Angoulême is a small town (of maybe 60,000) that sits on a hill with ramparts. One can walk from one end to the other in 20-30 minutes, I am guessing. Thanks to Jenny Robb of the Ohio State Cartoon Research Library, we are staying in a small but cozy three-story house just below the ramparts.

This morning we set off to walk down the hill to the river and the Musée de la Bande Dessinée where the Peanuts exhibit is located.

We were given a tour of the two-year old museum by librarian Jean-Pierre Mercier.  The museum was built by and receives funding from all levels of government. It is very spacious with its exhibits curving around in waist level cases. Their collection is very impressive, and, like the Schulz Museum, the exhibitions are changed three times a year.

We saw two original Peanuts comic strips that they have in their collection, and several parodies of the Peanuts Gang in an exhibition devoted to parodies.  After two hours in the museum and a short tour of the archives, we hiked back up the hill and went our separate ways.  I found newspapers of the Festival to bring back to the Museum. I tried to visit the small press expo tent, but it was very crowded, and I finally settled on an exhibit in the Cathédrale Saint-Pierre d’Angoulême, which was very interesting.

Soon it was time to get packed for the train trip to the Charles De Gaulle Airport and the journey home. We were blessed with good weather and met many wonderful colleagues in the world of cartooning, as we shared stories and laughter. It was more than I could have expected and I am happy to share it with our Museum fans. In addition, if any of you might be in Paris in May, ask about the exhibition that will be installed outside in a family area near the Bois de Boulogne.

—Jean Schulz