I’m looking for some advice on where to stay in the summer. Planning on driving down to Provence and going up the Ventoux, then if there’s any juice left in the legs driving east and going up Col du Galibier.
Anyone who’s done a trip like this, any advice will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

camping? Hotels ?

I did it last year, doing it again this year too.

I broke the journey up by stopping in Bourg d’Oissan and doing Col de le Croix de Fer, Alpes d’Huez and Telegraphe, then driving down to Bedoin and doing the Ventoux from that side. We rough camped in Bedoin. There are a couple of campsites in Bedoin and they offer reasonable prices and you can book on line.

Great trip!!

Should have said,looking for guest house etc. Going to need creature comforts I think 😉

Some info here; http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=40003&t=13006276

Valloire is a good place to stay if you fancy doing a few Cols,downside is that if you go in to the valley,you always have Telegraphe or Galibier as a finish 😉

We stayed in a small chalet just outside Bedoin when we did Ventoux.
Lot’s of places to choose from.

veloventoux.

Veloventoux, Craig is a great guy, they’ll look after you.

There’s lots of places to stay around Bedoin. I stayed in Lafare (my parents have a place) and the ride over to Bedoin made a nice hors d’ouevres before the big climb. Anywhere around that area (La Roque Alric, Suzette, Le Barroux) would work the same.

While you’re there I recommend riding Gorges de la Nesque – it’s really beautiful. I did a loop from Villes-sur-Auzon but next trip I plan to do that road up to Sault then climb the Ventoux (longer but less steep than from Bedoin).

My plan involves lots of driving: Tourmalet, Ventoux, Stelvio and a bit roundabouts Bourg St Maurice where my chum stays. 🙂

malaucenne / bedoin are great places to stay at the foot of the ventoux.

I know the right answer to this! We stayed at Gite du St Julien at Buis les Baronnies not far from Ventoux. It’s a hostel but really nice, swimming pool etc. The woman who runs it cooks fantastic meals every night and it costs buttons to stay there.
http://french-cottage.gitedusaintjulien.com/

Second everything MrNice has said. You can have an amazing ride to Ventoux staying slightly further away. Check out Carpentras for instance. Beautiful rides in the area towards Gordes and Orange as well. Best road cycling in the world. Gorges de la Nesque is one of the all time great rides as well. Beaumes De Venise is a lovely place to stay, if you get the chance.

I’ll agree with what all the others are saying, we camp in Cost near buis les baronies. It’s a good little ride of about an hour to get to the ventoux with some great riding nearby too.

I wouldn’t bother carrying on into the Alps proper if you haven’t ridden in Provence before. It is spectacular. You have to find time to ride the Gorges de la Nesque. Also the hilltop towns and vineyards in the Luberon valley. Set off from L’Isle sur la Sorgue, ride out to the Venasque forest and climb the Col du Murs, then visit Gordes and Rousillon before heading back up the valley via a couple of the vineyards.

Hey,

Thanks for the tips – Booked a cottage in Bedion at the end of August, beginning of September. Need to get spinning now!

Gears: Currently I have a compact chainset ( as we all do ) with 28 on the back. Is it worth putting a 32 cassette on?

No harm in having more teeth at the back. I rode alpe d huez a few yrs ago with a compact and a 30 on the back and was pleased I had it. If I’d gone out with the 25teeth the bike came with it would of been hard. I was reasonably fit also, just over an hour from bottom to the alpe d huez village.

2 of us are doing a similar trip in June.

We want to do the Telepgraphe, Galibier, d’Huez route (http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/T-l-graphe-Galibier-Alpe-d-Huez539453) but the logistics are hard since the start and finish are at different locations.

Any ideas how we overcome that?

I did it on Compact and 25 without too many issues, managed to stay on top of the gear all the time. I was relatively fit at the time though.
https://www.strava.com/activities/143338320

2 hrs for the bedoin side is supposed to be the amateur target, I was a bit silly and did all three sides.

If you are doing it as a fun driving trip make sure you drive up and down and over to the gorge du verdon and on to Route Napoleon too.

Any ideas how we overcome that?

Ride the glandon first 😈

Just to add to all the above, it’s a beautiful area for road biking but it’s also epic for MTB’s as well. The Venasque forest and the surrounding area is riddled with wonderful scenic gravel tracks and miles of perfect singletrack. Loads of routes on Utagawavtt.com.

Getting awfully close now… thinking about Galibier from the North including Telepgaphe, where’s a good place to park up in St Michel?

Thanks

There’s a free carpark on the main road through StM-de-M near the start of the Telegraphe climb. Toilets too, but of the ‘rustic French’ variety so hope you only need a pee.

Gears: Currently I have a compact chainset ( as we all do ) with 28 on the back. Is it worth putting a 32 cassette on?

Depends on your technique – I prefer to sit and spin so I went with a 12-30T cassette and a compact. I did AdH in just over an hour so not too shabby.

Beware that Galibier is a monster, especially if you ascend via Telegraphe, as you have virtually no respite between the two.

We stopped at Valloire for lunch, in between Tel and Galibier

It’s still a monster though! Especially there and back. Prepare for ALL weathers on the day, same as any mountain.

Last year a friend and I jokingly talked about riding up the Ventoux. I’ve been riding regularly about 5 years (MTB too) I got to looking at the hill again in April and decided to book a week in Bedoin at the end of August. I’d been in training for the ride for 4 months or so. Living in south Wales there were plenty of hills to train on: Gospel pass, The Tumble, Bwlch/Rhigos were the main lung burners.

About 10 days before the trip I woke up with a shooting pain in my back – I’d done something to my Trapizius and it was sending shooting pains down my Arm. I’d had the same pull / strain the year before at the same time too. I couldn’t believe it had happened again!!! I was off the bike for about 6 weeks last year, but it wasn’t as severe this time. So I had a few physio sessions but they didn’t really help. The worst position for the pain, ironically was either on the Brake Hoods or top tube!
I didn’t know how things would work out but carried on with the holiday – I was having 4 days in Chamonix at the end and was thinking about the Galibier too, assuming MV didn’t kill me ! So I arrived on the Saturday and rested up Sunday. Monday evening I decided to ride over to Malaucene to test the waters. By the time I’d left the town square I knew I was stuffed! I was in agony!

I drove up to the summit through the Forrest and the drive intimidated me, let alone biking up! Things were a little better by the Wednesday but the pain was the same in the riding position. I rode up from Bedoin and about a mile into the Forrest to test things that evening. On Thursday night I thought if I could just find a position where the spasms were not happening I’d be ok. I was feeling so fit too. So made a few small adjustments to the stem and Seat post.

I woke at 6am on Friday ( last day in Bedoin – do or die ) Smothered my Shoulder in Tiger balm and set off at 7am. Things were ok as the forest approached, it was on the cool side, there was no wind and the sun was tempting me from over the summit, 1000’s of feet above! Perfect riding conditions. My shoulder and arm were not too bad. No spasm’s. I made a goal of getting to the Sharp switch back just over half way up, and got there. I was 1st gear almost from the start of the forest ( 39/30 ) Cadence was 65, and I was managing to find a rhythm ( dead slow I call it ) It’s funny how pleased I felt when the gradient dropped to 8 or 9 percent – I’d be cursing that back home!! Met a rider from Belgium who was doing all Three routes that day. He had a triple, and kindly refused my offer of a swap ! He was good company and before I knew it , well actually much later that I expected I saw Chalet Renyard…. I knew I was going to get there!!

I stopped for a drink and chew for 5 mins then set off. The last 6 k to the summit are very similar to the Rhigos here in Wales so I was feeling confident. Still no wind and warm sunshine. I stopped for a few photos , then I saw the Tom Simpson memorial. The Gradient spiked up a bit then on the last k and the there were more people about. I saw the photographer on the right of the road, so sucked my belly in and got out of the saddle for the last 200Meters! After 3 hours I’d made it to the Summit! Pole, Pole, ( Slowly, slowly in Tanzanian ) Had worked… My smile was like the Horizon!!

I took a few more photos, gathered myself , put my windproof jacket and Gloves on and clicked my way into top gear. The descent was fantastic, hit 75k a few times even though the tucked position was agony on my back.

It was the best climbing day I’ve ever had – I’ll be back next year and try all three routes.. Carpe Diem!!!!

That sounds amazing, well done! Looking to do something similar next year I think, will have to revisit all the advice here. Well done on defeating the injury too, takes guts!

Ventoux not so hard…so my mate seems to think:

http://road.cc/content/news/131013-video-london-cyclist-tackles-mont-ventoux-6-times-1-day

Ventoux not so hard…so my mate seems to think:

[url=http://raleigh-chopper-ventoux.blogspot.co.uk/]This guy[/url] seemed to make light work of of it.
Passed 14 riders on the ascent as well, who presumably died of shame on the spot

have you seen the video of the chopper bloke? his mate’s hanging out of the support car playing 70’s rock as he overtakes a bunch of roadies and the cherry on top is a defeated shake of the head from the guy getting passed 😆

and to the OP – well done! I did it last year and found it tough enough without an injury. Hoping next year to ride it from the Sault side having started with the climb up Gorge de la Nesque

Carpe Diem indeed. Well done fella. Done a few alpine climbs myself (yes I know MV is not the alps) and know how hard they are. Ventoux is on the to do list.

Slow and steady and the tortoise always beats the hare. It is indeed a superb feeling once you get there and as you say, if you can find a riding buddy or merely just someone/a few people to share the pain with it makes it go easier.

Dunno if you have kids at all but my enjoyment is heightened by enjoying the climb with my two boys aged 24 and 22.

We all ride at different pace/speed and rarely see each other on the climb but it’s great to see them both at the top and they really enjoy it too plus I get a guilt-free cycling holiday once a year cos the wife sees it as father/son bonding experience rather than me off cycling again.