Marmottan Monet Museum

Fred has been whining all week about wanting to eat the delicious elephant ears we've been seeing in the Boulangeries.  Finally on our last day, he succeeds!

Elephant Ears

If you only have time in Paris for a few sites, we recommend that the Marmottan museum be one of them.  Off the beaten path, on the west end of Paris,  a beautiful walk through the Bois de Boulonge park from the subway (metro) brings one to a former hunting lodge that now houses the largest collection of Monets in the world.

Aesop Statue - Boulonge Park, Paris

They had a temporary exhibit in the basement that compared and contrasted (just like in school) Monet's works to his contemporaries and later artists, both abstract and impressionists.  Unfortunately no pictures are allowed in the museum. Loretta is disappointed that the large Monet "Water Lilies" paintings are not at this museum but enjoys the rest of the works nonetheless.

The last dinner in Paris was at Comptoir de la Gastronomie restaurant in Les Halles area. Loretta enjoyed the foie gras ravioli with truffle butter sauce but was disappointed with dinner, which was a foie-gras type spread.

Comptoir de la Gastronomie

Museum Of the Middle Ages

Today is the first day where we actually got a real rain overnight.  The morning is cloudy and slightly cooler, but still a perfect beginning to our last day in Paris.

We have a pleasant breakfast at Cafe Blanc (best croissants in Paris while being serenaded by Jazz) down the street and walk towards the museum, which is within walking distance of Notre Dame.

The french call the museum Musée National du Moyen Âge.  It is located in what used to be the home of the Abbot of Cluny, which began construction in 1334.

Musée National du Moyen Âge

Sundial at Musée National du Moyen Âge

The museum is well laid out and contains gothic statues, tapestries done in the mille-fleur style, and decorative gold work through the centuries.  The chapel contains a hagioscope, which allowed the abbot to participate in masses while staying in his adjacent room.  We are not certain why the abbot did not directly participate.  Hagioscopes were usually used by nuns and lepers to listen in on masses without being there.

Reliquary

Tapestry