Moulin Rouge
Moulin Rouge evokes images of impressionist painters like Toulouse-Lautrec, and a world of loose morals exemplified by risqué dances.
The Moulin Rouge opened in 1869 as a music hall or, as the owners described it, a temple to music and dance and Premier Palais des Femmes, so it was pretty clear from the beginning what sort of a place it was intended to be.
The word quickly got round that the Moulin Rouge was the place to go for cheap thrills, where young men could ogle over young French dancers going through their exotic and often titillating routines. It also became something of a knocking shop, where prostitutes could conveniently pick up their clients.
The Moulin Rouge adopted the Can-Can, a dance that had been around since the 1830s, and became inextricably associated with it. Before its moves became more formalised and it entered Parisian mainstream culture, the dance often verged on open obscenity and the Moulin Rouge attracted the opprobrium of respectable citizens. At this time, the artist Toulouse-Lautrec was a frequent customer, and painted a number of promotional posters that have immortalised the Moulin Rouge in the popular imagination.
The Can-Can is the opening dance of the revue that modern visitors expect to see, and it still has the power to get the male heart thumping, though probably less so in these jaded days than formerly. Check this for yourself when you book an evening meal and show. When selecting convenient vacation rentals, Paris visitors would be advised to book in advance as Paris is an international travel hub with many short-term visitors daily.
Moulin Rouge will be a grand evening out at one of the most famous nightclubs in the world, where over a hundred performers in exotic costumes perform in front of truly spectacular sets.
The nearest metro station is Blanche, and tickets should be booked in advance for two nightly shows. The shows, at 9pm and 11pm, include a half bottle of champagne in the price. Dinner serving begins at 7pm.
