A bientot Montmartre

Tuesday we spent more time walking through our neighborhood, finishing up last-minute shopping. 

We also visited the Musee de Montmatre.  It had just reopened after renovations, with a spectacular new exhibit based on Le Chat Noir and the rise of other clubs in the area.  It featured a collection of zinc and wood shadow theater cutouts.  These cutouts showed silhouettes of figures and scenes that could be moved.  They were used to produce theatrical events which were the television and movies of the day, with music, voices and lights. We had never seen them before.  The exhibit included a video of a shadow-theater reproduction of a show of the time. 

The Museum has annexed this garden and the buildings behind the fence which will house an expansion of the museum to open in 2013.  

The swing in the center of the photo is the spot where Renoir painted "The Swing." 

The new entrance for the museum is on the downhill side, next to the famous Montmartre vineyard, which we are told produces the worst wine in France, sold for some of the highest prices.  

As part of our farewell walk I finally took a couple of photos of the art nouveau awning across the street from our apartment.