Moulin Rouge

Moulin Rouge is a legendary Paris cabaret that has operated continuously since 1889 at the foot of Montmartre. Its unmistakable red windmill perched on the roof has become one of the city's most recognizable landmarks, forever tied to the image of Parisian nightlife at the turn of the 20th century.

How do you get there?

The cabaret sits on Boulevard de Clichy at Place Blanche, in the 18th arrondissement, right on the border between Montmartre and Pigalle. The easiest way in is by metro to Blanche station (line 2), which lets you off just steps from the entrance. Place de Clichy station is another option, followed by a short walk. The area is well connected to central Paris, and its position at the base of the Montmartre hill makes it easy to combine an evening at the cabaret with a daytime visit to Sacré-Cœur and the artists' quarter's winding streets.

What will you see?

The building draws attention long before you step inside — the red windmill on the roof, the neon lettering of the sign, and the Art Nouveau-style façade together form an image recognized around the world. The venue was founded by Joseph Oller, an entrepreneur who also ran the Paris Olympia, and from the outset it combined revue, dance, and stage spectacle in a format audiences had never seen before.

It was here that the French cancan took shape and rose to fame — a high-kicking, petticoat-swirling dance that moved from street entertainment into a polished stage act. The venue drew artists, aristocrats, and the emerging middle class alike, and its atmosphere was captured on canvas by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, whose posters and paintings remain forever linked with the mood of late-19th-century Parisian cabaret life.

Today's shows are lavish revues featuring dozens of dancers, elaborate sets, feather-and-sequin costumes, and stage acrobatics. Performances run several times a day, typically paired with dinner or a glass of champagne, turning a visit into a full evening event rather than a brief show.

When should you go?

Moulin Rouge runs year-round, with performances staged every evening, so there's no single best season to visit. Given how popular the venue is, booking tickets in advance is worthwhile, especially in summer and around the Christmas-New Year period, when the number of visitors to Paris rises sharply. Anyone planning to pair the show with a day exploring Montmartre should head to the area earlier in the day and set aside the evening for the performance itself.

Frequently asked questions

When did Moulin Rouge open? The cabaret opened on 6 October 1889, founded by Joseph Oller, who also owned the Paris Olympia.

Where does the name and the red windmill come from? The name means "red windmill," referring to the large red mock windmill mounted on the roof, which has served as the venue's signature landmark since it opened.

Is this really where the French cancan was born? Yes — it was at Moulin Rouge that the dance took on its polished stage form and gained worldwide fame, its history immortalized in part by the painter Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec.

What's the best way to get to Moulin Rouge? The metro is easiest: take line 2 to Blanche station on Place Blanche, right at the cabaret's entrance, in the 18th arrondissement on the edge of Montmartre and Pigalle.