Seeing the Moulin Rouge Cabaret

The Moulin Rouge (not the movie) not only the most famous bur­lesque venue in the world, it is also the birth­place of the French style of favor­ing known as the can­can, and most def not your aver­age cute fam­i­ly friend­ly tourist attraction. 

For one, the shows enforce a strict dress code (smart, no shorts), and for anoth­er… it’s a bur­lesque show. One of the least risqué and most com­mer­cial­ized bur­lesque shows in Paris, but still a bur­lesque show. That’s code for exposed bosoms and décol­letage for days, but that doesn’t mean the joint can’t ooze class. Beneath the famed and named big red wind­mill is a lob­by coat­ed with red-vel­vet every­thing and a the­atre that (though no pho­tos are allowed) can be described as roman­ti­cal­ly and mag­i­cal­ly cir­cus-like and filled to the brim with time­less tiny tables. As for the show itself, it’s glitzy, glam­orous, and comes with a half-bot­tle of cham­pagne. Book a pri­vate tour dur­ing the day if you can swing it as there’s noth­ing like the ener­gy of an emp­ty theatre. 

There are 3 shows per day, with the Mat­inée show and lunch start­ing at 1pm for 185€ per per­son and the show-only option for 109€. The evening show dials it up a notch with a live orches­tra accom­pa­ny­ing the din­ner. Din­ner starts at 7pm with 2 options: 205€ per per­son includ­ing show and din­ner or you can go the ’ VIP’ route for 240€ per per­son which includes bet­ter table and a wel­come glass of cham­pagne rosé. evening show-only tick­ets clock in at 88€ for the 11pm and 110€ for the 9pm with the bet­ter-sit­u­at­ed tables ring­ing up at 210€. 

It’s worth pass­ing by just to see the famous wind­mill even if you aren’t feel­ing the tick­et prices. There is a bar on top of the Moulin Rouge called le Bar à Bulles where you can kick up your heels with craft cock­tails inside or out­side on the roof next to the most famous wind­mill in the world with­out being inter­rupt­ed by copi­ous c‑cups. (And don’t miss the pho­to booth to memo­ri­al­ize your fun.) The restau­rant at Bar à Bulles is a desing­nat­ed «Écotable» which means that it has a low envi­ron­men­tal impact. Look for the lit­tle pas­sage­way to the left of the build­ing and go up the stairs to access the Bar à Bulles.

La Machine is the night­club below the Moulin Rouge which reg­u­lar­ly hosts DJ’s and themed par­ty nights their New Year’s Eve par­ty is worth it.)