The Moulin Rouge’s Legendary Windmill Sails Turn Again
Hundreds of locals and tourists gathered on Thursday evening in front of the famous Paris Moulin Rouge Cabaret and Nightclub to see its legendary windmill sails turn again. The 12-meter-long, 40-foot-red wings have been out of operation since strong winds 14 months ago.
The Occasion
The occasion was characterized by 60 dancers, which performed the characteristic can-can of the Moulin Rouge on the street next to Place Blanche in the Montmartre district in Paris. Fireworks were also triggered by the club’s roof, which claims to attract around 600,000 visitors every year. "The sails have always turned in Moulin Rouge, so we had to restore this Paris symbol in Paris, France and the state in which it was previously," said the managing director of the cabaret.
What Happened to the Famous Windmill
The accident in April 2024 was held responsible for a failure in the central axis of the windmill. The blades collapsed overnight after the venue was closed. Nobody was injured in the incident. Temporary windmill sails were installed before the Olympic Games in Paris. New aluminum leaves were installed in time for the Olympic Games in Paris last summer. However, the wings have remained motionless due to delays with a new electric motor, which also provides the hundreds of light bulbs that illuminate the legendary landmark.
Why is the Moulin Rouge so Famous
The Moulin Rouge, French for "Red Windmill", was immortalized by the French painter Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec from the 19th century and later brought to the modern public by BAZ Luhrmann’s film musical in 2001, with Nicole Kidman and Ewan McGregor. The red windmill opened in 1889 quickly became an emblem of the Paris nightlife during the Belle Époque (1871-1914). The cabaret house is one of the most visited attractions in the French capital and shares its status as a world-famous landmark with people such as the Eiffel Tower and the Notre Dame Cathedral.
