The famed nightclub the Moulin Rouge, in the equally fabled Montmarte neighborhood in Paris, is so named for the red windmill that stands on its roof. That landmark has beckoned tourists and locals alike to attend the club for over a century. 

Overnight, in an as-yet-unexplained mishap, the blades of the windmill fell off and tumbled into the street. No one was hurt, and the venue will stay open. 

“The Moulin Rouge, in 135 years of history, has experienced many adventures but it is true that for the wings, this is the first time that this has happened,” general manager Jean-Victor Clerico told reporters.

“A little before 2 a.m., the wings of the windmill gave way, fell on the boulevard and fortunately at this time the boulevard was empty of passers-by. We are relieved this morning especially to know that there were no injuries.” Experts and insurers will now look into the cause, Clerico said, adding that the fall was an accident.

The first three letters of the club’s name were torn down from the facade as the blades fell. A spokesperson told the New York Times that the mishap was the result of a “mechanical problem.” Firefighters were called to the scene to ensure that no other parts of the facility were in danger of collapsing, the Times reports, and swiftly determined that the venue was safe.

Spokespeople for the club told the AFP news agency that the mechanism is checked every week for safety.

Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, Au Moulin Rouge (1892–95). Courtesy Art Institute of Chicago.

The Moulin Rouge has long been a fixture in the city’s nightlife. The club thrived during the Belle Époque, the period between the Franco-Prussian War and World War I. Artists, workers, businessmen and tourists came to see scenes like the can-can dance, which was born at the venue, as well as countless innovative music and dance performances, some of them scandalous. Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec created famous posters for the club, and, in his painting Au Moulin Rouge (1892–95) even inserted himself into the scene; he is the diminutive figure in the center of the background, accompanied by his cousin, physician Gabriel Tapié de Céleyran.

More recently, the smash hit film Moulin Rouge! (2001), directed by Baz Luhrmann, starred Nicole Kidman and Ewan McGregor as, respectively, the star performer at the venue and the young poet who falls in love with her. That success spawned a Broadway show of the same name that premiered in 2008 and went on to win 10 Tony Awards, including Best Musical, in 2021.