Moulin Rouge

With its famous windmill that acts as beacon to all nightlife revelers looking for a good time out in Paris, it might altogether be too easy to assume that this legendary Cabaret has become a tourist trap. That assumption couldn't be farther from the truth. This is a cabaret where the French Can-Can dancers all have years of formal ballet training before they ever even get to audition to be one of the 60 Doriss Girls, the famous Moulin Rouge dancers, let alone wriggle into their costumes of a thousand feathers. The stage is steeped in history. Not only is it famous for La Goulue whose 1891 performance inspired Toulouse-Lautrec's first poster painted of the venue, but also for Mistinguett and Edith Piaf, even Elton John, Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra, all of whom have performed onstage here. French Presidents, (Mr. Vincent Auriol) and English Kings (Edward VII) have been guests here and once, in 1981, it was even closed for a special performance for Queen Elizabeth II when the troupe travelled to London for that honor. A trip to Paris without seeing the Can-Can performed onstage, well, it just wouldn't be a trip to Paris.