At the foot of Montmartre in Paris sits a music hall famous for its can-can dancers and bohemian dreams. Rosie Khdir takes a look at the past and present of Le Moulin Rouge.

Back in 1891, while Victorian Britons were frowning upon all things even remotely risqué, Parisians were bracing themselves for the opening of Le Premier Palais des Femmes (The First Women’s Palace).

When Le Moulin Rouge opened in the Jardin de Paris, the public came in their masses to experience what was then known as the “temple of music and dance”. Gentlemen of all classes entered side by side and enjoyed the delights of the mirrored walls, decadent galleries, a huge dance floor and the ladies of easy virtue.

Many people became captivated by the venue and its entertainments, one particularly well-known fan was was artist Toulouse-Lautrec, made famous by John Leguizamo’s portrayal of him in Baz Luhrmann’s Moulin Rouge! Lautrec was a regular client who created no less than 17 paintings based on the Le Moulin Rouge, one of the most notorious being Le Goulue, a poster advertising one of the famous can-can dancers.

From the years before WW1 up until the famous dancer Mistiniguett’s departure, Le Moulin Rouge enjoyed a golden age filled with operetta and “Great Revue’s”. But as cinema started to emerge and as the Second World War raged in France the days of all singing, all dancing shows began to decline.

Six years after the war Le Moulin Rouge underwent a revival. A new owner, George France, who acquired the establishment in 1952, set about making it great once again. Charity events and parties were held and the emergence of the ‘dinner show’ saw the music hall’s fame rocket. Dozens of esteemed stars came to perform at the new venue and Elvis Presley was even said to be a regular visitor when in Paris.

Le Moulin Rouge is a very popular tourist attraction today, perhaps with thanks to the Hollywood films made about it. The current show, Féerie consists of a troupe of 100 artists, including 60 Doris Girls, and 1000 costumes made from feathers, rhinestones and sequins in Paris’s finest workshops.

You can have lunch or dinner and a show and tickets vary from 150-180 euros, or you can simply watch late night show for half the price. For further details on how to book, visit the official Moulin Rouge website.

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Image credit: San Sharma

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