Parking on Ventoux

heavymental

Anyone got any idea if it's feasible to park a van (transit size) on the slopes of Ventoux on the morning of the stage? I was there a few years back and we rode up without too many hassles a few hours before the finish to find lots of vehicles up towards the top but I wasn't sure how long they'd been there? Should we do it the night before?

durhamwasp

Think it would be a major risk to try on the morning of the ride, pretty sure the place will be heaving with possible road closures in place from very early morning.

Day before and you might be ok.

sniper68

There's a programme regularly repeated on Bike Channel(Sky C456) showing the stage on Ventoux when Froome won in 2013 and they were stopping cyclists(or trying to) from riding up as they said there were too many by mid morning.
Many of the Campervans had been there 2 or 3 days and there were spectators walking up at 4am to get a spot!

heavymental

We rode up in 2008 and were turned back at one point but we managed to skirt around through some woods and scrub and emerge further up the road. You're probably right, getting a vehicle up there even early morning might be a struggle.

DeVlaeminck

I would say no chance - the amount of fans has ramped up since 2008 - I saw that programme on the bike channel too and I'm sure they were talking about a few days before to get on.

anjasola

Arrive at least a week before the stage and you might have a chance.

olake92

No chance on the day; I remember traffic jams the day before with so many caravans/campers trying to find an ideal spot.

heavymental

Really it's got more intense/popular since 2008? Why's that then? Anyway, sounds like I'll just try and ride up and set off early after a croissant or 3.

gregster04

From my experience, if you want to drive up to the top of Ventoux, then you will need to be there days before the peloton or queue to get as far up as you can on the night before. There will definitely be a queue then as everyone following the Tour will be arriving. I assume the earliest people must park up and ride out to the other nearby stages rather than sit on a mountain waiting for several days. It's a cracking atmosphere up there though.

You can skirt around some roads and avoid some closures very early on the day but I would think getting onto the Ventoux will be nigh on impossible on the day.

Even if you park down below and ride up on the day you will need to be there as early as you can be if you want to enjoy it and be relatively unmolested. Last time I went to Alpe D'Huez, for example, we got there well before breakfast and I must have grabbed the last parking spot in the whole of Bourg d'oisans.

Despite all of that, it will still be brilliant however you do it.

specialgueststar

gregster04 wrote:

From my experience, if you want to drive up to the top of Ventoux,.

Don't think you are going to get anywhere near the top! - look no vans - those three will be official - They have been bringing the white vans down closer to the tree line each year . This makes it more difficult to find spaces in the forest. And don't forget you can't often park directly on the road there - you have to pull into the parking areas which fill up a week before. In 2013 you couldn't cycle past the 3km about 6 hours before the peloton

Maybe worth thinking about going up from Sault and trying to get near to Chalet Reynard - but again this will have to be a couple of days before Unlike other mountains there is no pull over onto grass so its a pretty narrow column a lot of the way up - so nothing like the capacity of Galibier etc

DeVlaeminck

What are the unpaved routes up there like on the day - I've done the well known forest road on a MTB, that route starts about a third of the way up the classic road climb - you might be able to park up there however many days before the stage and then use a MTB/cross bike to get nearer the top - there are routes to Chalet Reynard or a few km the other side of the summit from there but there are other paths and tracks on Ventoux too that might be an option.

Mac9

I'm planning on watching the Ventoux stage on the mountainside and have read this thread with interest.

My plan was to ride up to Chalet Reynard or thereabouts on the morning of the stage and watch it from there, then roll back down again and off to my hotel.

The problem is that I'll be staying in Arles which is too far for me to ride to and from on the day, therefore I'll be looking to drive and park close by and ride from there.

Does anyone know if it will be possible to find a parking space in Sault or Bedoin on the morning of the stage?

Cheers.

specialgueststar

Mac9 wrote:

I'm planning on watching the Ventoux stage on the mountainside and have read this thread with interest.

My plan was to ride up to Chalet Reynard or thereabouts on the morning of the stage and watch it from there, then roll back down again and off to my hotel.

The problem is that I'll be staying in Arles which is too far for me to ride to and from on the day, therefore I'll be looking to drive and park close by and ride from there.

Does anyone know if it will be possible to find a parking space in Sault or Bedoin on the morning of the stage?

Cheers.

You will be able to find a spot in Bedoin somewhere....I would make over to the municipal campsite next to the municipal swimming pool and opposite from that is a (very) large field that becomes a free overspill campsite /car park . However there was plenty of parking in the side streets the years I have been there on Tour day . You will get much better atmosphere from Bedoin than Sault as there is a real build up in the village. There is a fountain in the square for filling bottles etc which is a tradition ...then it's off you go. Chalet Reynard gets packed - there is usually a large TREK hospitality tent around there and a large screen so you can watch the action . Good bike shop in Bedoin if needed

greasedscotsman

Mac9 wrote:

Does anyone know if it will be possible to find a parking space in Sault or Bedoin on the morning of the stage?

That's what I did the last time the Tour used Ventoux, in 2013. There was some sort of parking signposted off the main road here...

https://goo.gl/maps/S7US6QZBcz72

I didn't use it though, I parked a little further down.

Mac9

Thank you both for your very helpful replies.

Can't wait for the day itself now, just need to get training for the climb itself!

rick_chasey

Heavymental wrote:

Really it's got more intense/popular since 2008? Why's that then? Anyway, sounds like I'll just try and ride up and set off early after a croissant or 3.

Brits.....

heavymental

Damn Brits...

specialgueststar

yes but a lot less yanks

eric_draven

SpecialGuestStar wrote:

gregster04 wrote:

From my experience, if you want to drive up to the top of Ventoux,.

Don't think you are going to get anywhere near the top! - look no vans - those three will be official - They have been bringing the white vans down closer to the tree line each year . This makes it more difficult to find spaces in the forest. And don't forget you can't often park directly on the road there - you have to pull into the parking areas which fill up a week before. In 2013 you couldn't cycle past the 3km about 6 hours before the peloton

Maybe worth thinking about going up from Sault and trying to get near to Chalet Reynard - but again this will have to be a couple of days before Unlike other mountains there is no pull over onto grass so its a pretty narrow column a lot of the way up - so nothing like the capacity of Galibier etc

Reckon I'm in the top photo somewhere,from experience from 3 years ago,i got there the day before the stage and drove to Malaucène,and then drove up the north side about 6-7pm,you will be stopped about 4 miles from the top where the back entrance is,also ski lifts there as well,they were letting people camp on that area for free,tents and camper vans,i got up early and descended the north side and rode the race route,all i can say it was heaving,I got to the last right hand corner before I was stopped but they closed the road off at about 700m to go,the last left hand bend

where i camped i also where the team buses wait for the riders

specialgueststar

eric draven wrote:

SpecialGuestStar wrote:

gregster04 wrote:

From my experience, if you want to drive up to the top of Ventoux,.

Don't think you are going to get anywhere near the top! - look no vans - those three will be official - They have been bringing the white vans down closer to the tree line each year . This makes it more difficult to find spaces in the forest. And don't forget you can't often park directly on the road there - you have to pull into the parking areas which fill up a week before. In 2013 you couldn't cycle past the 3km about 6 hours before the peloton

Maybe worth thinking about going up from Sault and trying to get near to Chalet Reynard - but again this will have to be a couple of days before Unlike other mountains there is no pull over onto grass so its a pretty narrow column a lot of the way up - so nothing like the capacity of Galibier etc

Reckon I'm in the top photo somewhere,from experience from 3 years ago,i got there the day before the stage and drove to Malaucène,and then drove up the north side about 6-7pm,you will be stopped about 4 miles from the top where the back entrance is,also ski lifts there as well,they were letting people camp on that area for free,tents and camper vans,i got up early and descended the north side and rode the race route,all i can say it was heaving,I got to the last right hand corner before I was stopped but they closed the road off at about 700m to go,the last left hand bend

where i camped i also where the team buses wait for the riders

I was there but on the second photo I got stopped at the 3km banner - it was about 2 hours before caravan

eric_draven

SpecialGuestStar wrote:

eric draven wrote:

SpecialGuestStar wrote:

gregster04 wrote:

From my experience, if you want to drive up to the top of Ventoux,.

[img]<span%20class="skimlinks-unlinked">https://bikesandbidons.files.wordpress.com/2013/07/tdf-2013-stage-15-mont-ventoux-aso-p-perreve-e1374360990378.jpg</span>[/img]

Don't think you are going to get anywhere near the top! - look no vans - those three will be official - They have been bringing the white vans down closer to the tree line each year . This makes it more difficult to find spaces in the forest. And don't forget you can't often park directly on the road there - you have to pull into the parking areas which fill up a week before. In 2013 you couldn't cycle past the 3km about 6 hours before the peloton

Maybe worth thinking about going up from Sault and trying to get near to Chalet Reynard - but again this will have to be a couple of days before Unlike other mountains there is no pull over onto grass so its a pretty narrow column a lot of the way up - so nothing like the capacity of Galibier etc

[img]<span%20class="skimlinks-unlinked">https://hopeeternal.files.wordpress.com/2013/07/img_4949-le-mont-ventoux.jpg</span>[/img]

Reckon I'm in the top photo somewhere,from experience from 3 years ago,i got there the day before the stage and drove to Malaucène,and then drove up the north side about 6-7pm,you will be stopped about 4 miles from the top where the back entrance is,also ski lifts there as well,they were letting people camp on that area for free,tents and camper vans,i got up early and descended the north side and rode the race route,all i can say it was heaving,I got to the last right hand corner before I was stopped but they closed the road off at about 700m to go,the last left hand bend

where i camped i also where the team buses wait for the riders

I was there but on the second photo I got stopped at the 3km banner - it was about 2 hours before caravan

I watched it come past at at about 800m to go,i got top the top at about 10 am,forgot to take a jacket or long sleeve jersey with me,I was a bit cold in the afternoon when the wind got up

froome by future primitive 184, on Flickr

Ha got the photo thing sussed now

Mac9

Sorry to reopen such an old thread.

Just wondering if anyone knew if it would be possible to drive up to Chalet Reynard either from Bedoin or Sault on the morning of the stage to drop friends off and then drive straight back down again?

I'm going to be riding up on the morning of the stage but friends I'm going to be meeting there will not be able to for various reasons.

Thanks in advance.

eric_draven

Mac9 wrote:

Sorry to reopen such an old thread.

Just wondering if anyone knew if it would be possible to drive up to Chalet Reynard either from Bedoin or Sault on the morning of the stage to drop friends off and then drive straight back down again?

I'm going to be riding up on the morning of the stage but friends I'm going to be meeting there will not be able to for various reasons.

Thanks in advance.

If like last time i would say no,as the road had been shut off the night before,but it was the centenary year and Bastille day as well,maybe if you were to very early in the morning

greasedscotsman

Mac9 wrote:

Sorry to reopen such an old thread.

Just wondering if anyone knew if it would be possible to drive up to Chalet Reynard either from Bedoin or Sault on the morning of the stage to drop friends off and then drive straight back down again?

I'm going to be riding up on the morning of the stage but friends I'm going to be meeting there will not be able to for various reasons.

Thanks in advance.

Sault, yes. Bedoin, no.

MrT

greasedscotsman wrote:

Mac9 wrote:

Sorry to reopen such an old thread.

Just wondering if anyone knew if it would be possible to drive up to Chalet Reynard either from Bedoin or Sault on the morning of the stage to drop friends off and then drive straight back down again?

I'm going to be riding up on the morning of the stage but friends I'm going to be meeting there will not be able to for various reasons.

Thanks in advance.

Sault, yes. Bedoin, no.

Agree with the Scotsman ....assuming your friends will be in for a long walk down....I rode up in 08 and 13 and it was chaos coming down....even on two wheels.

Mac9

Thanks for all the info everybody.

My plan had been to drive up from Sault to drop my two friends off with their bikes so they could roll back down, then drive myself to a car park around Bedoin and ride up to meet them.

However, looking at this website it suggests that all access roads will be closed from 1pm the day before the stage so that plan is out of the window and it's back to the drawing board!

http://www.ventoux-stage-france.co.uk/p ... -17-2.html

greasedscotsman

That's really helpful, thanks for posting Mac9.