This research work aims at evaluating the acoustic performance of conventional and low height gabions noise barriers. On one hand, in situ as well as scale model measurements at a scale of 1:10 have been carried out to assess the intrinsic acoustic properties of a 3m high gabions barrier. Single number ratings of transmission and reflection indices reached 20dB and 5dB, respectively. On the other hand, numerical simulations using a 2D boundary element method (BEM) and scale model measurements are carried out to study the effectiveness of low height gabions noise barriers when they are inserted in dense urban areas. The agreement between numerical and scale model measurements results is satisfactory. The effectiveness of low height gabions noise barriers is significant for receivers of limited height and the insertion loss values can reach 8dB(A) behind the barrier. This confirms that gabions noise barriers are possible candidates as useful devices for environmental noise reduction.