Moulin Rouge Tickets and Tours

When we think of the Moulin Rouge, the world's most famous cabaret, we visualize cancanes and imagine period music in Paris. Today it is possible to relive this splendor. The real magic of the Moulin Rouge is in its nightly vintage show and, for this, hundreds of tickets are sold every day, which you can buy individually or as part of a pack with other activities in Paris:

My favorite

Moulin Rouge Tickets with dinner

Enjoy the most famous cabaret in the world

Perfect if you want to live in first person the experience of attending the famous cabaret of the Moulin Rouge. Enjoy the experience while tasting a dinner menu and champagne.

From $290 at Hellotickets

Enjoy the most famous Parisian cabaret in the world and its more than one hundred artists on stage. Be amazed by the glamorous costumes, the colorful scenery and let the music transport you to the bohemian atmosphere of the city in the early twentieth century.

Booking a ticket for the Moulin Rouge with dinner and transportation will allow you to experience the French cancan in first person, while tasting the local cuisine with a good champagne.

The Moulin Rouge is usually open every day of the year with some exceptions and the show runs at 21:00 and 23:00. The show lasts about two hours and the ticket includes half a bottle of champagne.

Why I like this option: this is the essential option to experience live the magic of this Parisian cabaret.

Recommended if... you want to attend a show at the Moulin Rouge at the best price.

Something to keep in mind if you are booking tickets for the Moulin Rouge is that the price of the Moulin Rouge tickets will depend on the extras you add to the show, i.e. dinner and drinks. There are about four menus to choose from (one of them vegan) of French dishes and different prices and you can include or not the consumption of alcoholic beverages.

Of course, you have to request it in advance, as the cabaret does not work as a restaurant where you can order from the menu. The Moulin Rouge show is attended by both tourists and locals and, especially in high season, it is advisable to buy tickets in advance to avoid running out of room for the day and time chosen. Here are the different options available:

• Tickets for the Moulin Rouge with dinner, from $290: includes entrance, show, dinner and half a bottle of champagne.
• Cruise on the Seine and tickets to the Moulin Rouge with champagne, from $207: includes in addition to the cruise on the Seine, the entrance to the Moulin Rouge and a glass or half bottle of champagne.
• Dinner cruise on the Seine River, access to the Eiffel Tower and tickets to the Moulin Rouge, from $345: includes dinner cruise on the Seine River, access to the second floor of the Eiffel Tower, ticket to the Moulin Rouge show and a glass or half bottle of champagne.

If you choose to dine at the Moulin Rouge, you can choose from several types of menus (including vegetarian and vegan dishes) that change according to the season and always include a starter, main course and dessert. If you have the dinner option included, you should arrive at the Moulin Rouge around 6:30 p.m., as dinner is served at 7:00 p.m. The show lasts two hours and then you will have a two-hour show. The show lasts two hours and then you will have a few minutes to enjoy the champagne included.

The price of the ticket increases significantly with the choice of dinner and, although I recognize that the menu is very careful both in taste and presentation, the real added value is not the dinner itself but the show at the Moulin Rouge.

If you want to live the experience of dining in this cabaret go ahead, but do not do it looking for excellence in the kitchen because what you will find is something correct and enjoyable, but no more. Keep in mind, moreover, that the tables at the Moulin Rouge are shared so if you want to enjoy an intimate dinner is not the best option.

If you are booking tickets for the Moulin Rouge with dinner, you should know that the show times, with some exceptions, are always the same: there is a show at 9 pm and another at 11 pm every day from Monday to Sunday. Please note that you should come early enough to see the show; about fifteen minutes before is recommended.

Founded by Joseph Oller and Charles Zidler, the Moulin Rouge opened its doors to the public in 1889 with the aim of marking a break with the cultural norms of the time and offer a space where luxury and transgression coexisted.

In its beginnings it stood out for its dances full of sensuality and the prominence of the French cancan. A place where Parisian high society, bohemian artists and great figures of art such as Toulouse-Lautrec, who immortalized the Moulin Rouge in his paintings and posters, gathered.

Throughout history, it has evolved without losing its essence. During the 20th century, it survived the world wars. It reinvented itself by becoming a show that mixed music, dance and luxury. Its productions became very popular and dazzling with spectacular scenery and the presence of iconic artists such as Edith Piaf, Liza Minnelli or Frank Sinatra.

The Moulin Rouge today

Today, the Moulin Rouge is an emblem of Paris and a must-see for those who want to experience the glamour of the Belle Époque. *Féerie is its most popular show and brings together more than 60 artists from all over the world.

Despite its more than 130 years of history, the Moulin Rouge continues to dazzle all its visitors. Its most popular show, Féerie, lasting almost 2 hours, is a show created by choreographers Doris Haug and Ruggero Angeletti, which fuses tradition and modernity in a show full of color and modernity with spectacular choreography and a dazzling set with feathers, sequins and rhinestones.

If you wonder what the show looks like today, you should know that the staging features over a thousand costumes designed and crafted in workshops in Paris. In addition, the team has more than 60 international artists including dancers, acrobats and singers.

The performance of the French cancan is one of the most anticipated shows, characterized by acrobatics and vitality. But the Moulin Rouge is a sensory experience that also offers the chance to enjoy a gourmet dinner by renowned chefs.

The show is, without a doubt, dazzling. Feathers and more feathers, colorful costumes and lively music with light effects, make up the most attractive staging of the French music hall. If you add to this almost a hundred dancers coordinating amazing choreographies, you will feel for a while in the Belle Époque in all its splendor.

The shows held at the Moulin Rouge may change according to the season, but will always be based on the mythical cancan dance that was the one that made this cabaret famous. The rise of this dance coincides with a time of optimism and social satisfaction; at the gates of the twentieth century there was confidence in technological progress, artistic avant-garde and economic growth.

There was, in general terms, a generalized joy and a desire to enjoy life that materialized in this dance that painters like Tolouse Lautrec portrayed in his paintings. All this atmosphere is still recreated every night to this day, and to experience it the best thing to do is to buy in advance your ticket for the Moulin Rouge with dinner and champagne, and with transportation included!

The Moulin Rouge is located at 82 Boulevard de Clichy, in the Pigalle district, at the foot of Montmartre hill. An environment known for its vibrant nightlife and even called the "red light district" of Paris. Here are the different ways to get there:

• Metro: the most comfortable and direct way to get there is to take line 2 and get off at Blanche station, located opposite the Moulin Rouge.
• Bus: lines 30, 54, 68 and 74 have stops near the Moulin Rouge.
• Cabs and VTC: a comfortable option if you are traveling in a group.

Be sure to read our post on How to get to the Moulin Rouge for more information.

To attend the show, the dress code is formal without the obligatory jacket and tie. Inside you will find everything from the odd morning coat in the VIP boxes to jeans. The best, the classic "smart casual". However, keep in mind that:

• Sportswear and shorts are not allowed.
• Jeans are allowed if they are in good condition and as long as they go with elegant clothes.

If when booking tickets for the Moulin Rouge with dinner you choose the second session of the show, which starts at 11pm, please note that you may miss the last metro on the way out, as the closing time is 1:15am. In this case, you have at your disposal both cabs at the stop in front and VTCs.

If you want to save money, I recommend you to choose a Friday or Saturday as days to see the second shift of the show, as these days the Paris subway closes an hour later and you will have no problem to catch it.

Children from six years old (always accompanied by an adult) are admitted to the show. This is something that, considering the history of the cabaret and the current atmosphere of the area, is often surprising, but the truth is that the show is suitable for all ages. When I went to see the show I didn't see any children and I don't think it is usual to see them, both for the time of the show and the price.

If you are thinking of taking your camera (or even your cell phone) with a 100 % charged battery to this show, you can already discard the idea. No photos or video of any kind are allowed during the show or dinner. The waiters may attract attention and, in addition, the organizers themselves will offer you the official photo during the dinner for an approximate price of 20€.

The Pigalle area is one of the most picturesque in Paris; there you will find huge erotic stores (many with shows included) that attract attention not only for its content, but for its bright neon lights. Pigalle by night is an area full of life and it is difficult to find comparisons to describe it.

My advice is that before or after your date at the Moulin Rouge walk through this area (you can get off at the metro stop 'Pigalle' and from there walk to 'Blanche') and soak up the essence of this daring and energetic Paris. You can also take a tour bus rideand explore the Parisian nightlife in the different areas, each with its own magic.

Ana's Traveller Tip

To get the most out of the area, choose the 21:00 show. Beforehand, visit the upper Montmartre with the Sacré Coeur and the Place des Painters and, after the show, stroll around Pigalle and have a drink in one of its clubs.

Whether it's the same day you go to see the Moulin Rouge show or a different day, you can't miss exploring the area on a visit to the Montmartre neighborhood during your trip to Paris. The history of the belle époque is not complete with a visit to the cabaret; Montmartre hides many more stories that will seduce you with the same intensity as that of the red mill.

Of all the tours I have done in Paris, which you can read more about in this article on Paris ToursMontmartre is the one I have repeated most often precisely because I never tire of hearing the stories of all the artists who found in that neighborhood the true meaning of the famous slogan 'Liberté, Égalite, Fraternité'.

Tour itinerary

Who are they going to tell you about on this tour? Tolouse Lautrec, Monet, Picasso, Van Gogh, Edith Piaf, the film Amélie or the gay icon Dalida. Many stories, all intermingled and all that while strolling through the narrow streets of Montmartre in the evening light (for me one of the most beautiful moments to do this tour) and then sit and contemplate the city from the stairs of the Sacré Coeur.

The Montmartre tour with the Paris Pass card

This is a city pass with which you will have free access to different tourist attractions and museums in the city of Paris. Entrance to the Moulin Rouge show is not included with this card, but a two-hour guided tour of the neighborhood is included.

Whether it's your first time in Paris or not, if you are going to visit several of the main points of interest the Paris Pass will pay off: it has more than 60 places included, it includes public transport in Paris and there are different prices depending on the days you want to use it. You can read more about Paris Pass in this article.

The Moulin Rouge is an icon of the bohemian life of Paris in the late 19th century, but it is not the only one. The city of Paris, in particular the Montmartre district, is full of places that speak of this era. If you want to take a walk through the most bohemian corners of the city of light, in addition to, of course, walk the narrow streets of Montmartre, do not miss places like:

• Museum of Montmartre: A neighborhood like this had to have somewhere to tell its history. In this museum located on rue Cortot you will see from images of the neighborhood belonging to different eras to objects that tell you about the cabarets and the cursed poets who stayed in this enclave.
• Literary cafes: Surely you are familiar with the Chat Noir cafe because of the famous posters of the black cat that you will see in all the souvenir stores in Paris, but this is not the only one. Both in Montmartre and in the Montparnasse district, south of Paris, you can find places frequented by intellectuals such as Paul Verlaine, Baudelaire, Apollinaire or Hemingway.
• Moulin de la Galette: It is one of the 30 mills that were in this neighborhood at the beginning of the last century. Although during the day it is easily located walking along the rue Lepic, at night it can be more complicated because of the branches that hide it. Today it is an elegant restaurant, but its merit is that it was one of the most represented cabarets in the work of various bohemian artists including Renoir.