Routes in & around Mont Ventoux area

drlodge

I'll be staying at the foot of Mont Ventoux in a few weeks and wondering what are the best routes in that area, other than the obvious opportunity for hill reps?!

Does anyone have some good routes they can point to?

benno the red

Hi same question from me.
We are heading down in early May original plan was to climb Ventoux but sadly due to serious illness I haven't been able to get on the road bike for months
So we contemplated postponing , but thought bollox lets still go and have a tap round Provence keep it flat ish visit the local village cafes etc
So anyone with any advice of nice easy rides and also campsites (camprrvan) would be much appreciated
Mark

Flâneur

Sorry limited on routes as my garmin died last time I was out there but I had these two which don't take on ventoux planned.

Adjust for your own location/ distance want..

Nice circle around the mountain https://www.strava.com/routes/3119783 72 mles 7500ft
https://www.strava.com/routes/3139474 76 miles 6800ft

mercia_man

Many people stay at Bedoin but I can highly recommend the following two campsites. I regular stay at both in my camper van in May or September.

http://www.beaumes-de-venise.fr/5.cfm?p ... -de-venise

http://www.campingventoux.com/

The cheap municipal camping at Beaumes-de-Venise is on the edge of a nice little town with plenty of opportunity to taste and buy fantastic local wine, olive oil etc and a great little supermarket selling wonderful local veg off the main car park.

The second highlighted camping is high up on the northern face of Ventoux at the ski station of Mont Serein with probably the best panoramic views of any site I have stayed at. It's a short and easily achievable cycle ride from the site to the summit of Ventoux and there are lovely walks through wooded nature reserve up to the summit and along the Ventoux flank. It's colder here at night and this site is not recommended if the mistral is blowing.

Apart from the various routes up Ventoux, you can do a scenic loop south of the mountain via tiny lanes through Methamis towards Sault and then return via the Gorges de la Nesque. A good loop north of Ventoux is up the Col des Aires to Montbrun les Bains and back via Buis-les-Baronnies. There is good riding also in the Baronnies ridge of mountains and the Col de Perty.

For a shorter morning or afternoon ride, you can take little lanes up to Suzette in the spiky Dentelles de Montmirail mountains. For easier riding, you can visit the Rhone vineyard villages of Gigondas, Sablet and Seguret west of the Dentelles, or head south from Beaumes-de-Venise along little lanes through vineyards towards Carpentras.

drlodge

Thanks all, some useful info there.

I'm staying at http://www.lafermedesbelugues.com/ and expect the owners there will also have plenty of routes, but its nice to have some already loaded.

bernithebiker

Try and take in Lacoste, very nice little village with a great restaurant with view.

benno the red

Thanks for the info much appreciated, keep them coming ...

mercia_man

Benno - here's another farm camping site you may like for your camper van. I stayed here a few years ago when I was cycle touring with a tent. It's a lovely peaceful spot and very handy for riding the Gorges de la Nesque, Ventoux and the gently rolling countryside in the immediate area.

http://www.provenceguide.co.uk/outdoor- ... 329-1.html

Drlodge - I don't know whether you are into wine but I can recommend the family-run Chateau Redortier in Suzette in the heart of the Dentelles. It's a steep ride up there by any route from your chambre d'hote at Le Barroux (I expect you will need your 32 cog) but you can recover with a spot of wine tasting at the Redortier caveau at the little crossroads in the centre of the village. Two sisters make the wines - Gigondas, Ventoux and Beaumes-de-Venise. I went home with six bottles of the B-de-V for drinking on special occasions. If you like a powerful, complex red rather than alcoholic fruit juice, this hits the spot.

crescent

Hotel des Pins on the outskirts of Bedoin is nice for a meal. We stayed there for a week last year. Nice wee place and really good food, a lot of people seemed to visit for the evening meal service.
As far as routes go, it is beautiful countryside so just cycling in the area is a pleasure. Perhaps try making a route that takes in Malaucene, Suzette, La Roque Alric - three small villages that provide plenty of climbing in between. Also, La Gorge de La Nesque is stunning, starting from the small town of Ville sur Auzon, a few miles from Bedoin. Remember also that there are three routes up Ventoux, I did the Bedoin side and the Malaucene side, both different and each worth doing in their own way. It's a lovely part of the world, enjoy.

briantrumpet

benno the red wrote:

Hi same question from me.
We are heading down in early May original plan was to climb Ventoux but sadly due to serious illness I haven't been able to get on the road bike for months
So we contemplated postponing , but thought bollox lets still go and have a tap round Provence keep it flat ish visit the local village cafes etc
So anyone with any advice of nice easy rides and also campsites (camprrvan) would be much appreciated
Mark

If you fancy spending a night or two a tad further north, you might drop in on Die & the Vercors plateau. If you do, I can recommend a few lovely rides around the Drôme valley. It's an area that is stunning (pre Alps), but less well known than Provence. Lots of my photos at http://www.unanglaisendiois.wordpress.com. Plenty of municipal campsites too, including at Die itself.

benno the red

Hi all thanks for the replies
Brian we r from Exeter too , we are halfway down stopped off our motor home at Beaune right now

Hoping to make Bedoin foot of Ventoux and find a campsite by late tomorrow or early Saturday
Any advice for a good site ?
Cheeer all
Mark

briantrumpet

benno the red wrote:

Hi all thanks for the replies
Brian we r from Exeter too , we are halfway down stopped off our motor home at Beaune right now

Hoping to make Bedoin foot of Ventoux and find a campsite by late tomorrow or early Saturday
Any advice for a good site ?
Cheeer all
Mark

Hope you have a great time!