The one to see in Lens: Louvre-Lens
Visitors to Lens can choose from 15 attractions, 3 museums and 3 theme parks. There are 7 places to visit in Lens, and 18 more within 5 km of its centre. Drive 16 km to reach Cathédrale Notre-Dame-et-Saint-Vaast d'Arras.
The first to see in Lens
Close behind Louvre-Lens are 2 galleries, 2 museums and a theme park.
MuseumLouvre-Lensin townArt galleryArt galleryGalerie des expositions temporairesin townArt galleryArt galleryGrande galeriein townTheme parkTheme parkLes Loupiotsin townMuseumMuseumGalerie du Tempsin townMuseumMuseumPavillon de Verrein townBest known first: by how many Wikipedia and sister-site articles cover each place (Wikidata’s count). It isn’t a ranking of how good they are.
Around Lens, mapped
Most of the 18 out of town lie to the north.
The first 20 on the list, numbered as below. The shape is the commune of Lens; the orange dot is its centre. © OpenStreetMap contributors · commune boundary: IGN
Sorted by kind
Other sights number 15, museums or galleries 5.
Dark: in Lens. Light: in the communes within 5 km of its centre.
Every place to visit in and near Lens
It starts in town with 7 places and goes on to 18 within 5 km of its centre.
The 7 places in Lens first, then those within 5 km of its centre.
Trips out
Cathédrale Notre-Dame-et-Saint-Vaast d'Arras, at 16 km, heads the 12 day trips.
MuseumPalais des Beaux-Arts de Lille28 km northeast, in Lille
CathedralCathédrale Notre-Dame-de-la-Treille28 km northeast, in LilleAttractionAttractionAnneau de la Mémoire8.1 km southwest, in Ablain-Saint-Nazaire
MuseumLille Métropole Musée d'Art moderne, d'Art contemporain et d'Art brut32 km northeast, in Villeneuve-d'Ascq
MuseumMusée des Beaux-Arts d'Arras16 km south, in Arras
ChâteauChâteau de Flers31 km northeast, in Villeneuve-d'Ascq
AbbeyAbbaye Saint-Vaast16 km south, in ArrasChâteauChâteauCitadelle de Lille28 km northeast, in LilleChurchChurchMémorial de Neuve-Chapelle16 km north, in RichebourgAttractionAttractionChâteau d'Olhain17 km west, in Fresnicourt-le-Dolmen
MuseumMusée d'Histoire naturelle de Lille27 km northeast, in LillePlaces within 40 km of Lens with an article in both French and English Wikipedia, nearest first.
Quick answers on Lens
What is there to see in Lens?
The first on our list in Lens are Louvre-Lens, Galerie des expositions temporaires, Grande galerie and Les Loupiots. We list 7 places in town. Another 18 are within 5 km of the centre.
Are there museums in or near Lens?
5 museums and galleries in town or within 5 km, including Louvre-Lens, Galerie des expositions temporaires, Grande galerie and Galerie du Temps.
What well-known places are within a day out of Lens?
The nearest with articles in both French and English Wikipedia: Cathédrale Notre-Dame-et-Saint-Vaast d'Arras (16 km), Palais des Beaux-Arts de Lille (28 km), Cathédrale Notre-Dame-de-la-Treille (28 km), Anneau de la Mémoire (8.1 km).
How is this list made?
From OpenStreetMap and Wikidata: named museums, galleries, châteaux, abbeys, gardens, zoos, theme parks and other visitor attractions whose mapped point lies inside the commune of Lens, then those in the communes within 5 km of its centre, and well-known places within 40 km. Houses, ruins and gardens need a sign they’re open to visitors; places marked private, closed or disused are left out. The historic-monument link is the Culture ministry’s Mérimée record. A place that isn’t mapped isn’t listed, so this isn’t everything there is to see.
Sources: OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), Wikidata (CC0: descriptions, websites, Wikipedia articles), the Culture ministry’s Mérimée database (Licence Ouverte 2.0), IGN commune boundaries. Distances are from the commune’s centre point.
Photos from Wikimedia Commons, each under its own licence (our copy, resized).
Photo credits (8)
- Louvre-Lens: JackyM59, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Palais des Beaux-Arts de Lille: Velvet, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Cathédrale Notre-Dame-de-la-Treille: Christophe.Finot, CC BY-SA 2.5, Wikimedia Commons
- Lille Métropole Musée d'Art moderne, d'Art contemporain et d'Art brut: Jean Housen, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Musée des Beaux-Arts d'Arras: Jean-Pol GRANDMONT, CC BY 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Château de Flers: Jiel Beaumadier ( http://jiel.b.free.fr ), CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Abbaye Saint-Vaast: Jean-Pol GRANDMONT, CC BY 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Musée d'Histoire naturelle de Lille: Velvet, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
Contains public sector information under the Licence Ouverte / Open Licence 2.0 (Etalab): INSEE, DGFiP, the Interior Ministry’s statistics service (SSMSI), the Ministry of Education (DEPP), the Health Ministry’s statistics service (DREES) and the Housing Ministry (Carte des loyers). Commune boundaries: IGN Admin Express.