Lens tourism and travel guide

Visit Lens: highlights and tourist information

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Lens is situated in the Pas-de-Calais department and Nord-Pas-de-Calais region (now part of the Hauts-de-France region), in the north of France at 16 kilometres from Arras, the department capital (general information: Lens is 178 kilometres from Paris).

Popular places to visit nearby include Arras Carriere Wellington at 17 km and Arras at 17 km. For more places to visit and local tourist attractions see the map and listings below.

You can also Book Arras hotels

Lens, France: places to visit and attractions

Some of the places that we have visited and reviewed and can recommend when you are sightseeing close to Lens in Hauts-de-France.

Note that all distances below are 'direct' and real driving distances will be greater!

... or see ALL recommended places to visit in Pas-de-Calais

Map of places to visit near Lens

Markets in and near Lens

Market days in Lens: weekly market: Tuesday & Saturday & Friday;

• Lens: market Tuesday & Saturday & Friday (0km)
• Avion: market Thursday (2km)
• Lievin: market Wednesday & Sunday (4km)
• Harnes: market Thursday (5km)
• Billy-Montigny: market Sunday (6km)
• Grenay: market Tuesday (7km)
• Henin-Beaumont: market Tuesday & Friday (8km)
• Bully-les-Mines: market Thursday (8km)
• Courrieres: market Wednesday (9km)
• Carvin: market Saturday (11km)

More information about Lens, Nord-Pas-de-Calais

Tourist attractions near Lens, France

What to do at Lens? Some places with official tourist classifications and other places of interest to visit nearby that should provide inspiration if you are visiting Lens.

Heritage sites

• Beffroi et hôtel de ville d'Arras (Belfries of Belgium and France) (16km)
• Arras citadelle (Vauban fortifications) (17km)
• Beffroi de Béthune (Belfries of Belgium and France) (18km)
• Beffroi de Douai (Belfries of Belgium and France) (19km)
• Beffroi de Loos (Belfries of Belgium and France) (24km)
• Beffroi de Lille (Belfries of Belgium and France) (28km)
• Beffroi d'Armentières (Belfries of Belgium and France) (29km)
• Beffroi de Bailleul (Belfries of Belgium and France) (35km)
• Beffroi d'Aire-sur-la-Lys (Belfries of Belgium and France) (39km)
• Beffroi de Comines (Belfries of Belgium and France) (39km)
• Beffroi de Lucheux (Belfries of Belgium and France) (39km)
• Beffroi de Cambrai (Belfries of Belgium and France) (40km)
• Beffroi de Doullens (Belfries of Belgium and France) (46km)

Recommended detour towns (fr: plus beau détour)

• Saint-Amand-les-Eaux (42km)

Regional Natural Parcs

• Scarpe-Escaut (41km)

Churches and religious monuments

• Cathédrale Notre Dame de La Treille (Lille) (28km)
• Eglise de Notre Dame de Vaucelles (Les Rues-des-Vignes) (49km)

Remarkable gardens

• Le parc Barbieux (36km)
• Parc du château de Sericourt (40km)
• Le jardin du Manoir-aux-Loups (45km)
• La ferme du mont des Récollets (48km)

Protected historical centre (fr: secteur sauvegardé)

(see also historical French towns)

• Lille (28km)

Sites of natural beauty

• Réserve naturelle régionale du Marais de Wagnonville (17km)
• Réserve naturelle du Jardin écologique du Vieux-Lille (29km)
• Réserve naturelle régionale de la Tourbière de Vred (29km)
• Réserve naturelle régionale du Pré des Nonnettes (30km)
• Les Prés du Hem (30km)
• Réserve naturelle nationale des étangs du Romelaëre (55km)

Towns of Art and history

• Arras (17km)
• Roubaix (38km)
• Cambrai (41km)
• Saint-Omer (54km)

Villages in bloom 4* (fr: ville fleurie)

• Wattignies (23km)
• Wasquehal (34km)
• Mastaing (36km)
• Tourcoing (40km)
• Boubers-sur-Canche (45km)

Zoo and/or wildlife park

• Parc zoologique de Lille (28km)

Geography and distances

Getting here

For driving distances to Lens from anywhere in France see driving distances and route planner.

We have 20 other places listed as being close (less than kilometres from ): Acheville, Angres, Annay, Avion, Billy-Montigny, Bois-Bernard, Eleu-Dit-Leauwette, Estevelles, Fouquieres-les-Lens, Givenchy-en-Gohelle, Harnes, Hulluch, Lievin, Loison-sous-Lens, Loos-en-Gohelle, Mericourt, Noyelles-sous-Lens, Rouvroy, Sallaumines and Vendin-le-Vieil.

This page in French: Visiter Lens