Ultrathin films of CuO have been prepared using an organic precursor (Langmuir-Blodgett multilayer films consisting of Cu-arachidate). The organic component was removed either by thermodesorption or by UV-desorption. In the former case discontinuous films consisting of an ensemble of droplets were obtained. UV-desorption with successive heating results in continuous and rather smooth films. A surface roughness of 2.3 nm was deduced for one of these films from an atomic-force-microscope analysis. The films are transparent in the visible range.