Mines de Beffrois

Le blog touristique du bassin minier

Author: Luc Hermes

  • Les Esti’Vals in Valenciennes — Summer Festival from 3 to 16 August

    📅 From 3 to 16 August 2026
    📍 Valenciennes

    Les Esti’Vals are back from 3 to 16 August in Valenciennes! This summer festival offers two weeks of concerts, shows, activities and discoveries throughout the city. The perfect opportunity to enjoy summer in the Valenciennes area.

    On the programme: open-air concerts, family activities, cultural discoveries and moments of conviviality. The festival takes over the neighbourhoods, squares and green spaces of Valenciennes to offer a rich and varied programme.

    Les Esti’Vals have become a must-attend summer event in Valenciennes, attracting thousands of visitors each year. An event to enjoy with family or friends in one of the finest cities in the North!

    👉 More info on the City of Valenciennes website

  • Concert by Maxime Mouquet at 9-9bis — Music in the Exhibition

    📅 Sunday 2 August 2026 at 5:30 PM
    📍 9-9bis, rue Christophe Colomb, Oignies

    On Sunday 2 August at 5:30 PM, 9-9bis hosts a concert by Maxime Mouquet as part of the current exhibition. A unique musical moment in a place steeped in history, at the heart of the UNESCO-listed remarkable mining site.

    The artist offers a musical performance in resonance with the exhibited works, creating an unprecedented dialogue between sonic art and industrial heritage. Admission is free — a cultural rendezvous not to be missed this summer in the mining basin.

    The 9-9bis, a former pit head converted into a cultural venue, offers an exceptional setting for this type of event. Between slag heaps and industrial architecture, music takes on a whole new dimension.

    👉 More info on the 9-9bis website

  • Ernest Delille, a Genius Architect — Meet & Drink at 9-9bis in Oignies

    📅 Friday 31 July 2026 at 6:30 PM
    📍 9-9bis, rue Christophe Colomb, Oignies

    On Friday 31 July, 9-9bis invites you to a meet & drink event dedicated to Ernest Delille, a genius architect of the mining basin. Accompanied by Rémi Godderis, architect at Maisons &Cités, this evening offers a chance to discover the remarkable work of this architect who shaped the mining landscape.

    Ernest Delille left a lasting mark on the architecture of the mining basin. His garden cities, churches and public buildings testify to unique expertise. This conference-apero is an opportunity to understand how a visionary architect designed the daily life of miners and their families.

    The event takes place as part of the 9-9bis summer programme, a UNESCO-listed remarkable mining site. An evening combining heritage, culture and conviviality.

    👉 More info on the 9-9bis website

  • Douai in 60 Minutes — Flash tours of the City of the Gayant Giants

    📅 From 25 July to 29 August 2026
    📍 Douaisis Tourisme, 70 place d’Armes, Douai

    Discover Douai in 60 minutes! This summer, the tourist office offers flash tours of the city, giving you all the essentials in record time. Belfry, Spanish houses, Chartreuse Museum… the guides will tell you everything about the City of the Gayant Giants.

    These flash tours are perfect for those who want to discover Douai without spending half a day. In 60 minutes, you’ll explore the must-sees of Douai’s heritage, from medieval streets to Flemish facades. An ideal format for curious visitors in a hurry!

    Tours run regularly throughout the summer, starting from the tourist office. Don’t forget to book your slot.

    👉 More info on the City of Douai website

  • Sophr’Arbre at Parc Charles Fenain — Concerts under the trees in Douai

    📅 Friday 25 July 2026
    📍 Parc Charles Fenain, Douai

    This Friday 25 July, Parc Charles Fenain in Douai hosts Sophr’Arbre, a musical and friendly outdoor event. On the programme: concerts, a relaxed atmosphere and artistic discovery in an exceptional green setting.

    Sophr’Arbre offers varied musical performances under the century-old trees of Parc Charles Fenain. It’s the perfect opportunity to enjoy a summer evening with family or friends, in one of Douai’s most beloved green spaces.

    Parc Charles Fenain is an iconic location in the Douai area, offering a natural setting ideal for relaxation and discovery. Accessible to all, this event is part of the city’s summer programme.

    👉 More info on the City of Douai website

  • Summer Mondays at the Sea — Coastal Excursions from Bruay-La-Buissière

    Summer Mondays at the Sea — Coastal Excursions from Bruay-La-Buissiere

    📅 From 6 July to 24 August 2026 (Mondays)
    📍 Departure from Bruay-La-Buissiere

    Summer Mondays at the Sea offer organised excursions to the Opal Coast from Bruay-La-Buissiere. A practical way to combine coastal discovery with local life in the mining basin!

    Every Monday in summer, a bus leaves Bruay-La-Buissiere to take you to the finest beaches in Pas-de-Calais. It’s the perfect opportunity to breathe in the sea air, discover the spectacular landscapes of the Opal Coast, and enjoy a full day by the sea.

    These excursions are organised by the Bruay-La-Buissiere town hall and are accessible to all budgets. An ideal way to vary your holiday pleasures, simply and easily.

    Source: Town of Bruay-La-Buissiere

  • Urban Beach in Bruay-La-Buissière — Family Summer from 24 July to 9 August

    Urban Beach in Bruay-La-Buissiere — Family Summer from 24 July to 9 August

    📅 From 24 July to 9 August 2026
    📍 Bruay-La-Buissiere (location confirmed on the town hall website)

    The Bruay-La-Buissiere urban beach is back for summer! Sandpits, water games, inflatable structures and activities for children: everything you need for a great holiday without leaving the mining basin.

    Every year, the town of Bruay-La-Buissiere transforms a green space into a temporary seaside resort. Children can enjoy the water games while parents relax on deck chairs. Sports and leisure activities are organised throughout the day.

    It’s the perfect opportunity to enjoy the sunny days in a festive, family atmosphere. The urban beach is free and open to all. Don’t forget your sunscreen and swimsuit!

    Source: Town of Bruay-La-Buissiere

  • Vimy Ridge Tunnels and Trenches Guided Tours — Living History

    Vimy Ridge Tunnels and Trenches Guided Tours — Living History

    📅 Until 30 September 2026
    📍 Canadian National Memorial, Vimy (Pas-de-Calais)

    Canadian student guides take you on a discovery of the preserved trench and tunnel system at the Vimy site. A moving visit through underground passages where soldiers lived and fought over a hundred years ago.

    The Canadian National Memorial site at Vimy is one of the most moving places in Pas-de-Calais. The original trenches, preserved as they were during the First World War, help visitors understand the soldiers’ living conditions. The tunnels, dug into the chalk, sheltered thousands of men before the assault.

    Guided tours by bilingual Canadian students provide unique insight into this chapter of history. The memorial itself, with its impressive sculptures, is a masterpiece not to be missed.

    Source: Lens-Lievin Tourist Office

  • Exhibition Concrete, Marble, Flowers, Fire at Cambrai Tank 1917

    Exhibition “Concrete, Marble, Flowers, Fire” at Cambrai Tank 1917

    📅 From 24 June to 13 August 2026
    📍 Cambrai Tank 1917, 16 rue du Calvaire, 59267 Flesquieres

    Cambrai Tank 1917 hosts a fascinating exhibition: “Concrete, Marble, Flowers, Fire”. This artistic exploration blends military heritage and contemporary creation in a place steeped in history.

    Cambrai Tank 1917, an interpretation centre located at the Flesquieres site, is dedicated to the Battle of Cambrai in 1917, the first large-scale use of tanks. The current exhibition offers an unexpected dialogue between the raw materials of war (concrete, steel) and the beauty of reborn nature (flowers, fire).

    A cultural and memorial rendezvous that shows how art can transform our perspective on history. Accessible to all audiences, the exhibition complements the visit to the interpretation centre.

    Source: Cambresis Tourism

  • Arras Summer Guinguette — Concerts and Atmosphere at Val de Scarpe

    Arras Summer Guinguette — Concerts and Atmosphere at Val de Scarpe

    📅 Until 30 August 2026
    📍 Val de Scarpe, rue de la Piscine, 62000 Arras

    The Arras Summer Guinguette is back for a season of concerts, encounters and conviviality by the water! Set up at the Val de Scarpe, it offers musical evenings in a green and relaxed setting.

    Every week, local and regional artists take the stage for free open-air concerts. The atmosphere is family-friendly and warm: refreshment bar, food stalls and an outdoor dance floor. It’s the must-attend summer rendezvous in Arras, attracting locals and tourists alike.

    The Val de Scarpe, with its tree-lined walkways and water feature, is the ideal backdrop for successful summer evenings. Check the full programme on the Tourist Office website.

    Source: Arras Pays d’Artois Tourisme

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