Lens, Pas-de-Calais
Lens (Template:IPA-fr) is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais depairtment in northren Fraunce. It is ane o Fraunce's lairge Picarde ceeties alang wi Lille, Valenciennes, Amiens, Roubaix, Tourcoing, Arras, an Douai.
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[edit] Metropolitan aurie
Lens belangs tae the intercommunality o Lens-Liévin, which consists o 36 communes, wi a total population o 250,000. Lens, alang wi Douai, forms the metropolitan aurie o Douai-Lens, whose population at the 1999 census wis 552,682.
[edit] Economy
Lens is an industrial ceety an haes a lang history o coal minin. Surroondin the toun are mony lairge slag heaps, evidence o ower a hunder years o minin, which came tae an end in the 1960s.
The ceety supports a top-level fitbaa team, Racing Club de Lens.
[edit] History
In the 1520s, Lens wis pairt o the Spainyie Netherlands, an anerlie passed back tae Fraunce in 1659.
In 1849, coal wis discovered in Lens, leadin tae the expansion o the ceety, becomin an important industrial center.
At Vimy, a sma toun vera close tae Lens, are the Vimy Memorial an Vimy Ridge.
Frae 2012, Lens will an aa be the location o the Louvre-Lens.
[edit] Notable fowk
- Émile Basly, trade unionist then mayor o the city, dee'd there in 1928
- Maurice Garin, first winner o Tour de France, dee'd there in 1957
- Jamila M'Barek, Coontess o Shaftesbury, born there in c. 1961
[edit] Gallery
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East o Pas-de-Calais (Béthune, Lens, Hénin-Beaumont)
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Lens kirk
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Main shoppin destrict
[edit] See an aa
[edit] References
[edit] Freemit airtins
- Offeecial wabsteid (French)
- Communauté d'Agglomeration o Lens-Liévin (French)
