Sound perception in urban public spaces, a current issue in urban planning, is of interest in this study. The research is based on a qualitative survey conducted among thirty people, who were selected along variables such as their place of residence or their mode of transport. Three groups of ten people were asked to rate three urban squares during two seasons. The inquest is based on 180 questionnaires and 18 focus groups performed in situ, followed by 30 individual in-depth interviews, including cognitive map tests. Results from the investigation are correlated with acoustic measurements at both seasons. This allows us to determine some parameter classes (temporal, spatial, sensitive and individual) which influence the perception of the environmental sounds. The potential uses of these results by urban planners for improving the quality of urban places are then discussed.