Lens, Industrial commune in Pas-de-Calais, France.
Lens is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department, located about 25 miles (40 kilometers) southwest of Lille in the Hauts-de-France region. The administrative town of just over 30,000 residents spreads across flat terrain formerly shaped by coal mines.
The discovery of coal in 1849 transformed the place into an industrial center, and three years later the mining company of Lens was established. Extraction ended in 1986, and the basin received UNESCO World Heritage status in 2012.
The city transformed from mining to new activities, including the Louvre-Lens, which displays paintings from Paris in a modern building. Local markets sell regional products, and many streets still carry names that recall former mine workers.
The railway station offers regional connections to Lille, Arras, Douai, and other cities, as well as fast train links to Paris. The town is easy to explore on foot, with shops and cafés in the center.
The football club RC Lens was founded in 1906 and plays at the Stade Bollaert-Delelis, which holds more than 38,000 spectators. The stadium was named after a former board member and a mayor, both connected to the local community.
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