Lens can be found in the Nord Pas de Calais region of northern France, southwest of Lille. A fairly large city, it has a long history of coal mining, which finally came to an end in the 1960s. The town was completely destroyed during the fighting of World War I, but has resurrected itself today as a centre for a wide range of new industries, including manufacturing, paper, glass, frozen foods, chemicals and metal. It is also a thriving commercial centre and is home to a branch of the esteemed University of Artois.

Although Lens is not widely known as a popular tourist destination, there are several worthwhile attractions in the area that make it worth a stop when traveling in the region. The site of Notre Dame de Lorrett is now a wartime memorial, while the Musee du Souvenir boasts more than 2000 exhibits from World War I, including a full-scale battlefield.