France Guide
Provence
Mont Ventoux
MONT VENTOUX, whose outline repeatedly appears upon the horizon from the Rhône and Durance valleys, rises some 20km east of Vaison. White with snow, black with storm-cloud shadow or reflecting myriad shades of blue, the barren pebbles of the uppermost 300m are like a weathervane for all of western Provence. Winds can accelerate to 250km per hour around the meteorological, TV and military masts and dishes on the summit, but if you can stand still for a moment the view in all directions is unbelievable. A road, the D974, climbs all the way to the top, though no buses go there. The road up the northern face from Malaucène is wider, straighter, and better surfaced than the southern ascent.
If you want to make the ascent on foot, the best path is from Les Colombets or Les Fébriers, two hamlets off the D974, east of BEDOIN, whose tourist office on the espace M.-L.-Gravier (mid-June to Oct Mon– Sat 9–12.30pm & 2–6pm, Sun 9.30am–12.30pm; Nov to mid-June Mon– Fri 9–12.30pm & 2–6pm, Sat 9.30am–12.30pm; 
04.90.65.63.95) can give details of routes (including a once a week night-time ascent in July & Aug), plus addresses of campsites and gîtes ruraux.
Mont Ventoux is one of the challenges of the Tour de France. Within sight of the stony summit is a memorial to the British cyclist Tommy Simpson, who died here from heart failure on one of the hottest days ever recorded in the race; according to race folklore his last words were "Put me back on the bloody bike."