The Untold Truth Of The Moulin Rouge

You'll still find the Moulin Rouge at 82 Boulevard de Clichy in Montmartre, Paris. Once a rural village famous for its windmills, vineyards, and narrow streets winding up and down steep hills, Montmartre was annexed by Paris in around 1860, according to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Artists, students, musicians, and other liberal-minded nonconformists were drawn to the area's low rents and revolutionary attitudes — and its anything-goes nightclubs.

The New York Times explains that in 1864, the city lifted restrictions that had made opening privately-owned theaters difficult, which led to a boom in cabaret and music venues. The area's windmills went from symbolizing its farming roots to a trademark of music halls like the Moulin de la Galette. Although Montmartre had traditionally been a working-class area, people of all classes met and mingled at the cabarets and cafes. By the time the Moulin Rouge opened, Montmartre had become a beacon for Parisians who wanted to escape rigid social structures and expectations.

The man who started the Moulin Rouge was Joseph Oller, a professional gambler and businessman who owned other nightclubs in the city, including the Olympia, the oldest music hall in Paris. According to the Moulin Rouge's website, the cabaret wasn't completed by the time of its planned opening on October 6, 1889, but Oller insisted that the show must go on, and opened at 8 pm sharp.

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