Getting to Ventoux

clanton

I have a hankering to take on the cingles du Ventoux (sp?) this July. A friend will be driving down to Spain, doing the ride on the way down. I could potentially get a lift there with him but would have to come straight back due to work etc - and he wouldn't be able to transport a bike box down for me to fly my bike back with....

So I am thinking I need to either fly both ways or possibly even take a train?

Anyone done this before? Any tips as to the best and most cost effective way to get to Ventoux and back for a super short trip would be great!

crescent

If you are flying then I think Marseilles is probably the best airport to aim for. There are plenty of flights, some of which will go via Schipol which isn’t too much of a hardship to be honest although you may be closer to an airport with a direct flight which is obviously more convenient. Bedoin or Malaucene are the two towns at either end of Ventoux and both are no more than a couple of hours drive from Marseilles if you are looking at car hire options. I’m not 100% sure about trains but Carpentras and Avignon are fairly close and probably have a TGV station that could give you a few options - be aware of using the TGV if you are travelling with your own bike though, I believe pre-booking is essential as they do not have a huge amount of storage space onboard. I opted to rent a bike during my trip, there are plenty of quality bikes available and can be a good option if you don’t want the hassle of transporting your own bike. I was about €130 for for six days rental and it was a nice carbon Look bike equipped with Ultegra. My non-cycling (and very understanding) wife and I made it into a week’s holiday so, although it wasn’t an unlimited budget by any stretch of the imagination, it maybe wasn’t necessarily the cheapest method. We stayed at the Hotel des Pins in Bedoin, nice hotel, recommended.
Hope some of this info helps, good luck 8)

clanton

Thanks!
Thinking bike hire is the way forward. Currently looks like flying to Lyon and getting collected by my friend as he passes through, then dropped in Barcelona in Saturday - is going to be the way forward. Slightly ridiculous plan really but I think I might be able to swing it.

durhamwasp

Depending on your local airports and flights, flying to Nice or Lyon, and hiring a car isn't the worst option... Then either take your bike or hire, and stay in a hotel or take a tent...

Its worth it, no matter have much of an adventure you create. Bedoin is special.

whoof

The nearest airport is Avignon and also one of the nicest I've been to, the arrivals hall is a hanger, baggage collection is someone handing your stuff to you through a hole in the wall and I got a free bottle of wine of arrival.
Flybe go there.
It's about 40 km from Bedoin. You can get train to Carpentras for about £12 and from there it's about 15km to Bedoin.

aberdeenal

There's plenty bike hire places in Malaucene if you choose to stay there - not far to foot of Ventoux

shirley_basso

What date? We are doing 26th I think.

Search cingles on here for more advice, there's a dedicated thread.

mtb-idle

I'm on the Eurostar right now returning from a successful Cingles trip

07-19 Eurostar from st Pancras to Avignon TGV station direct on Friday (no messy change required in Paris. Avignion TGVstation to Carpentras €7 and then a mate picked me up from there. Fortunately same mate had taken my.bike on the back of his car (borrowing my towbar rack) but already had a car full so couldn't fit me in.

Took a while for the trip but air conditioning, wifi and coffee on tap and reading or snoozing IMO is much better than driving 12 hours each way on a four day trip.