Hi,

I'm in the process of moving to a new apartment, everything ticks but the only negative point is that nearby there is a catholic church and it has, obviously, a bell tower that announces the service plus the time every hour (I imagine).

I've never lived in an apartment with a church nearby and I don't know if people in that situation get used to the bell ringing every hour...
The apartment has good walls and double glazing so I'm not too bothered in winter. In summer though, with the balcony facing the church and windows open (the apt. has no AC), not sure how will be... I don't know neither if during sleeping hours the bell ring..

the church is about 70 meters from the apartment.

Any experiences?

Thanks

There are a bunch of church-bell threads on this forum. Use the search box to find them.

You very quickly get used to it and after a while when somebody comes visiting and remarks on the bells you ask: "What bells?"

I find them convenient when I'm wrenching at the garages to know the time.

Tom

If you are already worried about it, I wouldn’t move there.

At least every hour - possibly much more frequently.

Annoying during work conference calls.

When we lived near one, I found it useful, on a Sunday, to match making a lot of noise in the garage to coincide with the bell tolling.

It's more likely to be every fifteen minutes!

The church near us marks the quarter hour, including through the night. By the time midnight rolls around we have four bells to show it's on the hour, plus the twelve bells.

But you definitely get used to it. I missed the bells when the clocktower was being repaired 😉

you have to stake out the church a whole day and night or ask the neighbours.
Some only ring at 12 and 19 and on special occasions and sunday morning. That is fine. Some ring every 15 min, all night long. In that case I would reject the offer.

We also live near the church. First night after the move I was waking up every fifteen minutes But then we get used to it. I'm even missing it during holidays as I don't know what time is it.

I have never, ever gotten used to church bells. If you are a light sleeper, that won't do.

However, if we are talking about Canton VD here, the good news is that it's a protestant canton, meaning (usually) way less church bells than in catholic cantons.

When I moved, I called the church to ask them about it.

Our church bells are 1 x hour and then there is the Sunday mass (once every three weeks as they pick a different village every time). Such a huge difference compared to other Cantons where I lived in the past!

We live near protestant church but it rings every 15 min and also 5 min long 4 times during the work day (at 7, 11, 15 and 19). It only stopped ringing through the night since Aug 2019.

We were visiting Alsace on some long weekend in spring, and the bells started ringing at 5 a.m. on Sunday and rang for at least 15 min.

Yes, but not everyone does.

I've been living 50m from a belltower for ten years, with livingroom and bedrom windows facing it. My ears quickly learned to filter the bells out, no problem with the window slightly open even though it would chime during the night (not sure how often). I would only realise it while on the telephone when all of a sudden the other side became impossible to understand.

Does noise bother you? Or can you, for instance, (easily) sleep with music you like on? If the latter is a No, that apartment may not be for you even if the nights are quiet.

I'm quite a bit older today, I would want quiet night hours, no chiming from 11pm thru 6am or so.

So, perhaps enquire with the commune, the church, or your future neighbors. Don't rely on the landlord or agency, they may downplay it if there's a problem.

We live right next to a Church- it rings for lunch and at 10pm- and Thurs pm at 19.00- then for very rare services, funerals and weddings. Love it when they ring- the vibrations are very good for you

Our place in the UK is in line with a Church steeple and bells- it rings every quarter, and ever hour, right through the night- 28 bells at midnight...and the bells are as good as Big Ben's. Lots of bell ringing practice, 1 hour + at a time. We've got used to it- and quite like it
So no, it is not a Swiss thing!

I live near a church and would advise against it. It is so annoying that it really disturbs me

Every 15 mins and three times a day loud banging for five minutes or so

It gets to you after a while believe me

I sort of filter that out as it is a regular noise. Cars, buses, whatever do wake me up but somehow church bells I can live with. Strange as I am noise sensitive so no idea why that does not bother me (the mosque in Bogor, now that is another story……)

I lived very close to a bell tower in Zurich. Rang the time every 15' but it also rang savagely for 14' (yes, fourteen) a couple of times per day, e.g. in the evening between 19:00 and 19:15. During those 14' it was impossible to talk at the phone or watch some videos, even with headphones.

I got quickly used to the time, actually it was useful, but I found the other long ringing very annoying and frankly also useless.

In the UK we can do better than that- at midnight it is 4 x 4 bells + 12 = 28 ah! and it then continues throughout the night, 4 bells every quarter, and cumulative, + the hour. Yeah.

Burn the freakin church to the ground. I wonder how soon the police came if I was playing AC/DC hells bells at that sound level.

It is outrageous that the indoctrinated church is still given such privilege. Where is the equal application of the law?

There will come a time when church bell ringing will be reduced, simply because there's no need for the perpetual noise that tells us the time.