The story takes place in a park, the "Jardins Publiques," suggesting the setting is in a small French town. The sea is visible from the park, so the town must be seaside. It is a place where people stroll, where some people sit on public benches, and where some listen to the band playing its Sunday afternoon concert. The band, playing on Sunday, is typical of a highlight for a small rural town. The time is fall because leaves are turning yellow and there is a chill in the air. The atmosphere is rather stark and bleak, while the mood is lonesome and austere.