Mines de Beffrois

Le blog touristique du bassin minier

Author: Luc Hermes

  • European Heritage Days 2026 at 9-9bis: Tours, Workshops and Discoveries

    📅 Saturday 19 and Sunday 20 September 2026

    📍 9-9bis, Rue Alain Bashung, Oignies

    The European Heritage Days 2026 take over the 9-9bis for an exceptional weekend! On the programme: guided tours of the remarkable mining site, backstage tours of the Metaphone, an unusual olfactory walk, screen printing and sound creation workshops, as well as the Remonter au jour exhibition and an interactive sound garden.

    This year, the 9-9bis also offers a new geocaching trail at the Cite Darcy in Henin-Beaumont to explore the UNESCO mining landscape in a fun way. An unmissable event to celebrate the heritage of the mining basin!

    🎯 Free entry – Registration recommended for guided tours

    More info on the 9-9bis website

  • Arras Fair 2026: Two Weeks of Fun at the Val de Scarpe

    📅 From 28 August to 14 September 2026 📍 Esplanade du Val de Scarpe, Arras The Arras Fair returns for two weeks of fun and excitement on the Esplanade du Val de Scarpe! One of the must-attend end-of-summer events in the mining basin. 🎠 **2026 Season Highlights:** – **Friday 28 August**: Buy 1 ticket, get 1 free (print the discount coupon) – **Saturday 28 August**: Brazilian dancers – Samba from Rio de Janeiro! Parade from 4pm to 6pm – **Wednesday 2 September**: KPOP Mascots – roaming from 4pm to 6pm – **Saturday 5 September**: Drone show at 10:30pm! – **Wednesday 9 September**: Les Rigolotruches! – funny ostriches roaming from 4pm to 6pm + reduced rates all day – **Saturday 12 September**: Les Zanimaux Fantastiks! – giant colourful creatures from 4pm to 6pm 🎢 **Thrill and Family Rides:** Air One Maxxx, Bumper Cars, Le Chantier fun house, Booster 2, Halloween 2 (ghost train), Magic Dance, Swing Music 🧒 **Children’s Rides:** Acro-Bungy, Autopiste, Goldorack, Joyeux Rallye, Le Dragon, Mini-skooter, Plaisir Enfantin, Space Lab 🍔 **Food and Stalls:** Au Chalet Gourmand, La Chaumière, Original Burger, Nougat Claudette and many more! ℹ️ **Practical Information:** – Fair opens at 2pm on animation days – Free entry, pay per ride with tickets – Free parking nearby 🔗 More info at [foire-arras.fr](http://www.foire-arras.fr/)

  • Climbing the Twin Slag Heaps of Loos-en-Gohelle: A Unique European Experience

    📅 From 21 to 26 August 2026
    📍 Twin slag heaps, Loos-en-Gohelle

    Climbing the twin slag heaps of Loos-en-Gohelle is an experience to try at least once! At 186 metres altitude, they are the highest slag heaps in Europe.

    Guided nature walks allow you to discover the remarkable biodiversity that has recolonised these mining spaces, while enjoying an exceptional panoramic view over the entire mining basin. A meeting point between nature, sport and UNESCO heritage.

    Source : https://tourisme-lens.fr/sortir/les-evenements/

  • STRANO at 9-9bis: Circus Under the Stars on 13 September

    📅 Sunday 13 September 2026 at 6:00 PM
    📍 9-9bis, Rue Alain Bashung, 62590 Oignies

    Circus Trottola presents STRANO at the 9-9bis in Oignies. An outdoor circus show in the unique setting of the UNESCO World Heritage mining site.

    Acrobatics, emotion and poetry at the heart of a place steeped in history. Circus Trottola, an iconic circus company, takes over the 9-9bis for an exceptional evening.

    Source : https://9-9bis.com/evenement/strano/

  • Festi’Lens Retro: The Retro Festival in Lens on 6 September

    📅 Sunday 6 September 2026
    📍 Lens

    Festi’Lens Retro returns to liven up the city of Lens! On the programme: vintage atmosphere, music, entertainment and conviviality in the streets of Lens.

    A festive event celebrating the cultural identity of Lens and its heritage, between mining memory and contemporary dynamism. Not to be missed for fans of retro atmosphere and local festivities.

    Source : https://tourisme-lens.fr/sortir/les-evenements/

  • Visages de la Mine at 9-9bis: Cinema-Concert on 6 September

    📅 Sunday 6 September 2026 at 5:30 PM
    📍 9-9bis, Rue Alain Bashung, 62590 Oignies

    The 9-9bis presents “Visages de la Mine”, a cinema-concert by Pierre Marescaux and Anatole Zephyr. A show combining archival images of the mining basin with live music, bringing the history of miners and their families back to life.

    A unique heritage event in a UNESCO World Heritage site that resonates with the soul of the mining territory.

    Source : https://9-9bis.com/evenement/visages-de-la-mine-2026/

  • Graff In Lens: First Edition of the Street Art Festival

    📅 22 and 23 August 2026
    📍 Lens, city centre

    For its first edition, the City of Lens and the SPOT 13 association join forces to create Graff In Lens, an event dedicated to street art and graffiti.

    Local and national artists will take over the walls of Lens for live creations, participatory workshops and demonstrations. A free event celebrating urban art in a city shaped by mining history and cultural renewal.

    Source : https://tourisme-lens.fr/sortir/les-evenements/

  • Gervais Martel, Mining in His Blood – Meet & Greet at 9-9bis

    📅 Thursday 28 August 2026 at 6:30 PM
    📍 9-9bis, Rue Alain Bashung, 62590 Oignies

    The 9-9bis offers an exceptional encounter with Gervais Martel, emblematic figure of the Racing Club de Lens, for a meet & greet evening titled “Mining in His Blood”.

    This evening combines mining heritage and the history of Lens football. Gervais Martel will share his attachment to the mining basin territory and the cultural legacy linking the club to its land.

    The event is fully booked but remains worth highlighting for the richness of the heritage programming at this UNESCO-listed site.

    Source : https://9-9bis.com/evenement/apero-rencontre-gervais-martel/

  • Gervais Martel, Mining in His Blood: A Unique Encounter at 9-9bis

    Gervais Martel, Mining in His Blood: A Unique Encounter at 9-9bis

    📅 Friday, August 28, 2026 at 6:30pm
    📍 9-9bis, Rue Alain Bashung, Oignies (Pas-de-Calais)

    The aperitif-meeting with Gervais Martel is a unique moment at the 9-9bis! The iconic former president of RC Lens will share his intimate story with the mining basin, a territory whose memory and passion he carries.

    Gervais Martel, an unavoidable figure in football and the mining basin, will recount how the mines forged his character and determination. Beyond sports, this is a story of territory, community and resilience that this aperitif-meeting invites you to discover.

    A sold-out event that promises emotion and authenticity, in the exceptional setting of the 9-9bis, a former mining site listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

    ⚠️ Note: This event is announced as sold out on the 9-9bis website. Please check for availability.

    🔗 Info on 9-9bis.com

  • Embroidery Workshop at 9-9bis: From Mine to Needle

    Embroidery Workshop at 9-9bis: From Mine to Needle

    📅 Sunday, August 30, 2026 at 10am
    📍 9-9bis, Rue Alain Bashung, Oignies (Pas-de-Calais)

    Come discover the art of embroidery in the heart of the remarkable 9-9bis mining site! This introductory workshop immerses you in a unique craft skill, connected to the textile history of the mining basin.

    The “From Mine to Needle” workshop invites young and old to learn embroidery in the exceptional setting of the 9-9bis, a UNESCO World Heritage site. The opportunity to discover ancestral embroidery gestures while drawing inspiration from the surrounding mining landscape.

    This workshop is open to all, beginners and experienced alike, and allows you to leave with your own creation. An ideal activity for a Sunday with the family in the heart of the mining basin’s history.

    🔗 Info and booking on 9-9bis.com

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