In 19th-century Paris, wooden paving blocks replaced stone on some streets to reduce the noise of horse-drawn carriages. The Passage Saint-Maur still preserves some of the city’s last surviving examples of this unusual street surface. Wooden paving became an innovative answer to one of the biggest challenges of 19th-century urban life: noise. The constant pounding of horses’ iron shoes and the metal wheels of carriages against traditional stone streets created a deafening sound throughout the city. Since wood absorbed much of the impact, it offered a significantly quieter and smoother surface. Paris officially began using wooden paving in 1881, following similar experiments that had already taken place in London. Rectangular blocks made from fir, pine, or larch were fitted tightly together and often coated with bitumen to help protect them from water damage. They were installed along some of the city’s most prominent locations, including the Champs-Élysées, Place de l’Opéra, and Rue Royale. However, the system came with major disadvantages. The wooden blocks became extremely slippery when wet, absorbed unpleasant substances, and could warp or expand after prolonged exposure to moisture. During the devastating Paris flood of 1910, hundreds of thousands of paving blocks were torn loose and swept away by the rising waters. Over time, most wooden streets were replaced with more durable materials such as asphalt and granite. The remaining blocks beneath the covered entrance of Passage Saint-Maur survived largely because they were sheltered from rain, flooding, and later street renovations. At its height, Paris even operated a municipal factory capable of producing around 200,000 wooden paving blocks every day to supply the city’s streets.(Historic Vids)