Detour #40: Mont Ventoux, France
Long before the MAMILs took over, the extinct volcano of Mont Ventoux roared to the sounds of motorsport.
From the very first days of internal combustion in 1902 right up until 1971, Mont Ventoux served as a hillclimb venue. In the 1930s Grand Prix racers including Hans Stuck in his supercharged V16 Auto Union and Rudolf Caracciola driving for Mercedes-Benz and Alfa Romeo dominated this incredible event.
A revival was briefly held in 2009, but these days it’s the cyclists who want to take on the Tour de France’s infamous ‘Beast of Provence’ that tend to dominate the road.
From Bédoin it’s just 13 miles to the observatory at the top of Ventoux, but with a climb of over 1,500 metres and an average gradient of over seven per cent it’s a serious ascent. Hard work on pedal power, but an absolute joy when your right pedal is linked to a few hundred horsepower.
The first three miles out of Bédoin take you on a gentle rise through vineyards and orchards and the quaint village of Saint Colombe before you enter a good six miles of forest. The incline increases sharply as you scythe through the trees. The road is narrow and it’s hard to see through the corners, so make sure you don’t drift out of your lane.
It’s the next four miles that make this drive one to remember. Leaving the forest behind you’re into a glaring white lunar-like landscape, with plenty of twisties to keep your attention.
The final descent is packed with hairpins and is notoriously slippery, so take care under braking - which you’ll be doing plenty of!
Words Nik Berg Twitter | Instagram
Photography Nick Wood / Thomas Neteland / BMX22C / Unsplash
ROADBOOK
Class: Hill climb
Name: Mont Ventoux
Route: Bédoin to Malaucène
Country: France
Distance: 24 miles