Cold War-era sirens are blaring across France. Here’s why

It’s just another Wednesday afternoon in Paris, with bustling streets, crowded cafés, and the sudden shrill sound of an air raid siren cutting through the noise.

The high-pitched wail lasts for almost two minutes, rising above the hum of the midday traffic before it gradually fades into silence.

It’s an unusual sound, but what’s even more peculiar is that, aside from a few bewildered tourists, no one seems to pay it any mind.

In France, on the first Wednesday of each month, a network of alarms – originally designed as Cold War-era air raid signals – blare across some 2,000 towns and villages as part of a regular safety test.

Today, the sirens serve as reminders of potential natural or industrial disasters. However, with the ongoing war in Eastern Europe, French officials have felt the need to reassure the public that the 1 minute and 41 seconds of piercing sound is only a routine test.

“If there were an actual war, we’d have heard about it on the news, right?” says Ali Karali, a tourist from London, as the siren blares near Notre Dame in Paris this month.

“I figured it might be something serious, but no one else seemed to mind,” he told Dinogo.

But it’s not just tourists who are caught off guard.

“It’s not uncommon for us to receive calls from locals or visitors worried about the siren,” explained Matthieu Pianezze, head of the interdepartmental service of defense and civil protection in Yvelines, a region just west of Paris.

“Naturally, our team is well-equipped to swiftly calm any concerns, addressing queries with the necessary resources every first Wednesday of the month,”

A tale of France's sirens

The roots of the sirens go back even further, to the Middle Ages, when they were used to signal any imminent threat to the population’s safety, a responsibility that has always rested with the authorities.

During earlier times, the 'tocsin' bell was one of the most frequently used alarms, located in churches and rung by priests to warn the community of impending danger.

In 1914, bells tolled for over an hour in several towns across France to inform the public about the outbreak of World War I.

Following World War II, sirens replaced bells as the primary alert system, initially for airborne threats. Their use intensified during the Cold War and can still be heard throughout France today.

In Maison-Laffitte, a town of approximately 23,000 people just outside Paris, the main siren is perched on the roof of the town hall. Only the police have access to it, while town hall workers enjoy a front-row view of its blaring sound.

“Seems to be working perfectly, doesn’t it?” remarks Deputy Mayor Gino Necchi as the siren blares to life.

The operation of the sirens is fairly simple. 'The prefecture agents can activate them through an app that’s easily accessible,' explains Pianezze. 'This monthly test helps us check which of our 47 sirens are malfunctioning and need maintenance. We must have them repaired quickly to ensure they’re ready for a real emergency.'

Is this an outdated system?

Despite being decades old, many still question the effectiveness of the siren system. 'France has kept the sirens in place due to their cultural and historical significance,' says Johnny Douvinet, a geography professor at the Université d’Avignon.

As a specialist in public alert systems, he explains that the current siren system was established by former President Charles de Gaulle. 'Despite several changes within the interior ministry, the siren’s role as a primary alert method has remained a constant,' he says.

Not everyone is convinced of their value. Jacqueline Bon, 92, recalls the sirens from her youth during World War II. 'But hearing them today doesn’t really affect me,' she admits, despite the sound being virtually unchanged from those days.

'It would have been far more unsettling during the war, when the sirens blared every time there was a bombing and we had to seek shelter.' Today, she feels the sirens have lost their purpose. 'I don’t see the point anymore,' she says.

However, Douvinet suggests that current geopolitical tensions, particularly the war in Ukraine, may have shifted public perception about the relevance of the sirens.

'The war in Ukraine has shown that the sirens might not be as obsolete as some believed,' Douvinet explains. 'When an emergency arises, people want to be informed and alerted.'

Following the Covid-19 pandemic and with major events like the 2023 Rugby World Cup and the 2024 Olympic Games fast approaching, 'The council aims to reinforce its focus on risk and crisis management,' said Pianezze, head of Yvelines civil protection.

A sign of the times

Nonetheless, there has been growing pressure to modernize the system, with many questioning its relevance in today's world.

In 2019, a chemical plant fire in Rouen, in northwestern France, sent a cloud of black smoke over the town. Authorities decided to use the sirens as a secondary alert system, activating only two sirens several hours after the fire started, once people were awake.

During this time, local authorities relied on Twitter and the media to disseminate crucial information, rather than using the sirens as the primary means of communication.

Following the fire, Normandy's regional prefect Pierre-André Durand addressed the government, stating that the system had significant potential for improvement. He emphasized that 'We can’t manage 21st century crises with a 20th century tool.'

Digital evolution

Durand’s vision may become a reality this June, as the sirens are set to be integrated with a modernized system: France is piloting 'amber alert'-style cell phone notifications.

If successful, the system could be expanded nationwide by summer. While similar technologies are already in use across Europe and the US, Matthieu Pianezze regards this as an innovation because it integrates cell broadcast and location-based SMS technology.

This means that anyone within a designated area, regardless of their network or device, will receive an alert from local authorities.

'For instance, tourists visiting the Yvelines region would also be included in the alert,' said Pianezze.

'Picture a place like the Palace of Versailles, where tourists abound. Everyone there would receive an alert, potentially in several languages,' he explained.

However, this doesn’t signal the end for traditional sirens. They will remain in place but will take on a supporting role during emergencies.

'It still covers large areas effectively,' Pianezze adds. 'You’ve heard the power of the siren, and I believe it’s crucial to preserve established systems. We’re attached to it because it has proven effectiveness, not perfect, but historically linked to crises and wartime in France.'

Tradition holds significant value in France, and the sirens are a prime example of this.

So, if you find yourself in France and hear what seems like an air raid siren, stay calm—it’s likely just the first Wednesday of the month.