Day 11A and 12A: Ventoux x 2.

 Saturday arrived with the prospect of riding up Mt Ventoux, one of the most revered climbs in Le Tour. We have stayed in the pretty town of Bedoin, with many cafes, bars, and bike shops.  While the towns in the Alps and Pyrenees cater to cyclists, more as a side hustle from the ski tourists, in Bedoin, cycling is the main game!

On the first morning we rode up from the town, and 21km of climbing right from the get go.  Our AirBnB hosts suggested we leave early because of the impending heat.  We asked if 7am was early enough, and they said 6!  So up we got to ride early.  There was a great sunrise over the back of the mountain and wonderful views on the lower slopes.

From this angle the climb starts through farmland, but then into the forest, where the steepest gradients are to be found.  from km 5 to 15 it has grades of 8-9% for a lot of the climb.  At km 15 Chalet Reynard comes into view and the famed 'moonscape' begins. From here, the climb actually flattens out to about 6-7% for much of the climb, and it is usually hot.  On these slopes, the British cyclist, Tom Simpson, died during the tour, part from the heat, part from the drugs (so they say). Because we were early, we spared the worst of the heat. I stopped briefly at the memorial to Tom Simpson which is within the last km of the climb.

The view from the top of the mountain is quite spectacular!

To get home we decided to return via Gorge de la Nesque. I had been told it was stunning, and it certainly was.  It was easily the most beautiful road I have ever ridden on. 

It was a great day in the saddle, but the cumulative impact of the last few days has taken a toll. 

We had a quite night and then went up Ventoux from the Malaucene side.  It is not as 'theatrical' as the Bedoin climb, but the views out towards the Alps are probably better from this north side of the mountain. We rode back down to Sault for coffee and patisserie.  After that, Ben climbed back up to complete all three ascents of the mountain, while I returned via the gorge we rode yesterday.  Bedoin has been amazing, and I really hope to return one day to do all this again.