Mines de Beffrois

Le blog touristique du bassin minier

Author: f.deschodt@gmail.com

  • Beer Festival in Arras: artisan brewers on the Grand Place on May 2 and 3

    Lovers of craft beers, take note of these two dates in your diary: May 2 and 3, 2026, the Beer Festival takes place on the magnificent Grand Place in Arras for two days of conviviality and good humor.

    Under the Flemish arcades of one of the most beautiful squares in the north of France, regional and national craft brewers will taste their creations. Blonde, amber, brown, IPA, seasonal beers… something to delight all palates, even those who didn’t think they were fans of hops.

    Also on the program: live concerts to set the mood and food trucks to accompany the beers with good little snacks. Entrance is free, good humor is guaranteed.

    Arras alone is worth the trip: its two monumental squares, its UNESCO-listed belfry and its baroque facades make it one of the architectural jewels of Pas-de-Calais. Combine the city tour and the Oktoberfest for a successful weekend!

    To find out more: Arras Pays d’Artois Tourisme.

    To your health! And share the information with your friends who love good craft beers.

  • Les Enchanteurs: last concerts before the end of the festival

    The Les Enchanteurs festival ends tomorrow, April 16, 2026. Since the end of February, 42 groups have traveled to 29 towns in Hauts-de-France to bring music as close as possible to the inhabitants of the mining basin and Artois.

    The principle of the festival is simple and beautiful: bringing music into everyday places — village halls, media libraries, schoolyards, village squares. Concerts are often free, accessible to all, far from the big halls and big headliners. Just music, people and territory.

    The latest dates are held in particular in Aix-Noulette and in several neighboring towns. If you haven’t had the chance to go yet, this is your last chance this season.

    To find the complete program and concert venues: Arras Pays d’Artois Tourisme — Events calendar.

    Don’t miss the latest notes — and see you at the next edition of Les Enchanteurs!

  • The great awakening of nature at Aquaterra this weekend

    This weekend of April 15, 16 and 17, the Aquaterra park in Hénin-Beaumont is offering an exceptional nature program for the whole family. Three days to reconnect with life, just a stone’s throw from home.

    On the program:

    Wednesday April 15 — Discovery of bees: who are they? How do they live? Why are they so important? A fun and educational activity for young and old alike.
    Thursday, April 16 — Exploration of garden insects: under the magnifying glass, in the grass, under the stones… the world of insects will no longer have any secrets for you.
    Friday April 17 — Outdoor spring concert, to celebrate the awakening of nature with music.

    Aquaterra is a natural space set up along the river, accessible to all and free. An ideal place to take the children out during the school holidays while learning about local biodiversity.

    To consult the complete agenda of activities at Aquaterra: Agglo Hénin-Carvin website.

    This weekend, we’re taking out our boots and heading out to explore nature with the kids!

  • The Art Deco Spring blooms throughout the mining basin

    From April 3 to May 31, 2026, the mining area celebrates Art Deco in all its forms. The Art Deco Spring brings together the Tourist Offices of Arras, Béthune-Bruay and Lens-Liévin for a celebration of the architectural heritage of the Roaring Twenties.

    But what is Art Deco in our region? After the First World War, entire sections of the North were rebuilt in this modern, geometric and elegant style. In Arras, 80% destroyed in 1918, entire neighborhoods were rebuilt with these characteristic lines. In Lens and Liévin, an entire mining town bears this architectural imprint.

    On the program: thematic guided tours in the streets, workshops to understand the construction techniques of the time, exhibitions in cultural places and festive events in city centers. Outings for all ages, often free or at low prices.

    To discover the complete program and dates of visits near you: Pas-de-Calais Tourisme — Printemps de l’Art Déco.

    Look up in your streets: Art Deco may be there, right above your head!

  • “Go back to the day”: free visits to the mine at 9-9bis d’Oignies

    Every week, from Wednesday to Sunday, the 9-9bis mine hall in Oignies opens its doors free of charge to bring the history of the mining area to life. The Going Back to Day exhibition is accessible from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m., and guided tours of the site are offered every day at 3 p.m.

    What does it mean to “go back to the day”? For the miners, it was the time to return to the surface after hours of work in the dark galleries. This exhibition delves into this working-class reality through archives, testimonies and everyday objects of black faces.

    9-9bis is one of the best preserved sites in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais mining basin, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2012. Visiting this place is paying homage to generations of workers who built the wealth of this region.

    Entrance is completely free. An Info Point offered by the Lens-Liévin Tourist Office is also open on site. To prepare for your visit: 9-9bis.com.

    A visit to make at least once in your life — take your children, your parents, your friends!

  • “Second Souffle”: when sport meets art at 9-9bis d’Oignies

    Since April 15 and until December 6, 2026, the 9-9bis mining site in Oignies is hosting a brand new exhibition: Second Souffle. A title which takes on its full meaning here, in the heart of a mining quarry converted into a cultural place.

    The exhibition brings contemporary works of art and heritage archives into dialogue around three strong themes: sport, movement and breath. The place chosen to welcome him is not insignificant: the legendary shower room of 9-9bis, full of the history of the miners who descended every day to the bottom of the earth.

    A unique place for an exhibition that questions our bodies, our efforts and our relationship with time. Admission is free from Wednesday to Sunday, from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. Ideal for a cultural outing with family or friends, in a setting classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

    To find out everything about the 9-9bis programming, visit the official 9-9bis website.

    An exhibition to experience and share — the mining basin never ceases to surprise you!

  • The Comédie-Française comes to the Louvre-Lens for free

    Good news for theater lovers and families in the mining area: until December 7, 2026, the Louvre-Lens is hosting a free exhibition dedicated to the masterpieces of the Comédie-Française.

    Stage costumes, miniature sets, portraits of famous actors and unpublished documents: this exhibition retraces 350 years of history of the oldest theater in the world still in operation. A journey behind the scenes of French performing arts, accessible to all without paying a cent.

    The exhibition is installed in the Mezzanine Space on level -1 of the museum. It is included in the visit to the Time Gallery, itself free. It is therefore a zero-euro cultural outing for the whole family, a stone’s throw from the slag heaps and settlements of Pas-de-Calais.

    The Louvre-Lens is open every day except Tuesday, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. To prepare for your visit, consult the official Louvre-Lens agenda.

    A free and enriching outing not to be missed — share the information with those around you!

  • The Louvre-Lens takes you to the thousand and one nights

    In Lens, the Louvre-Lens museum is offering an extraordinary exhibition until July 20, 2026. Beyond the Arabian Nights — Stories of Orientalism invites you on a fascinating journey between East and West, through nearly 300 masterpieces.

    The exhibition explores how forms, imagination and knowledge have circulated between cultures over the centuries. Paintings, sculptures, decorative arts and precious manuscripts come together to tell the story of these exchanges. A rich program, designed for all audiences, from the very curious to the confirmed art lover.

    The Louvre-Lens is also a remarkable building located on the old slag heaps of the mining basin, a stone’s throw from the mine shafts listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Coming here is to experience a double journey: that of art and that of the industrial history of the North.

    The museum is open Monday to Sunday (except Tuesday) from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. To find out more and reserve your tickets, go to the official Louvre-Lens website.

    And you, when are you going there? Share this article with your loved ones!

  • La Table du Mineur: the essential restaurant in Oignies

    Nestled in the heart of the Nord-Pas-de-Calais Mining Basin, the Restaurant La Table du Mineur offers generous and authentic local cuisine, in a setting steeped in history. Ideally located a stone’s throw from the Saint-Rémy pit in Oignies, this family establishment will delight both locals and passing visitors.

    Northern cuisine, generous and sincere

    The menu changes with the seasons and highlights local producers. There you will find the great classics of ch’ti cuisine: Flemish stew simmered with craft beer, Welsh with melted cheddar, homemade potjevleesch served with fresh fries. The portions are generous, the prices reasonable, and the welcome warm.

    A unique setting, between history and conviviality

    The restaurant occupies a tastefully renovated former hanged man’s room. The original red bricks, old photos of miners and period tools create a unique atmosphere that immerses diners in the mining history of the region. A shaded terrace is available in summer, with a view of the neighboring slag heap.

    Practical information

    Address: 12 rue des Mineurs, 62590 Oignies
    Hours: Tuesday to Sunday, noon and evening (closed Monday)
    Reservation: Recommended on weekends
    Telephone: 03 21 XX XX XX

  • Climb the belfry of Arras with the carillonneur every Thursday

    The Arras tourist office offers a unique guided tour: climb the UNESCO belfry with the carillonneur, discover the mechanisms of the carillon and enjoy an exceptional view of the city. Every Thursday from April 9 to June 4, 2026.

    Price from €5.50. Reservation recommended.

    Source: arraspaysdartois.com

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