Musée de Montmartre

Up on La Butte, a block away from the Place de Tertre is the Musée de Montmartre. A small museum, located in what was formerly the hôtel de Rosimond, one of the oldest houses on the hill, dating from the 17C. The white house in this photo is the Musée de Montmartre as viewed from the bottom of the Montmartre vineyard.

The museum houses a collection of paintings, posters, lithographs, photographs and furniture, documenting the history of Montmartre. It was also home to several famous artists, notably Suzanne Valadon and her son Maurice Utrillo, Vincent van Gogh, Raoul Dufy, Erik Satie, and Auguste Renoir. 

What I personally love most about the museum is the experience of walking through the house and around the gardens, looking at the views, and imagining what it must have been like to live there. Here is a view of the northern facade, looking up.

The views from the gardens are magnificent. Looking west across the vineyards you see this staggered row of tall narrow apartments buildings.

Here is a view looking north down towards the Lapin Agil.


The studio where Utrillo lived with his mother Suzanne Valadon.



Some art discreetly exhibited in a corner of the garden.



A tree propped up by a lyre.



Much of the museum has fallen into a state of disrepair but fortunately there are plans to refurbish and restore it. Here is a building in the compound awaiting restoration...the right way up.

Up side down.



Even the graffiti has an attractive quality to it.

Frankly some of the decay is rather delectable, though I can see that some action needs to be taken to preserve this beautiful site.




This horticultural detail made me smile.

The Musée de Montmartre website can be found here.