The Louvre-Lens is hosting a free exhibition on 350 years of Comédie-Française until December 7, 2026. Paintings, sculptures, costumes and stage objects retrace the history of the oldest theater in the world.

Mezzanine space, accessible free of charge. Open every day except Tuesday, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Source: presse.louvrelens.fr

The Gayant Festival returns to Douai from July 12 to 14, 2026! Mr. Gayant (8.50 m, 370 kg) goes out at 7:30 a.m. on Sunday morning. Large procession at 3 p.m., funfair with 150 attractions, fireworks on Tuesday 14 around 11 p.m.

Classified as UNESCO intangible heritage. Free entry!

Source: douaisis-agglo-tourisme.com

The Louvre-Lens presents an exceptional exhibition until July 20, 2026: “Beyond the Arabian Nights”. Nearly 300 masterpieces invite you on a journey from Paris to Isfahan, from Constantinople to Venice.

Workshops and guided tours are offered every Friday (next: April 17 at 1:30 p.m.). To be combined with the free Time Gallery.

Louvre-Lens — 99 rue Paul Bert, Lens. Source: louvrelens.fr

“Perception(s)” show at the Phénix in Valenciennes: a sensory immersion on May 12 and 13
📅 From Tuesday 12 to Wednesday 13 May 2026

📍 Le Phénix, national stage, Boulevard Harpignies, Valenciennes (59300)

Le Phénix, the national stage of Valenciennes, will host the show “Perception(s)” on May 12 and 13, 2026: an original contemporary creation that transforms the spaces of the place into a land of sensory discovery.

In this ambulatory show, spectators are not seated in front of a stage: they circulate, explore, feel. The performers occupy the spaces of the Phénix to offer a unique experience where every sense is engaged. Lights, sounds, movements — everything is designed to question our relationship to space and to others.

Accessible to all audiences, including young audiences, Perception(s) is an invitation to look differently at the world around us. A committed and poetic contemporary creation, at the heart of one of the most dynamic national scenes in Hauts-de-France.

Find all the information and ticketing on the Northern cultural agenda or directly from the Phénix de Valenciennes.

An extraordinary experience to share with family or friends curious about contemporary culture. Absolutely worth discovering!

“Arise from between the walls”: a danced visit to the former Mining Offices of Lens
📅 From Wednesday to Sunday until May 31, 2026, at 3:30 p.m. (duration 45 min — except May 1)

📍 Jean Perrin Faculty (former Grand Offices of the Société des Mines de Lens), Lens (62300)

As part of the Art Deco Spring 2026, the Pic la Poule company is offering a unique artistic experience: “Surgir d’entre les Murs”, a danced and sung visit to the former Grand Offices of the Société des Mines de Lens.

The building, a jewel of Art Deco architecture listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, becomes the living setting for a performance where a dancer dialogues with the architecture and the garden. His body literally offers itself to the building, embracing the curves, the angles, the materials of this building steeped in working-class history.

Dance, song, heritage and industrial history combine for a sensory and memory experience of great beauty. Each session lasts approximately 45 minutes and is accessible to all audiences.

Sessions take place every day from Wednesday to Sunday at 3:30 p.m. To reserve and for more information, contact the Lens-Liévin Tourist Office on 03 21 67 66 66.

An original and poetic way to discover the heritage of the mining basin. Not to be missed before the end of May! Share this cultural gem with your loved ones.