Ventoux, the Galérien forest route

adambird

Several of my club are heading down to Ventoux in June to attempt 1 or more ascents.

3 of us will be attempting the Galérien which involves 4 ascents, the 3 road routes and one which follows an old forest road from the south.

I'm struggling to find any information or reports about the route and wondered if anyone here knew of any, or even better, had experienced it first hand.

We're keen to know about road surface, tyre recommendations, etc.

Thanks,

CumbrianMan

Adam, if anyone will know, it'll be Craig at VeloVentoux.

Have a look at their website for contact details. Sure he sometimes looks at this forum, so he may even pick this up 2mrw.

Cheers and good luck.

knedlicky

Maybe you mean these routes, white, green, yellow and black, the latter being the forest route?



The Dutch website from which this map come says the forest route is in bad condition and I think this photo is of that route. Not for a road bike!

pneumatic

down? yes! up? no!

adambird

@knedlicky yes the black is the one I mean. That does look a little less well maintained than I was anticipating.

mmmmm

Thanks

15threes

This is the gentleman that you will need to contact to arrange a formal attempt(route card etc). Can you share any info that you get on the forest route, as I am also interested in doing the 4x ascent but can only really take the road bike out with me. I was considering a second set of more rugged tyres to swap but that path in the photo does look a little knarly for a road bike. Keep us all posted please.....thanks

info@clubcinglesventoux.org

Christian PIC
13, rue Chateaubriand
42290-SORBIERS (FRANCE)
Site officiel : les.cingles.du.mont-ventoux.club.fr
Site international : www.clubcinglesventoux.org

adambird

@15threes contacting Christian is on the plan, thanks.

My hope was some cyclo-cross tyres on a spare set of wheels was going to work for me.

We will certainly be writing at length about our experiences. If you check out http://beeston.cc/blog you'll see there will be no stopping us waxing lyrical.

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adambird

@KingstonWheeler that's good news, thanks. When are you there in June? Beeston CC will be there in force on the 20th.

adambird

Well 7 of Beeston CC completed the Cinglés (3 ascents) and 2 of us nailed the Galérien (4 ascents).

The Cinglés was hard but doable the Galérien was very tough, primarily because of the forest route.

The picture posted by knedlicky really does the track that it is justice. It was b*****y awful on a road bike. We walked for about 2-3km unable to get any purchase at all. 8-9% gravel really isn't pleasant.

The achievement of completing the four merits the attempt but I would recommend either a second bike (MTB) or perhaps a cyclo-cross bike for the whole lot with a change of tyres in Bedoin.

pdstsp

Congratulations - thats some effort - I was there a couple of weeks ago and one ascent per day was well enough for me.

durhamwasp

Anybody done the Galerien since this first post? anyone do it in 2016?

Did you ever write up a report on it adambird?

We are all Cingles, and considering going back to become Galeriens. Will be taking Cyclocross bikes and I guess riding the forest route first, then switching to road bikes for the final 3 ascents. Forest route in darkness could be interesting though, might need some serious torches/lights.

DeVlaeminck

I've done the forest route but not a galerien. Cross bike would be ideal for the gravel I'd have thought. I didn't need to walk at all though there are sections that are an inch deep in small stones so traction is limited. I'd probably do one of the road ascents in darkness on the grounds the forest route is different so you want to be able to see it! Unless you have gps it is also possible to go wrong on the forest route as there are some tracks leading off it, it was only when I came out on the road a few kms below the summit on the other side that I realised I was heading in the right direction, easier to get it right in daylight.

durhamwasp

OK thanks for that, interesting to know about the other roads leading off the forest route. Hopefully I can get it uploaded onto my GPS.

Yes, had thought about doing the Bedoin-Summit road route first in the dark, but leaves it a bit tricky for bike changes. If I do the forest first, I will naturally be able to descend back to Bedoin, change bikes and do the 3 road options.

The only other real option that works is doing the forest route last, just wondering if it could be the toughest of the lot, with the lack of traction, not knowing the route and likely to take the longest time, and if I will be in a fit enough mental state by that point