Around mont Ventoux 2017














Around mont Ventoux
Rémi and Jacques – April 25-30, 2017



I invited Rémi to come and go mountain biking with me before beginning work as a guide in Italy. I remembered enjoying the area around the mont Ventoux near Avignon in Provence and suggested we spend a week there.

Mont Ventoux is well known as a major challenge in the tour de france, as well as to thousands of cyclists who attempt the climb every year.

The mountain known as « le géant de Provence » (the giant of provence) rises to 1911 meters from the surrounding western plateaux at 300 m or the eastern ones at 700 meters. From both directions it is a challenging climb and a must for any road biker. It is less frequented by mountain bikers but there are plenty of challenging MTB trails on its slopes.



Tuesday (42 km and 1480 m vertical climb.)
After a night to recuperate from travel and jet-lag (Rémi had just arrived from montreal) we started touring the southern side of dentelles de Montmirail from our base in Gigondas. We stayed in the “gite des dentelles” (+33 04 90 65 80 85) a self catering gite where one can cook his own meals. Patricia runs the gite very efficiently and in a very friendly manner while her husband Régis a mountain climber runs escalades and organizes tours in remote places such as Ethiopia.

I prepared a circuit not too long or difficult for a first day to give Rémi a chance to recover and to get in shape. The tracks are mostly fire protection roads with some single tracks. It is a succession of up and down tracks quite enjoyable but still requiring some training because of the amount of vertical climb one does during the day. The day was fine starting with plenty of sunshine and covering up during the afternoon in accordance with the forecast which called for rain in the late afternoon. We passed the villages of Lafare, Roubion etc.


start dentelles de montmirail sud

father and son

vineyard in dentelles de montmirail

dentelles de montmirail in the background

nice flower!

cloudy skies

above Suzette

well marked trails

typical landscape

Simple picnic by the road side at the edge of Suzette. There were people busy in the vineyards but we could not figure out what they were doing. In answer to our question they told us they were “thinning” the grapes, i.e leaving only 8-10 grapes on each stem to concentrate the growth on a few grapes.

The last climb of the day near a tiny place called Dufrene was a challenge beyond my abilities but no problems for Rémi who was in great shape after a winter of cross country skiing.

Came back to the gite and prepared a dinner with meat cooked on the barbecue under threatening skies. Hard rain during the night. Nice to be indoors and not under a tent.



Wednesday (38 km and 1200 m vertical climb.)
Cloudy morning but no rain.
Patricia the manager of the gite allowed us to leave our bags in the room and to have shower upon our return though we checked out in the morning.
We went on the northern part of the dentelles: pas de l'aigle, Crestet and Vaison-la-Romaine where we had a fine lunch buffet (all you could eat for 15 €); the chef was a man who lived in northern quebec for 15 years and loved to talk about it, he was the chef of a restaurant where Brian Mulroney (prime minister of Canada in the 1970) used to come by helicopter!
Some drops of rain after we left Vaison-la-Romaine but nothing serious.
After enjoying a shower, we loaded bags and bike in car, and saluted the gite owners. They invited us to attend that evening party: every 6 months there is a draw where one of their client of the last six months wins his weight in Gigondas wine. Wish we win that draw someday!!!

The hotel in sainte Colombe “Le guintrand” (04 9037 1008) is an old building with a warm and friendly atmosphere, our room was comfortable and dinner good.




Thursday (51 km, 1880 D+ ,a hard day)
Very cloudy, a not very promising day. Nevertheless we decided to attempt the climb to mont Ventoux (1911m) though we could not see anything above 1200 m.
We went up piste des cailloux blancs a long slope going up at a regular pace, until le carrefour des grands pins (alt 1421 m) where the skies opened up and we realized we were between two layers of clouds but with a clear view to the top.
We joined the asphalt road above mont Serein (the skiing resort) and pedaled our way slowly to the top. We were passed by a few (not many!) road cyclists much faster than us. Snow and ice on the road
Great moment when we reached the top where it was cold, very cold; after the classic photos and the dressing up with warm and wind stopping clothes we went down to chalet Reynard (alt 1447m). The going down was freezing – 8 degrees celsius with the windchill factor, my rain pants were NOT warm! Another mountain biker came down with short pants, his legs were red and he was eager to get close to the fire in the chalet.


happy!

VERY happy

we did it (notice clouds below)


We tried to get food in the chalet but the owner was so unpleasant we decided to keep going down.
Took D164 until it intersected with GR 4 and GR 9 which we followed down. Then we followed GR 918 until font d'Angiu, petit Muret and combe de Guerene. A rocky track was fun at the beginning but getting more technical at the end until Jas de Montagard
An easy ride along GR 91 brought us back to the hotel where we had beers on arrival to celebrate our ascension.



Friday (65 km, 1650 m D+ not so easy day!!!)

A very windy nite with strong mistral, which was good to clear all the clouds
Coming down for breakfast we met in the restaurant 4 ladies all wrapped up, they had been to the top of Ventoux to see the sunrise and had encountered snow and ice, -8 at the top; they had to leave the car and walk to the top, they were frozen! One of them runs a guest house in Vaison-la-Romaine and likes the city which is alive in winter unlike most of the other villages around Ventoux.
Today we decided to rest and take it easy, so off to Sault and a ride in gorges de la Nesque on asphalt. 


gorges de la Nesque

gorges de la Nesque


A great day with a very strong mistral, fortunately we were sheltered by the mount Ventoux. Passed some beautiful lavender fields and enjoyed the downhill ride on the gorges. I was tired at the end and Rémi had to get the car to meet me.




Saturday (28 km, 980 m D+)

We move to a region north of mont Ventoux called Baronnies and sleep in a gite: “cloitre des dominicains” (04 90 36 52 20), a  great building with so-so accommodations, but adequate.
Plenty of MTBers around, this is MTB territory, more so than dentelles de Montmirail or mont Ventoux.
To-day we followed a trail passing below rocher de saint Julien, up to Plaisians, col d'Eyguières, col de Geine and col de font Combran. Along northern side of montagne de la Nible and down on a challenging trail full of rocks (Rémi loved it) where we surprised (impressed?) some hikers. 


lavender fields

mont Ventoux in the back

admiring mont Ventoux

again!

A great day with good weather and very little mistral. The views on mont Ventoux from the northern side were impressive.
The garmin messed up AGAIN and did not register ride information. Felt like throwing the piece of junk. It has been misdirecting us regularly on those rides, glad to have the detailed maps.




Sunday (30 km, 920m D+)

This is our last day. We started on a trail north-west of Buis-les-Baronnies but got lost and decided to complete the northern loop of yesterday's trail.
Cloudy and cool but no rain. Nice ride below montagne de Chevalet and montagne de Gravas, fun ride down to la Roche-sur-le-Buis and back to Buis-les-Baronnies.

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rocky trails

lavender fields

rough trail to Sault

on the way to Sault

more lavender fields

eglise de Pierrelongue

eglise de pierrelongue


Packed the car and drove to Tournus, where we stayed in hotel le Sauvage (03 8551 1445) nicely restored and had a big room. Spent some time visiting the city but church was closed. Saw a man with a well restored 504 cabriolet who recommended "la flambée" (03 8551 1241) as a restaurant. We chose the fancy menu and had a great meal. Poured rain during dinner.



Monday

After a good rest we started at 09:30 to reach Beaune by 10:00, where I left Rémi with his buddies at Butterfield and Robinson, the company he was going to work for during the summer.
I arrived in Paris for a lunch at la butte aux piafs a restaurant near the flat.



Conclusion:

A great week!
The idea of changing base and riding in different areas was a better option than staying in one place all week or changing hotel every day while carrying all gear on a backpack.
Ascending the Ventoux was a high point of the trip and riding in the region of Baronnies was fun and challenging.





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