VIMOS-IFU survey of z~0.2 massive galaxy clusters. I. Observations of the strong lensing cluster Abell 2667

(abridged) We present extensive multi-color imaging and low resolution VIMOS Integral Field Unit spectroscopic observations of the X-ray luminous cluster Abell 2667 (z=0.233). An extremely bright giant gravitational arc (z=1.0334) is easily identified as part of a triple image system and other fainter multiple images are also revealed by the HST-WFPC2 images. The VIMOS-IFU observations cover a field of view of 54'' x 54'' and enable us to determine the redshift of all galaxies down to V=22.5. Furthermore, redshifts could be identified for some sources down to V=23.2. In particular we identify 21 cluster members in the cluster inner region, from which we derive a velocity dispersion of \sigma=960 km/s, corresponding to a total mass of 7.1 x 10^{13} solar masses within a 110 kpc radius. Using the multiple images constraints and priors on the mass distribution of cluster galaxy halos we construct a detailed lensing mass model leading to a total mass of 2.9 x 10^{13} solar masses within the Einstein radius (16 arcsec). The lensing mass and dynamical mass are in good agreement although the dynamical one is much less accurate. Comparing these measurements with published X-ray analysis, is however less conclusive. Although the X-ray temperature matches the dynamical and lensing estimates, the published NFW mass model derived from the X-ray measurement with its small concentration of c ~3 can not account for the large Einstein radius observed in this cluster. A larger concentration of ~6 would however match the strong lensing measurements. These results are likely reflecting the complex structure of the cluster mass distribution, underlying the importance of panchromatic studies from small to large scale in order to better understand cluster physics.