Moulin Rouge Windmill Spins Once More 14 Months After Crash
Airborne Glory: The Moulin Rouge Windmill Makes a Spectacular Comeback
A crowd of hundreds gathered outside the iconic Moulin Rouge cabaret in Paris on Thursday to witness the club’s famed windmill blades spin once again, 14 months after they fell to the ground.
The Celebration in the Street
- Staggers of traditional cancan dancers performed in front of the club to mark the milestone.
- Fireworks erupted from the club’s roof, illuminating the evening sky.
Background of the Accident
The cabaret, immortalized by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec and revived by Baz Luhrmann’s 2001 film, had lost its trademark 12‑metre (40‑foot) wings in April 2024.
Officials blamed a failure in the central axis for the collapse, leaving locals and visitors stunned.
Rebuilding the Wings
- New aluminium blades were fabricated in July 2024, in time for the Paris Olympics.
- The electric motor required some time to be calibrated, necessary for the sails to spin and for hundreds of red and gold bulbs that decorate the display.
Statements from the Cabaret
Managing Director Jean‑Victor Clerico emphasized the restoration of this Parisian symbol:
“The sails have always turned at the Moulin Rouge, so we had to restore this Parisian symbol to Paris, to France, and to the state it was in before,” he said.
Cyrielle, one of the 60 dancers who joined the street celebration, added:
“The whole troupe is very happy to find our sails again, these are the sails of Paris,” she said.
