors in experimental zones (for example, next to motorways and train lines, and more interestingly, near the bars of the Rue Amelot).
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In 1853, during the period known as the Second Empire, Napoleon III gave him the job of modernizing Paris. Haussmann carved out wide boulevards in the heart of the city, destroying thousands of old buildings to do so. And he regulated the height and design of building facades on the new streets, thereby creating uniformity (read “monotony”) along many of the city’s major arteries.

All true. But it’s less than half the story.

Haussmann was concerned about public health (he also improved the water and sewer systems). Paris had suffered several outbreaks of cholera, including one in 1849, which claimed the life of Madame Récamier.

Narrow streets were considered unhealthy. Sunlight and air were health-giving. So Haussmann mandated wide streets and building heights that ensured the streets would get lots of sunlight. Moreover, the interiors of the new buildings allowed for larger rooms, better air circulation, and more light than those in the buildings they replaced.

But public health, too, is only a fraction of the story. During the Second Empire, the population of Paris doubled. Industrialization and changes in agriculture meant that people moved from the countryside to the city in huge numbers. So housing, lots of it, was needed. Big apartment buildings were a relatively new invention, and Haussmann and his architectes-voyers (city architects working who issued building permits) were writing new rules for a new kind of housing.

For example, it is often said that the demolition of old neighbourhoods in the centre of Paris was intended to break up hotbeds of dissent and create big boulevards that would allow for the deployment of military force during uprisings. That reason was only one among many, and it was nowhere near the top of the list.

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For those of you who have never been Paris, there is so much more to the city than the Eiffel Tower, The Louvre, and playing blackjack or poker at the Aviation Club. The following are a few suggestions for those that like to go off the beaten track.

The Musee de la Magie or Museum of Magic is home to some of the best magic and illusion artifacts from throughout history. From optical illusions to antique magician’s props, the museum gives you a fascinating look into magic’s history.

If you love shopping, check out Chic Shopping Paris. Native Parisians give you tours of the best that Paris has to offer in shopping. All guides are bilingual in both French and English and tours can be customized for each individual.

Some of you ladies may enjoy the Fragonard Perfume Museum (below). There you will learn the old-fashioned way to make perfume. Also, you will be taught about both the history and secrets behind some of the most popular scents in the world.

Get tired of walking everywhere? If so, take a Segway Tour. These tours offer a fun and less tiring way to go around and learn about Paris and its most famous landmarks.

The above are just a few of the unusual experiences you can take part of in Paris. For more idea, do some research online. You may be surprised what is waiting for you here.

Usually the firemen don’t have much firefighting to do in Paris. The buildings are fronted in stone and there are not nearly as many fires as in the wooden houses of the United States. Paris firemen also respond to medical emergencies and much of their work is taken up with that.

The long ladder was out and up against the building and the pompiers in their heavy coats and oxygen tanks were lining up canvas hoses in the street when I came out of a store, and water was pumping through the fat hoses. Clusters of people were standing on the corner looking up at the fifth and sixth floors above the stores, where black smoke was pouring out of windows on both floors. It was dark outside but the smoke was visible against the pale building. Inside the building you could see the eerie light from a fireman’s blue-white flashlight beam in the darkness. He came out on the balcony and looked down, then disappeared again into the smoky blackness.

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RATP The official app of the Paris metro system, with metro, bus, and RER lines, including timetables and regular updates. It’s indispensable. The paid version gives you estimated arrival times for your next bus or train.

Velib’ If you’re cycling around town, this app lets you know where bikes are available and where you can park upon arrival. It’s my most-used app of all.

Free French-English Dictionary + A popular, easy-to-use dictionary with pronunciation guides and the conjugation of verbs.

XE A great tool for shopping, so you’ll know how much a euro really is.

Converter by Trelleborg This tool for converting from the metric to the US system is great if you find yourself tempted by some luxurious European linens.

Paris Food Markets The only app I suggest that people actually purchase, this really useful tool lists markets by neighborhood (or by day of the week) and gives you public transportation tips with photos and even video!

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The caryatids are by Édouard Lormier (1847-1919). He specialized in evocative works of the Art Deco era and is best known for his figures of beautiful women in flowing drapes.
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