Lens tourism and travel guide

Photo is of Arras Carriere Wellington at 17 km from Lens

Visit Lens: highlights and tourist information

Lens is situated in the Pas-de-Calais department and Hauts-de-France region.

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

Popular places to visit nearby include Arras Carriere Wellington at 17 km and Arras at 17 km.

Lens, France: places to visit and attractions

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

Arras Carriere Wellington

Monument at 17 km (direction south-south-west)

The Carrière Wellington museum in Arras is a series of tunnels that...

See Arras Carriere Wellington guide

Arras

at 17 km (direction south-south-west)

The belfry and the large number of baroque style houses make the...

See Arras guide

Douai

at 19 km (direction east-south-east), in the Nord department

Douai has a pleasant old town and one of the most impressive...

See Douai guide

Lille

at 28 km (direction north-east), in the Nord department

The renaissance of Lille over the last 20 years has transformed an...

See Lille guide

Roubaix

at 38 km (direction north-east), in the Nord department

Although its not a major tourist destination, the centre of the large...

See Roubaix guide

Aire-sur-la-Lys

at 39 km (direction west-north-west)

Now officially listed as a 'recommended detour' town, the highlight in Aire-sur-la-Lys...

See Aire-sur-la-Lys guide

Les Jardins de Sericourt

Garden at 40 km (direction west-south-west)

Beautiful garden to visit in the village of Sericourt....

See Les Jardins de Sericourt guide

Cambrai

at 41 km (direction south-east), in the Nord department

Remarkably for the town that was the site of the world's first...

See Cambrai guide

Saint-Amand-les-Eaux

at 42 km (direction east), in the Nord department

Established as a spa centre for more than 2000 years, it is...

See Saint-Amand-les-Eaux guide

Cassel

at 48 km (direction north-west), in the Nord department

The town of Cassel is built on the highest hill in the...

See Cassel guide

Saint-Omer

at 54 km (direction west-north-west)

The attractive centre of Saint-Omr is one of the best towns to...

See Saint-Omer guide

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

Arrange a visit to Lens

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

Lens is in the north of France at 16 kilometres from Arras, the department capital (general information: Lens is 178 kilometres from Paris).

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