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heading back down to the s of France this year and looking at adding Ventoux to the list. looking at a nice ride that takes in the Mt around 1/2 day. Taking the campervan with wife and kiddies so would need to have a nice place to camp with some things for the family to do to offset me being off riding..
cheers
Do the climb from the Malauceine side, descend down to Sault, then take the [url= http://www.google.co.uk/search?q=george+de+la+nesque&hl=en&tbo=d&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=3_EHUdOABOe40QWy9YGQBg&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAA&biw=1280&bih=852 ]george de la nesque[/url] route. The mountain itself isn't particularly special, it just famous, but the george de la nesque is a fantastic ride, beautiful scenery, and a long, not to steep, winding descent that just urges you to keep pushing the big ring.
We stayed at the Fontaine d'Annibal? campsite in Buis-les-Baronnies. Nice site (pitches a tad cramped, but not too bad, nice riding from the door, pool, nice little town with restaurants and stuff, a river that you can swim in and we drove to Sault (about an hour) to do the Ventoux.
cool, if anyone has uploaded routes onto garmin connect and would share them that would be great...just got my edge 500 and uploading routes 🙂
I've ridden the climb from the Bedoin. I recall several campsites nearby, and at least one bike shop in the centre of town.
The climb up from Bedoin is the classic tour climb, easily the steepest route. It starts off easily enough, then gets very steep into the forest, eases a bit past Chalet Reynard then is fairly relentless and exposed to the summit. It never looks far away, but takes ages to reach. The wind can be very strong at the top, pack at least a gillet and arm warmers.
The descent back down is spectacular.
The snow gates were closed at Easter, but on a bike it's easy to sneak under or around them and still ride to the top on the south facing side. It was still unploughed on the other side, I can't remember if that was the road down to Mauceline or Sault.
I can send you a gpx file for a off road ride from the top if your interested? You would need to be dropped of at the top and met at Savoillan or somewhere else along the D40? The route is however very exposed in places, not good if you don't like heights! epic views though 🙂
Cheers Mr brown but ive been told by Mrs Turneround that its only one bike coming with me so opting for the road machine...
I did the climb from the town on the west, whatever it's called. The Bedoin climb seemed more of a box ticking exercise to me, rather than fun.
+1 for Gorge de la Nesque, it's nice in both directions. Lots of other roadie possibilities in the area too, pretty hilltop villages, or do the big names from the Cote de Rhone appellation.
A loop around the base of Mt V is nice too, big contrast between the northern side (deciduous forests) and the southern side (Mediterranean scrub).
oh yeah try and go in cherry season!
If you want to do the ventoux try bedoin loop first,I live out there in faucon in summer so Im used to to it,Then for another ride do; Buis,faucon,malucene (taking the left at the top of the hill in faucon near les aire du temps.Down the hill toward malucene,following the left after the roundabout.Follow maulucene to bedoin then to flassan, then up the gorges to sault,Stop for lunch in auriel at the resto on the left and descend back towards buis
bruce