Weekend Argus (Saturday Edition)
Moulin Rouge is unveiling a secluded room inside the iconic red windmill
MANY of us remember the spectacular love story of Moulin Rouge: the music, the outfits and the setting had us glued to our screens.
Now, for the first time ever, the legendary Parisian landmark will be available to book for an overnight stay in its historic red windmill. A secret room inside the windmill of the Moulin Rouge brings to life the art and romance of the Belle Époque era for an experience through time.
Three one-night stays, for only €1 (about R16.62) per night, will offer a peek behind the velvet curtains of the world-renowned cabaret and a glimpse into the spectacular world of French opulence and glamour.
Few are aware of the space inside the windmill, which has never been open for public access, but is now bookable for an overnight stay on Airbnb.
What can guests expect?
The windmill interior has been transformed into a Belle Époqueinspired boudoir, reminiscent of the cabaret era. Guests will experience a peek behind the velvet curtains of the fabled landmark, including backstage access to the theatre, a traditional French three-course meal, and the best seats during the Moulin Rouge’s acclaimed show Féerie, and an overnight stay inside the iconic windmill – all for just €1 a night.
Lead dancer Claudine Van Den Bergh will open the doors to the handsome hideaway and host three individual one-night stays for two guests each on June 13, 20 and 27.
“Attending a show at the Moulin Rouge offers an escape from the everyday and an incredible immersion in the glamour and grandeur of French Music Hall”, Van Den Bergh said.
“The Belle Époque-inspired interior of our much-loved windmill will transport guests to the era from which this timeless cabaret emerged,” she adds.
About the space
Situated in the heart of Montmartre, the Moulin Rouge is best known as the birthplace of the French Cancan, a delightfully energetic cabaret and a performance symbolic of the Belle Epoque Era.
When recreating the decorative and stylistic details of this celebrated time in history, Airbnb worked with the renowned 19th-century French historian, Jean-Claude Yon, to authentically renovate the windmill.
“The Belle Époque era was a time when French culture and arts flourished – and no landmark is more iconic to that period than the Moulin Rouge.
“This secret room inside the cabaret’s famous windmill has been designed to take you on an authentic journey back in time to experience the French capital of arts and pleasures during a moment in history,” Yon said.
Throughout its colourful history, the windmill – first constructed in 1889 as a nod to the site’s rural origins and reconstructed three decades later following a fire – has never been opened to the public.