Mines de Beffrois

Le blog touristique du bassin minier

Author: Luc Hermes

  • Climbing the Slag Heaps: Conquer the Tallest in Europe at Loos-en-Gohelle

    Climbing the Slag Heaps: Conquer the Tallest in Europe at Loos-en-Gohelle

    📅 August 21-28, 2026
    📍 Twin slag heaps of Loos-en-Gohelle (Pas-de-Calais)

    It’s an experience to try at least once in a lifetime: climbing a slag heap, these iconic artificial hills of the mining basin, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

    The ascent of the twin slag heaps of Loos-en-Gohelle, peaking at nearly 190 meters, offers an exceptional panorama over the entire mining basin. At the summit, the view extends on clear days all the way to the English Channel coast. It’s also the opportunity to understand the unique geography of this territory marked by the mining industry.

    Guided tours are organized regularly, allowing visitors to discover the wildlife and flora that have recolonized these spaces since the end of mining operations. A journey between nature, history and remarkable landscape.

    An unforgettable walk in the heart of World Heritage!

    🔗 Lens-Liévin Tourism Office

  • Arras Summer Guinguette: Festivities by the Scarpe River

    Arras Summer Guinguette: Festivities by the Scarpe River

    📅 Until August 30, 2026
    📍 Rue de la piscine, Arras (Pas-de-Calais)

    The Arras Summer Guinguette is back to brighten your summer evenings! Set in the heart of the Val de Scarpe, it offers concerts, shows, local producers’ market and a warm atmosphere throughout the summer.

    Each summer, the Arras Guinguette transforms the banks of the Scarpe into a place of encounters and conviviality. Free concerts, shows for young and old, food trucks and bar, creative workshops and outdoor games: there’s something for everyone!

    It’s the ideal place to unwind after work, enjoy a family picnic or discover the local scene in a green and relaxed setting. Accessible to all, the Guinguette has become an unmissable summer rendezvous in Arras.

    Until August 30, come enjoy the Guinguette at Val de Scarpe in Arras!

    🔗 Arras Pays d’Artois Agenda

  • Douai Fair Expo 2026: 82nd Edition at the Exhibition Park

    Douai Fair Expo 2026: 82nd Edition at the Exhibition Park

    📅 September 5-14, 2026
    📍 Gayant Expo, Douai (Nord)

    The Douai Fair Expo returns for its 82nd edition from September 5 to 14, 2026 at the Gayant Expo exhibition park! Immersive exhibitions, unique entertainment and discoveries from all horizons make this event an unmissable back-to-school rendezvous.

    For ten days, the Gayant Expo park transforms into a vast space of discoveries: exhibitor stands, shows, family entertainment, food court and much more. The Douai Fair Expo is one of the most important regional fairs in the North, attracting tens of thousands of visitors each year.

    With its varied entertainment, exhibitors from all sectors and its friendly atmosphere, the Fair Expo is the ideal place to discover new products, find good deals and enjoy a pleasant moment with family or friends.

    See you from September 5 to 14 at Gayant Expo, Douai!

    🔗 More info on JDS

  • 65th Smoked Garlic Fair of Arleux: The Great Gourmet Festival

    65th Smoked Garlic Fair of Arleux: The Great Gourmet Festival

    📅 September 5-7, 2026
    📍 Arleux (Nord)

    The 65th Smoked Garlic Fair of Arleux returns from September 5 to 7, 2026! This is the must-attend gourmet event in the mining basin, celebrating smoked garlic, the town’s iconic product.

    With over six decades of tradition, the Smoked Garlic Fair brings together thousands of visitors each year around local producers. On the program: tasting and sale of smoked garlic of course, but also markets, entertainment, fairground rides and fireworks to close the festivities.

    Arleux is the birthplace of smoked garlic, a unique specialty from Northern France. The cloves are smoked using ancestral know-how that gives them an unmistakable taste. The perfect opportunity to discover an authentic gastronomic heritage and meet passionate producers.

    See you from September 5 to 7 in Arleux to savor and celebrate!

    🔗 Official website of the Garlic Fair | Arleux Agenda

  • Loos-en-Gohelle Book Fair: Meet Local Authors!

    📅 Saturday, September 12, 2026
    📍 Forum de Loos-en-Gohelle

    The Book Fair returns to Loos-en-Gohelle! Organized by Loos TV, this literary event offers author meet-and-greets, book signings and activities around reading.

    A great cultural back-to-school event in the mining basin for book lovers and local culture enthusiasts.

    🔗 More info from the Loos-en-Gohelle website

  • Graff & War Exhibition at Cambrai Tank 1917 in Flesquières

    📅 From May 23 to September 20, 2026
    📍 Cambrai Tank 1917, 16 rue du Calvaire, Flesquières

    The Cambrai Tank 1917 museum hosts the Graff & War exhibition, an original exploration of street art and war.

    The exhibition highlights the links between urban art and conflicts, through works by contemporary graffiti artists who use military history as their backdrop. An original approach that brings past and present into dialogue at a unique heritage site.

    🔗 More info from the Cambrésis tourism website

  • Vitrum Exhibition “Glass, from Sand and Fire” at Vaucelles Abbey

    📅 From March 15 to October 31, 2026
    📍 Archéo’site, 882 rue Haute, Les Rues-des-Vignes

    The Archéo’site in Les Rues-des-Vignes presents the Vitrum exhibition: Glass, from Sand and Fire.

    Discover the secrets of glassmaking, from Antiquity to the present day. Sand, soda and heat: how these simple elements are transformed into objects of art and everyday use. A fascinating exploration of glassmaking skills through the centuries.

    💰 Admission: Adult €6 – Child €5

    🔗 More info from the Cambrésis tourism website

  • Exhibition Tribute to Auguste Herbin “Dialogue of Alphabets” in Le Cateau-Cambrésis

    📅 From May 23 to September 20, 2026
    📍 Musée Henri Matisse, Place du Commandant Richez, Le Cateau-Cambrésis

    The Musée Henri Matisse in Le Cateau-Cambrésis pays tribute to Auguste Herbin with the exhibition “Dialogue of Alphabets.”

    Auguste Herbin, born in Quiévy in the Cambrésis region in 1882, is a major painter of geometric abstract art. Co-founder of the Abstraction-Création group, he invented a plastic alphabet linking sounds, colours and shapes.

    An exhibition not to be missed, within the museum’s collections, in the very place where Herbin was born and grew up.

    🔗 More info from the Cambrésis tourism website

  • “Les Mondes Invisibles” Biennale in Béthune and Bruay: Art Brut from the Mining Basin

    📅 From May 23 to November 15, 2026
    📍 Béthune and Bruay-La-Buissière

    The 2nd visual arts biennale pays tribute to Augustin Lesage, a miner-painter associated with the spiritualist movement. In 1911, deep in the mine, a voice told him: “One day, you will be a painter.”

    🎨 What’s on:
    – Exhibitions across several venues in Destination Béthune-Bruay
    – Artistic showcases at the Cité des Électriciens: works by former miners and contemporary artists
    – Creative workshops (dreamcatcher, dot painting mandalas, cyanotype, modeling)
    – Murder game “Mission Antidote” at Géotopia, Mont-Bernanchon
    – Holiday workshop: cyanotype & book at Labanque, Béthune (August 19-20)

    An unmissable event celebrating the connection between mining heritage and artistic creation.

    🔗 More info from the Tourist Office

  • The Champions Burger at Noyelles-Godault: A Burger Championship at Aushopping!

    📅 August 6–23, 2026
    📍 Aushopping Noyelles-Godault, Porte E parking

    The burger championship is stopping at Aushopping Noyelles-Godault, promising to become one of the must-attend food events of the summer!

    For over two weeks, street food lovers can discover and taste the best creations from across Europe in a festive and friendly atmosphere.

    🍔 **What’s on:**
    – A curated selection of food trucks showcasing burgers in every form
    – Refreshing drinks to complement your meal
    – An exceptional setting with an atmosphere designed for all audiences
    – Pets welcome

    💰 **Fixed price: €13.95 per burger**
    🎟️ **Free entry**

    Freely accessible from the parking area opposite Porte E, this event is open to everyone. A perfect opportunity to try original recipes, meet fellow food enthusiasts, and share a gourmet moment with friends or family.

    🔗 [Learn more at thechampionsburger.com](https://thechampionsburger.com/fr/lille/)

    📍 Avenue de la République, 62950 Noyelles-Godault

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