“We’ll stop halfway up on t he plateau: the view is superb at 110m. To get there, the climb is pleasant and accessible on a reasonably sloped walking trail. Hiking boots aren’t essential,” says Hélène Decarnin, our fantastic guide to the Mediterranean-type fauna and flora present on this 110-hectare site. Hikers can spot natterjack toads, a rare species which lives in the wetlands at the foot of the slag heap. Blue-winged grasshoppers blend into the carboniferous shale and sandstone setting (where fossils are often found). Hélène recommends taking off your shoes to walk a few steps barefoot on this almost lukewarm ground. A free foot massage!
It's so quiet up there...
The best time to hear blackbirds and beautiful coal tits is in the cool of the early morning. “We also have blue tits, who are very curious. They may follow you all the way. Not to mention the lizards!” We breathe, we laugh, we learn, and
time flies by. Halfway through, it’s breakfast time! Crispy croissants, typical northern waffles, coffee and local apple juice. The ideal spot to enjoy the intoxicating light of the rising sun and the immensity of the surrounding landscape. At
10.30am: arrival at the second observation spot. Silence descends and the beauty of the panorama envelops us. Everyone becomes aware that they’ve shared an intense moment, perched on the roof of the mining basin.
The Louvre-Lens museum, among the slag heaps
Less than 20 minutes’ walk from the slag heaps, the
Louvre-Lens museum presents more than 200 masterpieces from the Louvre-Paris in a unique open space of 3,000 m², the Galerie du Temps [Time Gallery]. The museum also allows the visitor to get behind the scenes. A set of digital tools reveals the hidden life of the works, while the storerooms and the restoration workshop are visible through large bay windows – and are even open for guided tours. The digital tour of the Louvre-Lens is available in English.
Louvre-Lens: 99 rue Paul Bert, Lens
useful info
16 place Jean Jaurès, Lens
+33 (0)3 21 67 66 66
Staying over
Hotel Louvre-Lens: 4-star hotel and restaurant in an old miner’s cottage just in front of the museum.
168 rue Paul Bert, Lens
4 square Henri Noguères, Lens
fr/les-gites/chez-roland
Rue Franklin, Bruay-la-Buissière
Eating out
Al’Fosse 7 in Avion: miner’s cottage spirit, conviviality, warm and generous fare!
94 boulevard Henri Martel, Avion
Higher-end: Mets et Histoires
[Food and Stories]
102 rue Pasteur, Souchez
Elegant: L’atelier de Marc Meurin in the garden of the Louvre-Lens
Louvre Museum, 97 Rue Paul Bert, Lens
Having a drink
Le Derby/St Théodore Brasserie
238 rue Paul Bert, Lens
Market days
Lens: Tuesday and Friday Salengro Square, Saturday Grande Résistance Liévin Covered Market: open Tuesday, Wednesday and Sunday from 9am to 1pm and Fridays and Saturdays from 9am to 7pm.
Souvenirs
The snow globe slag heap available at the Tourist Office (Products of the Louvre Lens)
