An idea - Ventoux

[Aperitif]

I'm off to France on Saturday for 6 days cycling. We plan to do Ventoux on one of the days, so I'll no doubt post up on here. I also plan to keep a Blog, so you might want a quick nosey at that.

Six days. "What will you do for the other five?" I hear our intrepid adventurer's cogs turning as I write...

 

[Norry1]

Six days. "What will you do for the other five?" I hear our intrepid adventurer's cogs turning as I write...

Ride Alpe D'Huex and as many other Cols as possible! We are staying in Le Bourg D'oisans at the base of Alpe D'Huez.

 

[Flandrienne]

Ok at this stage this is really just an idea. By this time next month, I should almost have finished LEL and I'm looking for a new challenge. I've always wanted to ride up a real mountain and Ventoux seems a suitable candidate.

I'm thinking of next June/July. Train to Avignon, short hop to Bedoin on day one. Ride up on day two, day 3 relax a bit, day 4 come home.

Piece of cake?

a hughe piece of cake.... no, a whole cake!

I have been there.Avignon is a great place to be.Their is a camping site just on the other side of the river known from the song: sur le pont 'd Avignon on y dance...In July their are special dance and theatral activities.
The mountain is surrounded by sunflower and lavender fields.The mountain itself is an old , isolated bare mountain and cold and windy at the top.That's why it is named: Vent toux ( Wind everywhere) You have two options to climb it: the slow long way; or the steeper way at the other side.
In July , the weather will be hot, very hot, the asfalt stiky and smelly the grass rather brown, but the view will be fantastic!
All the best!

 

[martint235]

a hughe piece of cake.... no, a whole cake!

I have been there.Avignon is a great place to be.Their is a camping site just on the other side of the river known from the song: sur le pont 'd Avignon on y dance...In July their are special dance and theatral activities.
The mountain is surrounded by sunflower and lavender fields.The mountain itself is an old , isolated bare mountain and cold and windy at the top.That's why it is named: Vent toux ( Wind everywhere) You have two options to climb it: the slow long way; or the steeper way at the other side.
In July , the weather will be hot, very hot, the asfalt stiky and smelly the grass rather brown, but the view will be fantastic!
All the best!

Finally! A believer!!! I think it will be fantastic and a once in a lifetime experience (I have no plans to do it twice!!!)

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

You could come along. I tend to need someone to collect me from said A&E early in the morning.

You should have got someone from the Blotto Lellysol team to pick you up.

 

[TheDoctor]

Getting to Ventoux by bike is not so tricky - I've done it for a long weekend.
Eurostar to Lille, change trains, get off at Avignon, rebuild bike, ride to Bedoin. Knock off the pointy bugger and reverse the first few steps.
I would emphasise the 'Lille' part of this. Crossing a platform at Lille Europe is a lot easier than getting across Paris with a bike. Even the lightest bike is heavy once you've bagged it, lugged it along the Gare du Nord and down some steps to the RER.

 

[martint235]

Cheers Doc. There's a direct train to Avignon on a Saturday in summer so will be hoping to get that.

 

[ianrauk]

Martin, I like this idea. I like the timescale. And I even like you for gawds sake.
So if you want some company then count me in.

 

[martint235]

Martin, I like this idea. I like the timescale. And I even like you for gawds sake.
So if you want some company then count me in.

It's still an idea but let's have a chat. I think it's very do-able.

 

[Alun]

Not adverse to flying per se, I just like the idea of crossing France by train really.

If you're taking your own bike, check the restrictions on Eurostar and SNCF, and don't even think of crossing Paris using the RER.

 

[rb58]

If I was any good on hills, I'd be quite interested in this.

 

[martint235]

If I was any good on hills, I'd be quite interested in this.

It's going to take me 3 times longer to get down than up!

 

[Wobblers]

Best take a change of brake blocks then and stash a spare rim or two half way up

So you don't think Martin's ears will work as air brakes then?

 

[martint235]

So you don't think Martin's ears will work as air brakes then?

Good point, I had forgotten about them.

I can always find a way to jam small people into the brakes on my bike.

 

[Flandrienne]

Click link :www.rooifietst.nl
I 'm off to a 4 days bike event Sint Oedenrode Netherland
A nice, tidy , bikefriendly country to cycle, dreaming away along the water canals, wind mills, heather , sandy woods...miles of horizon because there are nooo mountains