CBS News
Moulin Rouge’s iconic windmill sails restored after collapse just in time for the Olympics
The famous Moulin Rouge cabaret in Paris got its iconic red windmill back on Friday just in time for the Summer Olympics later this month.
The mill’s huge sails inexplicably collapsed after a show in April at the iconic venue, an emblem of the surrounding Montmartre neighborhood. When the sails fell, they took with them the first three letters of the Moulin Rouge sign.
Benoit Tessier/REUTERS
“It’s sad, just sad,” Danish tourist Lars Thygesen told CBS News at the time.
“I hope they will build it up again, so it will be as it always has been, the old Moulin Rouge,” added his partner Lise.
No one was hurt and the mayor of Paris’ 18th district said the structure was not in danger.
The Moulin Rouge scrambled to repair the damage before July 15, when the Olympic torch relay is expected to draw big crowds as it passes through the area.
Thibault Camus / AP
On Friday, a special ceremony that featured can-can dancing on the plaza outside marked the restoration.
The windmill was first illuminated on Oct. 6, 1889, at the opening of the Moulin Rouge.
The cabaret, marking its 135th anniversary this year, is a major tourist attraction and was celebrated in the 2001 Baz Luhrmann film musical starring Nicole Kidman.
Cabaret management says its performers represent 18 nationalities and it receives 600,000 spectators a year.
Watch CBS News
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.
Extreme turbulence Thursday over Greenland forced a Scandinavian Airlines flight from Stockholm to Miami to turn around and return to Europe.
Dramatic video from Scandinavian Airlines Flight 957 showed the severe turbulence that left some of the 254 passengers screaming and the cabin littered with debris.
There were no reports of any serious injuries on the flight.
The pilots chose to make a U-turn and fly about five hours back to Copenhagen, where the plane was inspected for damage.
In a statement provided to CBS News, the airline said it has “the best facilities and staff for this level of inspection” at Copenhagen Airport, and it “therefore decided to reroute the aircraft here, where both hangar space and qualified technicians were available.”
It added that flying the plane to Miami “would have resulted in it being grounded for an extended period, leading to multiple cancellations.”
Former National Transportation Safety Board chair Robert Sumwalt questioned why the pilots didn’t choose a closer airport.
“If the structural integrity of the airplane was in question, they should have landed at the nearest suitable airport,” Sumwalt said. “The question will be, did they return to Copenhagen out of convenience, or did they do it because they thought that was the safest path?”
Researchers believe climate change may be a factor in severe turbulence becoming more common. A 2023 study published in the journal of Geophysical Research Letters found a 55% increase in turbulence over the North Atlantic since 1979.
“During this time of year, typically, there can be some stronger turbulence,” said Laura Einsetler, an airline captain who flies through that area. “We always try to avoid these type of areas.”
The Federal Aviation Administration says injuries due to turbulence are rare. Sumwalt says wearing a seatbelt is key.
“There’s some technology out there that can really keep people from getting hurt,” Sumwalt said. “And that technology is called a seatbelt.”
Watch CBS News
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.