Moulin Rouge Up Close in Midday: Ya-ya, Da-da (hey, hey, hey) in Paris, France
Saturday, August 10, 2019 France 0 Comments

Moulin Rouge Up Close in Midday

Blame it to my high school community for giving so much repeat and emphasis on the MTV music video portrayed by Christina Aguilera, Lil' Kim, Mya, Pink. Every “creole Lady Marmalade” lyric and swaying of the hips from these artists brought emphasis to the background letters tagged as: MOULIN ROUGE. It’s not the title of the song, but it sure is the setting of the overall video. And the thing is, this iconic musical isn’t really part of any Asian history or cultural book, not unless you get exposed to the music video. The dinner and show Moulin Rouge in Paris is unknown to many Filipinos back in the day, so thanks to these ladies, the birthplace of the modern form of the can-can dance known as the Moulin Rouge is now brought to light and everyone is taking about it.

Whether visiting Moulin Rouge in Paris at midday or midnight, it sure is iconic. It’s French for "Red Mill", and it is one of the few tourist attraction cabarets in the world. In 1889, the Moulin Rouge opened in the Jardin de Paris, at the foot of the Montmartre hill, to permit the affluent people living in Paris to come and just do it in a fashionable district of that time, known as Montmartre. The matinee tickets aren’t cheap, and we could only wish that Groupon was available during that time, or at the very least, Google or Wikipedia, so that we can do research if the visit is worth it. Nevertheless, it sure is absolutely worth it (at least, this is how all the men would say it for sure!).

So nowadays, the easy and basic question to ask is whether or not attending a Moulin Rouge show requires some sort of dress code? The answer is yes. Dress code is smart casual: no to shorts, flip-flops, sportswear, leisurewear, and sport shoes. It’s essentially like watching a play now, and no longer the old purpose of the place. It has become that certified world class tourist attraction that Paris, France is known for. If in the United Kingdom (UK), they are known for their theater plays, then in France, most likely this is one. Imagine having two showings every night, at 9:00 and 11:00 in the evening, and you can now have dinner before attending the show over there! Pretty popular, yes.

Nevertheless, if you’re going for the cheap free thrills just like some of the travelers and locals out there, it’s also a good idea to just drop by and see the place, take photos, and maybe have coffee around the nearby cafes, before heading for a walk around the Montmartre area. I prefer the view, so I’d recommend visiting the Sacré-Cœur Basilica or to Place du Tertre longer, compared to Moulin Rouge. Dropping by Moulin Rouge is a must for sure, but watching the show, maybe optional? This is me, making excuses for just dropping by and taking photos of the iconic cabaret on broad daylight. So... "Hello, hey Joe! You wanna give it a go?"