Parc Naturel Régional Scarpe-Escaut (Étangs de la Deûle)
The chain of former mining subsidence lakes known as the Étangs de la Deûle stretches along the Deûle canal corridor between Lens and Lille, forming a surprising green-and-blue escape just minutes from the city. Herons, cormorants and great crested grebes nest in the reed margins, and the towpaths are perfect for cycling or a slow afternoon walk.
On the Water and Along the Banks
The étangs around Hénin-Beaumont and Courrières are the most accessible from Lens — a 20-minute drive or a pleasant 45-minute cycle along the Deûle canal towpath. Several lakes have designated fishing platforms, picnic areas with free parking, and in summer a seasonal kayak hire point at Étang du Héron near Villeneuve-d'Ascq (the largest in the chain).
The towpath itself is flat, well-surfaced and runs for over 30 kilometres without a significant gradient — ideal for families with young cyclists or anyone who wants to cover ground without effort. In autumn, the poplar lines along the canal turn gold and the light on the water in early morning is genuinely beautiful.
Wildlife and the Mining Landscape
The lakes formed when underground mine galleries collapsed after pit closures, and their irregular, wildlife-rich shorelines are the unintended ecological gift of the industrial era. The reed beds attract bitterns in winter — rare enough that local birdwatchers make special trips — and the open water holds tufted duck and pochard from October to March.
The broader Scarpe-Escaut regional nature park, which the étangs feed into, is one of the least-visited green spaces in northern France despite covering 43,000 hectares. Pick up a free cycling map from the Lens tourist office and you can spend a full day looping through villages, canal bridges and lakeside picnic spots without retracing a single kilometre.
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