A method of detecting and locating noise sources each emitting respective signals Sj with j=1 to M, detection being provided by a sound wave or vibration sensors each delivering a respective time-varying electrical signal si with i in the range 1 to N, wherein the method steps include: (a) taking the time-varying electrical signals delivered by the sensors, each signal si(t) delivered by a sensor being the sum of the signals Sj emitted by the noise sources; (b) amplifying and filtering the time-varying electrical signals as taken; (c) digitizing the electrical signals; (d) calculating a functional; and (e) minimizing the functional relative to the vectors nj for j=1 to M so as to determine the directions of vector nj of the noise sources.