Mines de Beffrois

Le blog touristique du bassin minier

Author: f.deschodt@gmail.com

  • Spring of Art Deco in Béthune-Bruay: discover a surprising mining heritage

    📅 From April 3 to May 31, 2026 (ongoing)
    📍 Béthune-Bruay Tourist Office and Béthune town center (62400)

    We often know Arras for its Art Deco, but Béthune-Bruay hides an equally remarkable heritage – and much less frequented! The Spring of Art Déco invites you to (re)discover it until May 31.

    After the Great War, the mining area was rebuilt at high speed in a sober and functional Art Deco style. Geometric facades, ornate ironwork, imposing public buildings… and the Roger Salengro swimming pool in Béthune, a true little-known gem of 1930s architecture.

    On the program: thematic guided tours led by guide-lecturers, practical stained glass, mosaic and ironwork workshops for young and old, and discovery tours in the city center to do at your own pace.

    A unique way to understand how the mining basin was rebuilt after 14-18 and to appreciate an industrial and architectural heritage often ignored by passing tourists.

    Complete program on pas-de-calais-tourisme.com

    You have until May 31 to explore this unique heritage — take advantage of spring to explore it!

  • Local Wine Show in Arras: French winegrowers at Artois Expo (April 24-26)

    📅 From April 24 to 26, 2026
    📍 Artois Expo, Saint-Laurent-Blangy — near Arras (62223)

    This weekend, lovers of good wines will meet at Artois Expo for the Salon des Vins de Terroir! Producers from all over France come together to showcase their best vintages and regional products.

    Wines from Burgundy, Bordeaux, Alsace, the Loire Valley… Each exhibitor offers their bottles directly for sale, often at estate prices, with the possibility of tasting before purchasing. A friendly and gourmet moment to discover the diversity of French terroirs.

    In addition to wines, producers of cheeses, charcuterie and other regional specialties are expected to complete the experience. A beautiful gourmet market a stone’s throw from Arras, in the spacious halls of Artois Expo.

    Artois Expo is easily accessible from Arras, Lens and the entire mining area. An ideal outing to properly prepare spring holiday meals with family or friends.

    More information on artois-expo-congres.fr

    Grab your glasses — and consider coming by carpool to fully enjoy the tastings!

  • Climb the belfry of Arras with the carillonneur: an unusual guided tour

    What if you discovered the secrets of the Arras Belfry from the inside? Until June 4, 2026, the Arras Tourist Office is offering a unique guided tour: “One to one with the carillonneur”.

    The belfry of the Arras Town Hall is one of the symbols of the city, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. But who really knows the secrets of his carillon? This guided tour takes you to meet the carillonneur in person, to understand how this exceptional instrument works and hear its story.

    An intimate experience, far from the usual tourist circuits. We go up to the floors, we discover the bells up close, and we leave with anecdotes that classic visits do not share. The kind of release that we still talk about long after.

    The visit is accessible to all and takes place in small groups. An original way to rediscover Arras, even if you know it well.

    Practical information:

    Until June 4, 2026 (Wednesdays) — Hôtel de Ville, Place des Héros, 62000 Arras

    Price: from €5.50 — Reservation: 03 21 51 26 95 or arraspaysdartois.com

    Share this idea for an outing with your friends — Arras still has surprises to offer!

  • “The miners’ strike”: a play in the heart of the Fosse Delloye

    On June 6, 2026, the Lewarde Historical Mining Center hosts an exceptional theatrical performance: “The miners’ strike”. A show performed on the very site of an old mining pit — a strong moment, full of emotion and memory.

    The play plunges the audience back into the tense atmosphere of social conflicts in the northern coal basin. The struggle of miners for their rights, their working conditions, their dignity: so many universal themes that still resonate today, in the villages and families of the mining area.

    Performing theater in a real pit, with authentic buildings in the background, is something unique. We are not in the theater — we are in history. This immersion makes the performance even more powerful and moving.

    The Lewarde Historical Mining Center is the largest mining museum in France, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and hosts numerous cultural events each year to bring this exceptional heritage to life.

    Practical information:

    Saturday June 6, 2026 — Fosse Delloye, Lewarde (59287)

    Information and reservations: 03 27 95 82 82 — chm-lewarde.com

    An event not to be missed. Share it with those around you — this story is ours!

  • Arras celebrates Art Deco until May 31: guided tours and workshops

    Did you know that Arras has an exceptional Art Deco heritage? Until May 31, 2026, the Spring of Art Déco invites you to discover it differently, thanks to guided tours and creative workshops.

    Organized by the Arras Pays d’Artois Tourist Office with several cities and countries of art and history in Pas-de-Calais, this event offers thematic visits lasting 1h30 led by passionate guide-lecturers. There we discover the Art Deco facades of the heart of Arras, born from the reconstruction after the First World War, and the interior of the Saint-Jean-Baptiste church with its remarkable stained glass windows.

    Also on the program: creative workshops around artistic crafts (stained glass, ironwork, mosaic), retro bus tour and costumed activities in the atmosphere of the Roaring Twenties.

    Practical information:

    Until May 31, 2026 — Price: €8.70 / Reduced: €4.20 / Free -6 years

    Reservation: 03 21 51 26 95 — pas-de-calais-tourisme.com

    A great opportunity to (re)discover Arras from a new angle. To share with your loved ones!

  • Breakfast underground in Arras: the unusual experience of the Carrière Wellington

    Have you ever had breakfast 20 meters underground? This is what Carrière Wellington in Arras offers with its “Underground Breakfast” experience, available until July 18, 2026.

    The concept is as original as it is unforgettable: a guided tour of the underground galleries dug by New Zealand soldiers during the First World War, followed by a real English breakfast served on site. On the menu: tea or coffee, bacon, beans, porridge, pancakes and orange marmalade — prepared by a chef from the Arrageois restaurant L’Œuf ou la Poule.

    The atmosphere is unique: in the tunnels of 1917, with history weighing on your shoulders. It’s both cultural, gustatory and truly exotic. An outing that will be remembered for a long time.

    Practical information:

    For 2 to 6 people — Bring warm clothing — Reservation required

    Rue Delétoille, 62000 Arras — Tel. : 03 21 51 26 95

    Book on the Wellington Career page.

    An unusual outing perfect for a group of friends or a birthday. Share the info!

  • The Comédie-Française exhibits its secret treasures at the Louvre-Lens

    We know the Comédie-Française for its plays. But its collections of paintings and sculptures? Much less. This is precisely what the Louvre-Lens invites us to discover until December 7, 2026.

    Nestled in the Mezzanine space (level -1) of the Lensois museum, the exhibition traces the artistic history of the “Maison de Molière”, the oldest theatrical troupe in the world. From portraits of famous actors to sculptures commissioned to adorn the salons of the institution, we discover a little-known part of French cultural heritage.

    Marble busts, ceremonial paintings, stage objects never taken out of storage: the Comédie-Française has accumulated treasures since its founding in 1680, and the exhibition at the Louvre-Lens is a truly rare opportunity to discover them.

    Access to this exhibition is included in the entrance ticket: €12 / €6 reduced / free for under 18s. Open Tuesday-Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

    To prepare for your visit: the complete program of exhibitions at the Louvre-Lens.

    You have until December 7 to go. Share the information around you!

  • The Thousand and One Nights are coming to the Louvre-Lens until July

    If you are looking for an exceptional cultural outing in the mining area, look no further. Until July 20, 2026, the Louvre-Lens is hosting the exhibition “Beyond the Thousand and One Nights”, a breathtaking visual journey between East and West.

    With nearly 300 masterpieces brought together for the occasion, the exhibition explores the circulation of forms, objects and imaginations between two worlds which have mutually influenced each other, from the Middle Ages to today. We discover how Western artists were fascinated by the Orient, and how this enthusiasm has shaped centuries of art and culture.

    From rugs to Persian miniatures, calligraphies to European orientalist paintings: each room is a surprise. The museum is open Tuesday to Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., closed Monday.

    Prices: €12 / €6 (18-25 years old and teachers) / Free for under 18s.

    To find out everything about timetables and guided tours, go to the official Louvre-Lens website.

    An exhibition to share with family or friends, just a stone’s throw from home. Take advantage before July 20!

  • 1,500 km of marked cycling routes are arriving in the Mining Basin this summer — the largest network in the North!

    Great news for all cyclists in the mining area! This summer 2026, the area will host the largest bow tie network (RPN) in the Nord department: nearly 1,500 km of marked routes to explore the region by bike.

    What is a network of bow ties? It’s a very simple marking system: each intersection on the network has a number. To compose your route, simply string together the numbers you want to reach. No need for a complicated map, no need for an application: you choose your circuit in a few numbers and you pedal!

    This network will cover the entire mining basin, from Valenciennes to Lens, via Douai. More than 5,000 signs will be deployed to guide cyclists through slag heaps, parks, villages and industrial landscapes transformed into green spaces.

    Pending full opening, part of the network is already available in the Scheldt plains. Free maps can be collected from the tourist offices of Valenciennes, Porte du Hainaut, Douaisis, Cœur d’Ostrevent and Pévèle-Carembault.

    Our mining area is becoming a real cycling destination. With its unique landscapes – slag heaps, settlements, canals – it deserves to be explored on two wheels. Prepare your bikes: this summer is going to be exceptional!

    📍 Mining Basin — from Valenciennes to Lens (via Douai)

    📅 Full opening planned for summer 2026

    🔗 More information: info.lenord.fr

  • May by bike in the Pays d’Artois: pedal and find your summer bike

    May will be cycling month in the Pays d’Artois! The “May by bike” operation invites all residents of the region to get on their bicycles to explore the artesian landscapes.

    Throughout the month of May, guided bike rides and hikes are organized in the Arras region. Families, beginners or experienced cyclists: there are outings for all levels. This is an opportunity to discover the countryside, villages and landscapes of the mining basin other than by car.

    And to end this month in style, a bicycle fair is organized on May 30 in Arras. Do you have a bike to sell? A child who has grown up and whose bike is too small? Or are you looking to equip yourself for the summer without breaking the bank? This is the ideal meeting place to buy, sell or exchange used bikes.

    Our region has more and more cycle paths and greenways. The mining basin, with its slag heaps and transformed industrial landscapes, offers surprising and magnificent cycling routes. Take advantage of the month of May to explore them!

    Contact the Arras Pays d’Artois Tourist Office to obtain the detailed program of guided outings.

    📍 Arras and communes of Pays d’Artois

    📅 May 2026 — Bicycle exchange on May 30

    🔗 More information: arraspaysdartois.com

🇫🇷 Français|🇬🇧 English|🇩🇪 Deutsch|🇳🇱 Nederlands