Mont Ventoux

helped create. Mont Ventoux stares down in regal indifference upon the scrabbling

irrelevances of man, “look upon my works, ye mighty, and weep.”

Depending upon what you rely on for information, Mont Ventoux is 1909, 1911 or

1912 metres above sea level. The highest point in Cornwall is 420 metres while Ben Nevis is

1345 metres. The extra three metres or so either way is of interest to the perfectionist,

cartographers and geologists. Aircraft pilots who rely on accuracy in altitude will have made a

serious error in judgment already if they are relying on those 3 meters difference. For in

addition to the surface spot height, stands a white telecommunications tower of 50 meters.

Ventoux’s height and location provide ample justification for certain of its names including

the Giant of Provence. Its limestone and treeless capped summit give it the appearance of

snow at all times of the year. Winds of over 90 kms per hour occur for over 240 days!

Whatever the actual height, it is the fact of its prominence over the surrounding country that

provides its visual and cultural dominance. The Alps are far way to the North East, and can

be seen easily from its summit, but from Provence its presence is seen and felt everywhere.

Nothing comes close to challenging it.

It is of course a cycling Mecca, a place of sacred pilgrimage for the velophile. But it is

a Mecca without the beheadings and the stoning. You are also allowed to drink alcohol

although if attempting to ride to the top that is not advisable. Women may also drive, cycle,

walk and talk on Ventoux.

There are three routes to the top, from the towns of Bédoin, Malaucène and Sault.

No matter which route you take you will still have to get up to over 1900 meters via

unrelenting ascents of often 9-10%. The shortest route and therefore most challenging in

terms of ascent, is from Bédoin. This will see you pedalling for 21 kms of nothing but ‘up’.

Bédoin at this time of year is a bustling small town of cafes, restaurants, markets and

cycle shops. The clothing of choice is figure hugging Lycra which provides no hiding place for

a chap’s ‘saucisson’ nestling between his overdeveloped cycling thighs or sheltering under his

overdeveloped paunch. The main street has of course plane trees lining it to provide sun

shelter under which legions of the leisurely drink their cafe or pastis either while watching the

cyclists or as cyclists prepping for the ascent.

At the top of the street, is a small roundabout which looks chaotic at best as

pedestrians, cyclists, motorcyclists and small dogs wander about without any regard for the

rules of the road or awareness of other road users. Carnage is prevented primarily by an Act

of God. A sign points the way to ‘Le Mont Ventoux’ and just beyond the roundabout as the

roads stretches out ahead is the zero-kilometre marker from the summit. The keen, fit, young,

club cyclists have left early for the top. Depending on attitude and strength, they will get there

in two hours or less of solid climbing.

The rest will not.

The busyness of Bédoin is very quickly left behind as the road gets out into

countryside flanked by a few houses. Vineyards and olive groves then replace the houses as

the road continues for a few kilometres at a very gentle rise. This gives a false sense of

security. Ventoux makes its presence felt on one’s left, its telecommunications tower beckoning

one on. By late morning it is already very warm. In England, we would say it is ‘hot’. Cyclists

riding solo or in small groups are a constant sight. At this point the cranks are turning without

too much effort but no doubt the knowledgeable will know what is to come. Sweat,

determination, pain and a banana are often part of the package required to keep going.

You will see young, fit, slim chaps setting a good pace. There are a few ‘big fat blokes

on bikes’ grinding the gears. Women are well represented and are of all ages and sizes. The

bikes themselves are the full range of carbon framed racers to the mountain bikes and

tourers. The road continues slightly up and is often flanked by trees hiding the top.

Bédoin is at 300 meters, then Sainte-Colombe is at 450 meters There is a village

called ‘Le Bruns’ at 500 meters before one takes the St Estève corner at 550 meters. This is a

hairpin bend which just ramps up. You are on the D974. You are on the road to the top and

nowhere else. At this point the ascent really starts at about 9% and it does not give up until

you reach Chalet Reynard at 1400 meters with another 6 kms to go. This lower reach is

twisty, narrow and flanked by sharp stoned ditches within a forest of trees. You will not see the

top. You will see heaving buttocks, strained faces and an early indication of who will not make

it. A few cars race up, a few motorcycles do the same but for the most part are cyclists

equipped with hope and water. This section could take you two hours which means in the

hottest weather drinking 3 litres. This is not easy to carry on a bike as the average ‘bidon’ is

either 500 or 750 mls. The road surface is generally good if cracked and repaired in many

places. There is little sound, you are sheltered from the wind which at times makes this feel

like a furnace. Despite the fact there are other cyclists, you are really alone with your thought

and effort. Other people’s struggles are not of any help at all. A few have stopped to drink,

one or two are walking. Mostly however the legs keep spinning.

There are no let ups, there are no pit stops. You have to get to Chalet Reynard. If

unsupported, then you have to take enough water and pace yourself. Ventoux does not care

what you do, it has seen this every day for decades, ever since the first unknown lunatic took it

upon themselves to ascend by bike. If it is in benign mood the wind at the top is a merely a

breeze. If not, it will pick you up and toss you into the air until it lets go and drops you into

either the Mediterranean or the Alps.

Chalet Reynard sits in a small plateau as the road from Sault joins the Bédoin road. It

is another broad hairpin and provides a car park and a restaurant/coffee bar. At this point the

trees stop and the moonscape of limestone scree begins. The tower can be seen as can the 7

sweeps of bends. There is only 6 kms to go, but it is a fierce 6 kms of exposed road which cuts

itself in to the steep mountain side of nearly white fields of stone. It looks like a desert but not

of sand. Cyclists will be facing 9-10% ascents all the way. The views across and down to the

Rhône valley to the west are absolutely stunning. To one’s right is a wall of white scree slope

rising dramatically cutting off all views to the East. The tower comes into view and then

disappears again repeatedly as one negotiates the bends.

At the side of the road are yellow and black poles to identify the edge which in

summer seem unnecessary but under snow could be vital. If you have made it this far you

should reach the top if you just keep going. With just over a kilometre to go the memorial to

Tom Simpson will be passed. This is small headstone like memorial often decorated with

cyclists’ water bottles as salutes to his ill-fated attempt to win the Ventoux stage of the Tour de