Moulin Rouge – Everything you need to know to spend a wonderful evening at the famous Paris cabaret

Le Moulin Rouge is undoubtedly the most famous cabaret club in Paris, and rightly so. Since it opened in 1889, it has hosted some of the most iconic acts of the XNUMXth century. Paris And this is where the Can-Can dance became so famous. 

If you've never been there, a visit to the Moulin Rouge is an experience not to be missed, which is why I created this page. Here you'll find all the practical information you need to visit the place, along with a lot of historical information that you probably won't find anywhere else. 

So grab yourself a glass of champagne, and let's get going!

Moulin Rouge tickets

Let's start with the painful part of the evening, buying tickets to the Moulin Rouge. There's no doubt that these tickets aren't cheap, but as you'll see, there are cheaper and less expensive tickets.

Tickets for the show itself

Ticket + glass of champagne Order a ticket The cheapest option Ticket + Dinner Order a ticket

A package that includes the show and other attractions

Moulin Rouge Ticket + Seine Cruise Order a Ticket Ticket + Seine Cruise + Eiffel Tower Order a ticket Moulin Rouge + Paris Tour with Tourist Bus Ticket Reservation

pay attention: Since this is a relatively expensive show, it is very worthwhile to compare prices between several booking sites, because there are price gaps between the different sites. To help you compare prices, I created the “Francophile’s Toolbox”, where you will find all the most reliable and easy-to-use booking sites. All you have to do is check the prices on each of them (a matter of a few minutes) and choose the option that suits you best. 

The Francophile's toolbox

Visitor information at the Moulin Rouge

Where is the Moulin Rouge?

The address of the Moulin Rouge is: 82 Boulevard de Clichy.

The easiest way to get there is by metro line 2 which stops at Blanche station, which is very close by. Another option is to take line 13 and get off at Place de Clichy, and from there walk a few minutes on Boulevard Clichy until you get there.

If you want to get there by bus you can do so using lines 30, 54 and 80, which all stop not far from Place Blanche.

What days and times is it open?

The Moulin Rouge is open every day and has two shows, one at 21:00 PM and the other at 23:00 PM (although the 23:00 PM show does not take place during the winter). Dinner, for those who have booked, begins at 19:00 PM and is played by the Moulin Rouge orchestra. 

What is the dress code?

Although the days when men would arrive at the Moulin Rouge dressed in three-piece suits and women in elegant evening gowns are long gone, even today if you come wearing shorts or Crocs, you will be politely asked to leave and return dressed like a human being. 

A button-down shirt and pants will get you into the Moulin Rouge, and if you're wearing a jacket, that's fine.

Is the Moulin Rouge suitable for small children?

Despite what people think, the Moulin Rouge has long since ceased to be an adults-only show and children aged 6 and up can also be brought there. However, please note that the show includes scenes with partial nudity, so personally, I'm not sure if it's a show that would be suitable for small children (it's a shame there's no longer a professional clown there, as there used to be, because then I'm sure your children would have a great time). 

Have you visited the Moulin Rouge and do you recommend it?

Yes, I visited there in 2018 with a good friend and really enjoyed the impressive production and the fact that it was a very diverse show, which included much more than “just” dancing. Cannes Cannes. So, if you haven't been to any shows in Paris before, the Moulin Rouge or not a bad option at all.

If you would like to read a more in-depth review of the place, you are welcome to read the article. Moulin Rouge – a must-see show or a tourist trap?

What alternatives do you recommend?

The two most famous alternatives to Moulin Rouge are:

• Paradis Latin – The truth is that this is a show that preceded the Moulin Rouge by several decades and still exists today. In my opinion, this is a more diverse show than the Moulin Rouge and personally, although I liked the Moulin Rouge, I enjoyed it more there. If you would like to read about my experience there, you are welcome to enter the article Paradis Latin – Moulin Rouge's big brother.
  
  
• Crazy Horse – This is the show that Parisians themselves love to go to and it is not considered a “tourist trap” by them, as the Moulin Rouge is considered (rightly or wrongly). This is a more erotic show than the Moulin Rouge and therefore not suitable for children, but if you are interested in something more Parisian, this is the show for you. You can read more about it in the article Crazy Horse Paris – the cabaret where the French go.
  
  

If you would like to check out other less famous options for cabarets and shows that might suit you, you are welcome to visit the page  Cabaret shows in Paris.

What do you recommend I do before the show starts?

I recommend you go toMontmartre page On my website, where you will find information about attractions close to Moulin Rouge (for example: Montmartre Cemetery) and itineraries that you can do before you get to the show. Also, if you decide not to take a show accompanied by dinner, you can also find recommendations there for good restaurants in the area.

What happened to Ilan who didn't bring the Moulin Rouge perfume to Liora?

You will discover the answer to this question in this episode of “Close Relatives” 🙂

The history of the Moulin Rouge

Okay, you've bought your tickets and received all the information you need to spend a magical evening at the Moulin Rouge. Excellent! What's left to do?

My advice is not to be lazy and read a little about the history of the place, not only because it is super interesting, but because I believe that when you know, even a little, the history of the place you are going to, the entire experience of the visit is enhanced.

Don't worry, you don't have to read many pages of books written about the mythical cabaret of Montmartre, I've already done that for you and created the following article. All you have to do is read, enjoy the article and start counting the days until your evening at the Moulin Rouge. Read the article on the history of the Moulin Rouge

And finally, a few more things you might not know about the place

• The Moulin Rouge building was the first to have electricity in Paris. This turned the windmill's arms, and the entire building was lit by electric lights.
  
  
• There was an elephant in the back garden! Well, not a real elephant, but there was a giant plaster elephant (you might have seen it in the 2001 movie). And not only was there an elephant – its insides were used. It was a private club for men who were willing to pay one franc for a personal belly dance, and there were also dressing rooms.
  
  
• Cabaret made the Can Can a famous dance, but it was not invented at the Moulin Rouge. The dance began as the Quadrille Naturaliste, which probably originated around 1820. Originally performed by both men and women, the dance involved leg swings and leaps.
  
  
• The Moulin Rouge Can Can is listed in the Guinness Book of Records – in 2014, the Moulin Rouge dancers performed 29 consecutive leg swings in 30 seconds, setting a world record.
  
  
• Many famous artists have appeared on the Moulin Rouge stage, including Edith Piaf, Josephine Baker, Gina Rogers, Frank Sinatra, Liza Minnelli, Ella Fitzgerald, Ray Charles and also Elton John.
  
  
• More information about the Moulin Rouge club can be found here. Official site their.