Mont Ventoux TdF

nolance

Going to Tour this year and hoping to be on Ventoux on day of race.This might sound a stupid question but will there be any form of vans etc selling food up there as I will be travelling by car and probably sleeping in car on the mountain.If no form of food retailling where is the nearest town to get some provisions to tide me over ----basically baguettes,cheese and water.

nolance

I know its a bit before the Tdf guys but any ideas would be greatly appreciated

geoff_ss

There are 3 towns near the Ventoux. Sault to the east; Bedouin to the south and Mauceline (sp?) to the west. Any of those would have somewhere to buy food. IIRC from last year (on a normal day) there are one or two tourist shops/stalls at the summit but we didn't buy anything.

I certainly wouldn't rely on being able to buy anything unless you're at the summit and in any case it's best to be independent. I suppose you're aware that baguettes, delicious as they when fresh, don't keep very well over night. Buy some other sort of bread or treat yourself to pain au chocolat (my French breakfast weakness).

Geoff

DaSy

Bedoin, at the foot of the climb that the tour will go up, is a lovely little village with loads of places to eat and buy food.

The only shop after the villages at the foot of the various routes up, is the souvenir shop at the summit. It does cans of Coke and Mars bars and the like (both of which went down well last time I rode up it), but a long way off of a place you could get any proper provisions (unless that is you want a plastic replica of the summit milestone).

There is Chalet Reynard which is the ski lodge about 6km from the top which servers hot food and drink (good coffee), but is only really a restaurant rather than a takeaway.

nolance

Thanks gents your info is very much appreciated and "food for thought" if you pardon the pun.As a matter of interest how far is it from Bedioun(sp) to the summit? sounds like a good place to park and make my way up from there if its within walking distance.

geoff_ss

nolance wrote:

Thanks gents your info is very much appreciated and "food for thought" if you pardon the pun.As a matter of interest how far is it from Bedioun(sp) to the summit? sounds like a good place to park and make my way up from there if its within walking distance.

Not sure but it must be around 30km to the summit. It took quite a long time descending at high speed. There's a big car park at Chalet Reynard but I bet you have to be there early to find a space (the day before?). I would think parking in Bedouin would be at a premium too.

Perhaps the best idea would be to take your bike and ride up.

Geoff

mac111051

Watch out for the weather if you can,t see the summit it,s not just low cloud you are heading into it could be freezing rain, sleet, wind so strong it will blow you of your bike , donot be fooled by the weather at the start of the climb it can change very quickly and it can become life threatening , and yes I am talking about July

nolance

Bike up !!!!!!,as I'm a novice cyclist it would probably take me a week to bike up there.The good thing is it would only take me minutes to get down......................................................................................in an air ambulance!
Thanks for the feedback anyway guys,it looks like it could be Chalet Reynard car park for me.

mcmoonter

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=42rPptJdBGM

Thisis the descent from the summit to Bedoin.

I was there a month ago, its afantastic climb.

We stayed in Caromb about 15k from Bedoin. There are lots of campsites there. Loads of shops which I'd imagine will be geared up for the arrival of theTour.

Being a canny Scot, I'd buy what ever I needed and take it with me.

Ride the climb, its hard but rewarding.

MC

greasedscotsman

Definately ride the climb, it's difficult, maybe the hardest in Europe, but not impossible. When I rode it there was a woman riding it (maybe in her 50's) who was definately not a cyclist, she was riding on what looked like hired shopping bike. Saw her at the top, so if she can make it, then no reason why you can't.

Give yourself plenty of time to do it, fit the lowest gears you can to your bike and have a go. Even if you only make it halfway that will still be a great place to watch the race from. And then you won't get caught in the traffic jam after the stage. Not sure I would try and park up at Chalet Reynard, it's a reasonable sized car park, but will be filled with camper vans for several days before the race comes through.

Ride it, you know it makes sense!

geoff_ss

greasedscotsman wrote:

Definately ride the climb, it's difficult, maybe the hardest in Europe, but not impossible. When I rode it there was a woman riding it (maybe in her 50's) who was definately not a cyclist, she was riding on what looked like hired shopping bike. Saw her at the top, so if she can make it, then no reason why you can't.

Give yourself plenty of time to do it, fit the lowest gears you can to your bike and have a go. Even if you only make it halfway that will still be a great place to watch the race from. And then you won't get caught in the traffic jam after the stage. Not sure I would try and park up at Chalet Reynard, it's a reasonable sized car park, but will be filled with camper vans for several days before the race comes through.

Ride it, you know it makes sense!

My wife and I rode up from Maucelene last June. She is a cyclist but she was than 67 and managed to ride most of it. Super place to ride. We were based in Beames de Venise with our campervan.

Geoff

Alain Quay

Doing it in 2 weeks, but stubbornly not fitting a compact or triple
as I can't afford £200. I'm reasonably fiit but can it be done on a 24 tooth rear gear
on a carbon bike?

APIII

Ride it!
I also saw someone crest the summit on a shopper/sit up and beg type bike...and he was wearing flip flops
There's a great creperie in Bedoin btw.

Alain Quay

Ok, I'll do it! And not just the creperie.

thanks !

verylonglegs

I'm glad someone mentioned not being caught up in traffic as an advantage of riding up. Having spent 7 hours once in traffic getting away from a final climb of a tour stage its something that warrants serious consideration when planning your trip!

gavintc

APIII wrote:

Ride it!
I also saw someone crest the summit on a shopper/sit up and beg type bike...and he was wearing flip flops
There's a great creperie in Bedoin btw.

Yes, I saw the same thing. A crowd of Italians all in the same kit and one of them on a shopping bike in full lycra. We got chatting at the top and apparently it was a bet. He had been boasting that he could climb Ventoux faster on a shopping bike than one of the club on a road bike, He lost, but it made a great spectacle.

Returning to the OP, I think you will be very very lucky to get a parking place on Ventoux. Maybe if you went up 3 days early you could grab one. The camper vans will be there early taking every bit of space. I think the only way to see the ride on the mountain is to ride up.

I announced to my wife that we will be both be carrying daysacs with our food and a jacket , She is a little depressed at having to carry all the additional kit, having found her previous climbs hard work. We will probably come up from Sault as we have not done that one.

nolance

Thanks guys for all the info and tips,as a novice rider of less than 200 miles i don't fancy riding up plus the hassle of transporting the bike over to France.I do fancy sleeping in my hire car overnight and walking up from whatever place I can.So heres another question--- which is the nearest town/village where I could possibly park up then walk,giving myself plenty of time.Or is there a ski lift that takes people up anywhere nearby?