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!

The Louvre-Lens opens the doors to a fabulous world this spring. Until July 20, 2026, the exhibition “Beyond the Arabian Nights. Stories of orientalisms” awaits you in Lens.

Imagine nearly 300 major works brought together in the museum: paintings, sculptures, decorative arts, miniatures… All celebrate this dream of the Orient which has fascinated Western artists for centuries. Great masters rub shoulders with contemporary artists, from the 17th century to today.

The exhibition explores the multiple perspectives on the Orient: sometimes exotic, sometimes fantasized, often misunderstood. It invites us to think about how the arts have constructed — and deconstructed — these images. A rich journey, accessible to all, which combines wonder and reflection.

And the setting is not insignificant: the Louvre-Lens, with its large, bright galleries and modern architecture, offers a perfect setting for this trip. The museum is easily accessible by train from Lille, Arras or Douai. Entrance to the temporary exhibition is chargeable, the Galerie du Temps remains free.

For families, special activities are offered on weekends and during school holidays. Do not hesitate to consult the complete program on the museum website before your visit.

An exhibition not to be missed in our mining area this summer. Share the information with your loved ones and prepare your visit now!

📍 Louvre-Lens — 99 rue Paul Bert, 62300 Lens

📅 Until July 20, 2026

🔗 More information: www.louvrelens.fr

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!

The Gayant Festival returns to Douai from July 12 to 14, 2026! Mr. Gayant (8.50 m, 370 kg) goes out at 7:30 a.m. on Sunday morning. Large procession at 3 p.m., funfair with 150 attractions, fireworks on Tuesday 14 around 11 p.m.

Classified as UNESCO intangible heritage. Free entry!

Source: douaisis-agglo-tourisme.com

The Louvre-Lens presents an exceptional exhibition until July 20, 2026: “Beyond the Arabian Nights”. Nearly 300 masterpieces invite you on a journey from Paris to Isfahan, from Constantinople to Venice.

Workshops and guided tours are offered every Friday (next: April 17 at 1:30 p.m.). To be combined with the free Time Gallery.

Louvre-Lens — 99 rue Paul Bert, Lens. Source: louvrelens.fr

“Perception(s)” show at the Phénix in Valenciennes: a sensory immersion on May 12 and 13
📅 From Tuesday 12 to Wednesday 13 May 2026

📍 Le Phénix, national stage, Boulevard Harpignies, Valenciennes (59300)

Le Phénix, the national stage of Valenciennes, will host the show “Perception(s)” on May 12 and 13, 2026: an original contemporary creation that transforms the spaces of the place into a land of sensory discovery.

In this ambulatory show, spectators are not seated in front of a stage: they circulate, explore, feel. The performers occupy the spaces of the Phénix to offer a unique experience where every sense is engaged. Lights, sounds, movements — everything is designed to question our relationship to space and to others.

Accessible to all audiences, including young audiences, Perception(s) is an invitation to look differently at the world around us. A committed and poetic contemporary creation, at the heart of one of the most dynamic national scenes in Hauts-de-France.

Find all the information and ticketing on the Northern cultural agenda or directly from the Phénix de Valenciennes.

An extraordinary experience to share with family or friends curious about contemporary culture. Absolutely worth discovering!

“Arise from between the walls”: a danced visit to the former Mining Offices of Lens
📅 From Wednesday to Sunday until May 31, 2026, at 3:30 p.m. (duration 45 min — except May 1)

📍 Jean Perrin Faculty (former Grand Offices of the Société des Mines de Lens), Lens (62300)

As part of the Art Deco Spring 2026, the Pic la Poule company is offering a unique artistic experience: “Surgir d’entre les Murs”, a danced and sung visit to the former Grand Offices of the Société des Mines de Lens.

The building, a jewel of Art Deco architecture listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, becomes the living setting for a performance where a dancer dialogues with the architecture and the garden. His body literally offers itself to the building, embracing the curves, the angles, the materials of this building steeped in working-class history.

Dance, song, heritage and industrial history combine for a sensory and memory experience of great beauty. Each session lasts approximately 45 minutes and is accessible to all audiences.

Sessions take place every day from Wednesday to Sunday at 3:30 p.m. To reserve and for more information, contact the Lens-Liévin Tourist Office on 03 21 67 66 66.

An original and poetic way to discover the heritage of the mining basin. Not to be missed before the end of May! Share this cultural gem with your loved ones.