Mont Ventoux advice appreciated

nolance

Ok guys apologies to people that replied to my previous topic on similar lines but listening to the commentators saying that people had been on the Tourmalet for 7/10 days got me worried.
I am going to France next week with the aim of being on the Ventoux on the penultimate day,firstly I don't want to ride up so don't suggest that however well-meaning.I am prepared to go to Ventoux on the day before to get a good spot but I'm wondering will it be closed off by then? I am quite prepared to walk a fair distance and was originally thinking of sleeping overnight in my car in the wooded area then walking up from there on raceday-is this feasible ?
Or would I be better approaching from the other side of the Ventoux(Maulacenne side) and walking up to the finish line from there? Anyone ideas if this side will also be closed off to joe public earlier than Friday?
Does the ski-lift from Mont Serein run during TdF time and is it possible to hitch lift or walk from there?
A lot of questions I know but like Richard Dreyfuss in Close Encounters I am desperate to get to the top of this hill.All information gratefully accepted

tiny_matt

Trying to find exactly the same thing out - i'm staying near Maulacenne and am thinking about driving to Bedoin and walking up to Chalet Reynard which is about 15km (10 uphill) - I reckon this will take about 4 - 4.5 hours.

I think the road from Bedoin and Malaucenne is shut to all but authorised race traffic from the day before. I'm not sure about the road from Sault but I imagine it will be impossible to park and if you do get up near the Chalet then you will no doubt get jammed in traffic for hours when trying to come down.

heavymental

I'll be at Ventoux as well. I'm figuring the best bet is to park the car as close as possible (which I imagine will be a long way away) and ride into the melee early in the morning and hope to get a good position. Rucksack with a few provisions in to see me through a few hours on the mountain. How's that sound? Will I need to be on my bike at about 4 in the morning to get anywhere near the top before the crowds and police make it impossible?

nolance

Is there any idea of when the roads will be closed off or is it just a case of when the mountain gets full.

tiny_matt

Not sure when the roads are shut and I haven't found anything about this during a brief search on-line.

I think i'll probably just spend the day in Bedoin watching the stage on TV in a bar and then watch the peloton speed through before jumping back into the bar to watch the attacks on the mountain on TV. This stage should be the decider so I want to know what happens as it happens.

nolance

Come on tiny_matt don't give up that easy it must surely be better to watch it as it happens with all the pain rather than on tv.
Anyone any more ideas please?

Le Commentateur

If I was staying near Maulacenne, I would drive there v early (like 6 a.m.), park the car there and walk up the northern side of Ventoux to the top. Yes it may take 4-5 hours, but there must be walker's trails that have a more direct route than the winding road in the bottom half. At the summit there will be a big TV screen to watch the race action plus you'll have a commanding view of the entire southern side of the mountain, watching the riders approach and the numerous helicopters tracking them. You can't not bother going to see the race on the mountain -- it may be years before such a cliff-hanger ending to the tour happens again.

nolance

Le commentateur-thanks for that and I absolutely agree,I'm staying in Valence during next week but am willing to travel down on Friday to get a good spot.Sleep in car and walk as far as humanly possible to get up there.

tiny_matt

I'm willing to do the 9 hour round trip on foot but my missus isn't and no amout of pain au chocolates will keep her happy for that long!

nolance

fair point tiny_matt,I'm fortunate I'm going solo so no-one to suit but myself.Why not tell her there are some nice shops at the top!! At least you'd get to the top but maybe not down in one piece.
I'm looking at going in via Maulacenne hoping to get part the way up on Friday in the car then walk the rest to the top.

Le Commentateur

Get hold of one of these, they will show the trails to use as short cuts:

http://loisirs.ign.fr/documentArticle.d ... Id=5059600




Alternatively.... http://crinieresdumontventoux.e-monsite.com/

nolance

Any idea where I will get one of these maps.I'm going tomorrow so no time to order.Is there a shop near to base for such.

glabbo

The Vaacluse area has all the road closure info and maps on their website and has been redistributed on:
http://www.ventoux-stage-france-2009.co.uk/

The site should be up to date.

The maps show quite a few parking spots along the route, and tell u which direction you're allowed to park. You can go round the back to Mt Sereine and walk up to Col des Tempetes, or drive along the actual cycle route.

The main thing to take into consideration is that the D974 between Bedoin and the Summit will be closed the whole time (closed for official cars to come up the back way).

The rest of the roads "officially" close at about 10am... I intend on making the trip up from Avignon in the wee hours of the morning.....driving as far as i can up the hill before the roads close. With the aim of getting to Le Chalet Reynard.

If anyone finds out any more info post it here!

glabbo

major correction to my last post.

I meant the road between Mt Serin and Col Des Tempetes will be closed the whole time.
and you wont be able to park anywhere along the road from Malaucene to the top ..ie no parking north of the mountain... (unless u drive past Mt Serine)

In theory..you should be able to drive all the way to Chalet Reynard along the road that goes up there from Sault (The D164). There seems to be a few parking spots marked up there aswell.

Its then a 6km walk (in the freezing wind!) to the summit

Get in touch with me if you'd like to meet up at the Chalet Good Luck!

nolance

glabbo,you are a star for passing on that info.I'm off in the morning(SUN) to France so wouldn't have got this info without you.I hope it will prove invaluable and if I meet you(improbable I know) I would willingly buy you a drink.

glabbo

No problem Nolance

Just dont kill me if any of it ends up wrong... keep checking the website, because the Vaucluse people told me it will be updated hourly (along with local radio broadcasts)

I really dont want to miss this opportunity! So am contemplating a sleep in the car the night before up at the chalet. Should be able to fill my belly in the chalet, then retire to my car for some snooze and climb the mountain in the morning.

The wind gusts up there..so make sure you have a decent jacket...lets hope its not a mistral day.

phoenix_sa

Glabbo, thanks for advice.

I had planned on staying in Avignon, then driving to watch the finish in Aubenas, then sleeping in Avignon then heading to Sault in the early AM to get as close to the Chalet in the AM.

BUT, it looks like there are going to be tons of people thinking the same so now maybe spending the night in the car is a worthwhile idea. Do you think it would be neccesary to drive to Sault, or do you think driving up the night prior would allow me to drive up the D974 from Bedoin?

Coming from South Africa to watch this stage - so i cant miss out!

Cheers

glabbo

I'm still tossing up between doing the early AM raid on the chalet via Sault or sleeping up there the night before.

If you're going up the night before, the D974 from Bedoin should in theory be open. Only case that would stop that is if the mountain is already full.. In that case, it might be a bit of a pain, but you could still drive round to Sault in the evening and try your luck that way.

I would take a Michelin map up there with you, they're avail in all tobacco stores in Avignon...(or ask your car hire). Although the traffic control are unlikely to speak english..i'm sure thye can highlight an open route for you if you get blocked. There are a number of ways to get up there, its just finding the right one.

You already got a hire car? If so, mind if i ask how much you're paying? I've found that car hire in Avignon is pretty expensive at the moment compared to other towns in the region

clanton

We're thinking about going up the Friday afternoon and actually camping on the Bedoin route. Depends on how busy it is I guess.

nolance

Well Glabbo I made it ,drove up from Sault side on the Sat morn and got about half way up then was told it was blocked so parked up there and walked the rest.Took 2hrs to get to Chalet Reynard so was knackered by then,ended up another few hundred yards up past Chalet with decent spot.
I looked all round for you but couldn't see you anywhere,thanks for the info anyway as it proved very useful.

beverick

Re Mont Ventoux

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/other_s ... 168603.stm

Spot the 'clipless moment' in the background at about 58 seconds.

Bob

fluff.

A typical Ventoux clipless/wind influenced moment right at the end too.

geoff_ss

The first time my wife and I rode up (from Sault) she got blown off her bike near the top and had to walk the last bit. Last year when we climbed from Malaucene it was a better day but it was much harder - probably because we're 10 years older

Geoff