Morning. We did Ventoux this year as part of our coast to coast trip 3week trip. We started at Malaucene staying in a hotel just before you take the turning up the hill/mountain. I left at 6am in the middle of July, a week after all the crazyness during Le Tour on the mountain. There was only one other rider at that time. I guess it depends on fitness, we had been cycling for 2.5weeks already. (I'm 44)
It is not impossible, in fact, it is pretty easy and enjoyable. I was worried sick the night before, hardly slept. The climb is steady with some almost flat parts. The second half is more constant. I had some good music to listen to too. I took a few bars which I ate and popped one gel towards the end when the grade got higher. I also drink a lot and went through two bottles by halfway. Luckily we had a support van and I filled up from him again. The other cyclist leapfrogged past me at that point.
The majority of the climb is in the wood, some flies and butterfly's which pass you lol You don't get to see the top or the bare mountain till quite late on which I think, psychologically, is a great idea. Getting towards the top and one more cyclist comes up fast and takes me before I can catch up the other guy I was kinda pacing. There are a few cars and motorbikes about, a fast Porsche went up and down once.
The road itself is very good quality and straight too, yes it has a few switchbacks, but it is not constantly bendy. I caught up the other guy near the top where the photographers are, I took him for the photo
At the top the van joined me and I would say within half and hour of me getting up there, it started to get really busy with other riders and runners. The temperature was also picking up fast, and the wind was starting too. There didn't seem to be any on the way up - luckily.
The way down is as fast as you want it to be. The road surface i found not to be as good as going up. It was bloomin' busy too with riders coming up, of all ages too Kids, old people and lots of what looked like, organised groups or tours. There may have even been a charity ride that day as some kids had numbers on. I did get confused on which which down to take at the junction.
The road down when you reach the trees is very twisty, I thought myself lucky I was not coming up this way as it looked like it would be harder to get in to a rhythm. Again the road surface was lumpy and some great swtich backs. Of course, all the road markings, flags, etc etc were still painted on the road from the week previous.
Cars coming up the other way are a pain as they overtake the slow cyclists. Most are considerate if you are coming down at speed - like i was, some didn;t know how to act and just got in everyone's way. I have to watch my
GoPro video again, but I dont think I had to shout at many people. A few cyclists coming up were on the wrong side of the road at times which was very dangerous, as like I said, the road surface is pushed up by the tree roots, making the surface uneaven. A few cyclists cut the switch back corners too which is bad as they couldnt see me coming down till I was on them.
Malaucene is a tourist shoot hole if I am honest. (we had just cycled through remote France seeing hardly any one though). Very commercial and full of bike shops. Found the launderette too!
Provence is georgeous, we have been there a few times now, Aix is amazing and a good place to stay and cycle, we did this last Easter and I did some training around the mountain there, a lovely circuit with some nice climbs and descents. I would defo start from Malaucene though. There is a carpark at the bottom if you just want to go up and down. We cycled to Roussillon that day.
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