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Coordinates: 44°10′28″N 5°16′44″E / 44.17444°N 5.27889°E / 44.17444; 5.27889
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{{Infobox Mountain
{{short description|Mountain in France}}
{{Infobox mountain
| Name = Mont Ventoux
| name = Mont Ventoux
| Photo = Mont ventoux summit.jpg| Caption = North side of the summit of Mont Ventoux
| photo = Mont Ventoux 090927.jpg
| Elevation = {{m to ft|num=1912|abbr=no|spell=Commonwealth|precision=0|wiki=yes}}
| photo_caption = South side of the summit of Mont Ventoux
| Location = [[Vaucluse]], [[France]]
| elevation_m = 1910
| Range = periphery of the [[Alps]]
| Prominence =
| elevation_ref =
| prominence_m = 1148
| Coordinates = {{coord |44|10|N|5|17|E|type:mountain_region:FR|display=title,inline}}
| prominence_ref= <ref>{{cite peakbagger|pid=9913|name=Mont Ventoux|access-date=2010-07-04}}</ref>
| Topographic map =
| range = periphery of the [[Alps]]
| First ascent =Prior to [[Petrarch]]; probably ancient
| location = [[Vaucluse]], France
| Easiest route =hike
| map = France
| range_coordinates =
| label_position = left
| coordinates = {{coord|44|10|28|N|5|16|44|E|type:mountain_region:FR_scale:100000|format=dms|display=inline,title}}
| coordinates_ref = <!-- frwiki -->
| topo =
| first_ascent = Prior to [[ Jean Buridan]]; probably ancient
| easiest_route = Hike
}}
}}
{{Infobox mountain pass
'''Mont Ventoux''' ({{lang-oc|Ventor}} in classical norm or {{lang|oc|''Ventour''}} in Mistralian norm) is a [[mountain]] in the [[Provence]] region of southern [[France]], located some 20 km north-east of [[Carpentras]], [[Vaucluse]]. On the north-side, the mountain borders the [[Drôme]] ''[[département in France|département]]''. It is the largest mountain in the region and has been nicknamed the "Giant of Provence", or "The Bald Mountain".
| name = Mont Ventoux
| photo = 140608 Mont-Ventoux-04.jpg
| photo_caption = North side of the summit of Mont Ventoux
| elevation_m = 1910
| elevation_ref =
| traversed = road
| map = Alps
| map_caption = Mont Ventoux
| map_size =
| label = Mont Ventoux
| coordinates = {{coord|44|10|28|N|5|16|44|E|type:mountain_region:FR_scale:100000|format=dms|display=inline}}
| location = {{FRA}}
| range = Free-standing on the western periphery of the [[Alps]]
| topo =
}}
'''Mont Ventoux''' ({{IPA|fr|mɔ̃ vɑ̃tu|lang}}; {{langx|oc|Ventor|label=[[Provençal dialect|Provençal]]}} {{IPA-oc|venˈtu|}}) is a mountain in the [[Provence]] region of southern [[France]], located some {{convert|20|km|abbr=in}} northeast of [[Carpentras]], [[Vaucluse]]. On the north side, the mountain borders the [[Departments of France|department]] of [[Drôme]]. At {{cvt|1910|m}}, it is the highest mountain in the region and has been nicknamed the "Beast of Provence",<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.iter.org/newsline/272/1620 |title=Ascending the "Beast" |date=17 July 2013 |access-date=5 March 2014}}</ref> the "Giant of Provence",<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/other-sports/cycling/tour-de-france-riding-mont-2049804 |title=Taking on Mont Ventoux: The Giant of Provence that stands squarely in front of Britain's Chris Froome this weekend |last1=Maddock |first1=David |date=13 July 2013 |newspaper=Mirror |access-date=5 March 2014}}</ref><ref name="More than 21 bends">{{cite web |url=http://www.morethan21bends.com/montventoux.aspx |title=Mont Ventoux |website=More than 21 bends |access-date=5 March 2014 |archive-date=6 December 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191206130707/https://www.morethan21bends.com/montventoux.aspx |url-status=dead }}</ref> or "The Bald Mountain".<ref name="More than 21 bends" /> It has gained fame through its inclusion in the [[Tour de France]] cycling race;<ref name="More than 21 bends" /> in [[2009 Tour de France|2009]] it was the scene of the first penultimate-day mountain top finish in the Tour de France, with [[Alberto Contador]] sealing his yellow jersey.{{fact|date=July 2021}}


As the name might suggest (''venteux'' means windy in [[French language|French]]), it can get windy at the summit, especially with the ''[[Mistral (wind)|mistral]]''; windspeeds as high as 320 km/h (193 mph) have been recorded. The road over the mountain is often closed due to high winds. The real origins of the name are thought to trace back to the 1st or 2nd century AD, when it was named 'Vintur' after a [[Gaul]]ish god of the summits, or 'Ven-Top', meaning "snowy peak" in the ancient Gallic language. In the 10th century, the names ''Mons Ventosus'' and ''Mons Ventorius'' appear.
As the name suggests (''venteux'' means windy in [[French language|French]]), it can get windy at the summit, especially with the ''[[Mistral (wind)|mistral]]''; wind speeds as high as {{cvt|320|km/h}} have been recorded. The wind blows at over {{cvt|90|km/h|mph}} for 240 days a year. The road over the mountain is often closed due to high winds, especially the ''col des tempêtes'' ("storm pass") just before the summit, which is known for its strong winds. In the 10th century, the names ''Mons Ventosus'' and ''Mons Ventorius'' appear.{{fact|date=July 2021}}


Mont Ventoux, although geologically part of the [[Alps]], is often considered to be separate from them, due to the lack of mountains of a similar height nearby. It stands alone to the west of the [[Luberon]] range, and just to the east of the [[Dentelles de Montmirail]], its foothills. The top of the mountain is bare [[limestone]] without vegetation or trees. The white limestone on the mountain's barren peak means it appears from a distance to be snow-capped all year round (its snow cover actually lasts from December to April). Its isolated position overlooking the valley of the [[Rhône River|Rhône]] ensures that it dominates the entire region and can be seen from many miles away on a clear day. The view from the top is correspondingly superb.
Mont Ventoux, although geologically part of the [[Alps]], is often considered to be separate from them, due to the lack of mountains of a similar height nearby. It stands alone to the north of the [[Luberon]] range, separated by the [[Monts de Vaucluse]], and just to the east of the [[Dentelles de Montmirail]], its foothills. The top of the mountain is bare [[limestone]] without vegetation or trees, which makes the mountain's barren peak appear from a distance to be snow-capped all year round (its snow cover actually only lasts from December to April). Its isolated position overlooking the valley of the [[Rhône]] ensures that it dominates the entire region and can be seen from a long distance away on a clear day.{{fact|date=July 2021}}


==History==
==History==
[[File:Mont Ventoux from Avignon.jpg|thumb|Mont Ventoux as seen from [[Avignon]], around {{convert|50|km|-1|abbr=in}} away.]]
[[File:120613 Mont-Ventoux-Roussillon.jpg|thumb|Mont Ventoux as seen from the town of [[Roussillon, Vaucluse|Roussillon]].]]


Although the hill was probably climbed in prehistoric times, the first recorded ascent was by [[Jean Buridan]], who, on his way to the papal court in [[Avignon]] before the year 1334, climbed Mont Ventoux "in order to make some meteorological observations".<ref>Ernest A. Moody [http://www.u.arizona.edu/~aversa/scholastic/Dictionary%20of%20Scientific%20Biography/08.%20Buridan%20b.%20ca.%201295%20(Moody).pdf Jean Buridan] in the Dictionary of Scientific Biography</ref><ref>Michael Kimmelman, [https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?sec=travel&res=9F03E2DC153EF935A35755C0A96F958260 "NOT Because it's There"], ''[[New York Times]]'', 6 June 1999.</ref> The [[Italian people|Italian]] poet [[Petrarch]] wrote a possibly fictional account of an ascent accompanied by his brother on 26 April 1336, in his [[Ascent of Mont Ventoux]].<ref>{{cite journal |last=Cassirer |first=Ernst |date=January 1943 |title=Some Remarks on the Question of the Originality of the Renaissance |jstor=2707236 |journal=Journal of the History of Ideas |publisher=University of Pennsylvania Press |volume=4 |issue=1 |pages=49–74 |doi=10.2307/2707236}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/petrarch-ventoux.asp |title=Petrarch: The Ascent of Mount Ventoux |last1=Halsall |first1=Paul |date=August 1998 |website=fordham.edu |publisher=Fordham University |access-date=5 March 2014}}</ref>
[[Image:Mont Ventoux from Avignon.jpg|thumb|right|Mont Ventoux as seen from [[Avignon]]]]


In the 15th century, a chapel was constructed on the top and dedicated to the [[Christian cross|Holy Cross]].{{fact|date=July 2021}}
[[Jean Buridan]] climbed the mountain early in the fourteenth century; [[Petrarch]] repeated the feat on [[April 26]], [[1336]], and claimed to have been the first to climb the mountain since antiquity, which has been widely repeated since. <ref>[[Lynn Thorndike]], [http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0022-5037%28194301%294%3A1%3C49%3ASROTQO%3E2.0.CO%3B2-W Renaissance or Prenaissance], ''Journal of the History of Ideas'', Vol. 4, No. 1. (Jan., 1943), pp. 69-74. [[JSTOR]] link to a collection of several letters in the same issue. </ref>


In 1882, a meteorological station was constructed on the summit, but it is no longer in use. This observatory had been planned in 1879, along with a carriage road for access.<ref>{{cite journal | title=Notes | date=6 November 1879 | pages=18–19 | journal=Nature | volume=21 | issue=519 | doi = 10.1126/science.ns-21.519.18 | pmid=17744197 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ocsKAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA19 | access-date=19 April 2011 }}</ref>
The 15th century saw the construction of a chapel on the top, dedicated to the [[Christian cross|Holy Cross]].


In 1882, a meteorological station was constructed on the summit, though it is no longer in use. In the 1960s a 50m-high telecommunications mast was built.
In the 1960s, a {{convert|50|m|ft|adj=mid|-tall}} telecommunications mast was built.{{fact|date=July 2021}}

From 1902 to 1976, the [[Mont Ventoux Hill Climb]] for car and motorcycle took place on the roads of the Mont.{{fact|date=July 2021}}


==Flora and fauna==
==Flora and fauna==
[[Image:Mont ventoux from mirabel.jpg|thumbnail|250px|right|View of Mont Ventoux from [[Mirabel-aux-Baronnies]]]]
[[File:Mont ventoux from mirabel.jpg|thumb|View of Mont Ventoux from [[Mirabel-aux-Baronnies]]]]
Originally forested, Mont Ventoux was systematically stripped of trees from the 12th century onwards to serve the demands of the shipbuilders of the naval port of [[Toulon]]. Some areas have been reforested since 1860 with a variety of [[deciduous]] trees (such as [[holm oak]]s and [[beech]]es) as well as [[coniferous]] species, such as [[Atlas cedar]]s and [[larch]]es. A little higher, [[juniper]]s are common.
Originally forested, Mont Ventoux was systematically stripped of trees from the 12th century onwards to serve the demands of the shipbuilders of the naval port of [[Toulon]]. Some areas have been reforested since 1860 with a variety of [[hardwood]] trees (such as [[Quercus ilex|holm oak]]s and [[beech]]es) as well as [[coniferous]] species, such as [[Atlas cedar]]s and [[larch]]es. A little higher, [[juniper]]s are common.


The mountain comprises the species boundary or [[ecotone]] between the flora and fauna of northern and southern France. Some species, including various types of [[spiders]] and [[butterflies]], are unique to Mont Ventoux. It is a good place to spot the [[Short-toed Eagle]] (''Circaetus gallicus'').
The mountain comprises the species boundary or [[ecotone]] between the flora and fauna of northern and southern France. Some species, including various types of [[spiders]] and [[butterflies]], are unique to Mont Ventoux. It is a good place to spot the [[short-toed eagle]] (''Circaetus gallicus'').


Its biological distinctiveness was recognised by [[UNESCO]] in 1990 when the Réserve de Biosphère du Mont Ventoux was created, protecting an area of 810 square kilometres (200,150 acres) on and around the mountain.
Its biological distinctiveness was recognised by [[UNESCO]] in 1990 when the Réserve de Biosphère du Mont Ventoux was created, protecting an area of 810 square kilometres (200,150 acres) on and around the mountain.

==Climate==
{{Weather box|width=auto
|collapsed=y
|location = Beaumont du Ventoux (Mont Serein), 1445m (1991−2020 normals)
|single line = Y
|metric first = Y
|Jan record high C = 12.7
|Feb record high C = 14.7
|Mar record high C = 17.0
|Apr record high C = 20.0
|May record high C = 26.9
|Jun record high C = 33.4
|Jul record high C = 30.0
|Aug record high C = 32.1
|Sep record high C = 24.7
|Oct record high C = 19.6
|Nov record high C = 16.1
|Dec record high C = 14.0
|Jan record low C = −15.0
|Feb record low C = −18.0
|Mar record low C = −13.0
|Apr record low C = −9.0
|May record low C = −4.7
|Jun record low C = −0.5
|Jul record low C = 1.5
|Aug record low C = 3.2
|Sep record low C = −1.8
|Oct record low C = −8.0
|Nov record low C = −11.0
|Dec record low C = −14.9
|Jan high C = 1.2
|Feb high C = 1.6
|Mar high C = 5.2
|Apr high C = 8.2
|May high C = 13.2
|Jun high C = 17.7
|Jul high C = 20.7
|Aug high C = 20.5
|Sep high C = 14.6
|Oct high C = 9.9
|Nov high C = 4.6
|Dec high C = 2.0
|year high C =
|Jan mean C = −0.7
|Feb mean C = −0.7
|Mar mean C = 2.3
|Apr mean C = 4.9
|May mean C = 9.6
|Jun mean C = 13.7
|Jul mean C = 16.4
|Aug mean C = 16.4
|Sep mean C = 11.3
|Oct mean C = 7.5
|Nov mean C = 2.7
|Dec mean C = 0.1
|year mean C =
|Jan low C = −2.6
|Feb low C = −3.1
|Mar low C = −0.6
|Apr low C = 1.7
|May low C = 6.1
|Jun low C = 9.7
|Jul low C = 12.0
|Aug low C = 12.3
|Sep low C = 8.0
|Oct low C = 5.2
|Nov low C = 0.8
|Dec low C = −1.8
|year low C =
|precipitation colour = green
|Jan precipitation mm = 130.9
|Feb precipitation mm = 84.9
|Mar precipitation mm = 82.5
|Apr precipitation mm = 125.7
|May precipitation mm = 112.3
|Jun precipitation mm = 76.4
|Jul precipitation mm = 43.7
|Aug precipitation mm = 59.5
|Sep precipitation mm = 138.8
|Oct precipitation mm = 169.2
|Nov precipitation mm = 177.2
|Dec precipitation mm = 115.9
|year precipitation mm =
|unit precipitation days = 1.0 mm
|Jan precipitation days = 8.8
|Feb precipitation days = 7.2
|Mar precipitation days = 7.5
|Apr precipitation days = 9.4
|May precipitation days = 8.9
|Jun precipitation days = 6.0
|Jul precipitation days = 4.3
|Aug precipitation days = 4.6
|Sep precipitation days = 6.9
|Oct precipitation days = 8.8
|Nov precipitation days = 10.3
|Dec precipitation days = 8.9
|year precipitation days =
|source 1 = [[Météo-France]]<ref>{{cite web
| url = https://donneespubliques.meteofrance.fr/FichesClim/FICHECLIM_84015002.pdf
| title=Fiche Climatologique Statistiques 1991-2020 et records
| language = fr
| publisher = [[Météo-France]]
| access-date = August 29, 2023}}</ref>}}


==Road cycling==
==Road cycling==
[[File:MontVentouxDawn.jpg|thumb|The view from the summit of Mont Ventoux at dawn]]
In [[road bicycle racing]], the mountain can be climbed by three routes.


* From the South: climb starts in [[Bédoin]]: {{cvt|1617|m|ft}} over {{cvt|21.8|km}}. This is regarded as the most difficult ascent, and is ranked by PJAMM Cycling as the 3rd most difficult bike climb in France.<ref>{{cite web |title=France - Top Bike Climbs |url=https://pjammcycling.com/zone/61.France |website=pjammcycling.com |publisher=PJAMM Cycling Inc |access-date=22 December 2022}}</ref> The road to the summit has an average gradient of 7.43%. Until [[Saint-Estève]], the climb is 3.9% over {{cvt|5.8|km}}, but the remaining {{cvt|16|km}} has an average gradient of 8.9%. To serve as a comparison the climb of [[Alpe d'Huez]] is about {{cvt|13.8|km}} at an average gradient of 7.9%. The last kilometres may have strong, violent winds. The ride takes {{frac|1|1|2}} to {{frac|2|1|2}} hours for trained amateur riders. Professional riders take 60 to 75 minutes. The fastest time so far recorded has been that of [[Iban Mayo]] in the individual climbing time trial of the 2004 [[Dauphiné Libéré]]: 55&nbsp;min 51&nbsp;s. The time was measured from Bédoin for the first time in the [[1958 Tour de France]], in which [[Charly Gaul]] was the fastest at 62&nbsp;min 9&nbsp;s.
For [[road bicycle racing]] enthusiasts, the mountain can be climbed by three roads.
* From the Northwest: climb starts in [[Malaucène]]: {{cvt|1570|m}} over {{cvt|21.5|km}}. About equal in difficulty as the Bédoin ascent, but better sheltered against the wind.
* From the East: climb starts in [[Sault, Vaucluse|Sault]]: {{cvt|1210|m}} over {{cvt|26|km}}. The easiest route. After [[Chalet Reynard]] (where the "lunar landscape" of the summit starts), the climb is the same as the Bédoin ascent. Average gradient of 4.4%.


Every year there are amateur races to climb the mountain as quickly and often as possible in 24 hours, the Ventoux Masterseries and "Les Cinglés du Mont Ventoux".<ref>[http://www.clubcinglesventoux.org/en/ Club des Cinglés du Mont-Ventoux]</ref> On 16 May 2006, [[Jean-Pascal Roux]] from Bédoin broke the record of climbs in 24 hours, with eleven climbs, all of them from Bédoin.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.velo101.com/actualite/default.asp?Id=10444&Section=Cyclosport |title=Record de la montée du Ventoux en 24 heures : le live |publisher=Velo101.com |date=16 May 2006 |access-date=15 July 2013}}</ref>
*East from [[Bédoin]]: 22 km over 1610 m. This is the most famous and difficult ascent. The road to the summit has an average gradient of 7.6%. Until Saint-Estève, the climb is easy, but the 16 remaining kilometres have an average gradient of 10%. The last kilometres have strong, violent winds. The ride takes 2-3 hours for trained amateur individuals, and professionals can ride it in 1-1.5 hours. The fastest time so far recorded has been that of [[Iban Mayo]] in the individual climbing time trial of the 2004 [[Dauphiné Libéré]]: 55' 51". The time was measured from [[Bédoin]] for the first time in the [[1958 Tour de France]], in which [[Charly Gaul]] was the fastest at 1h 2' 9".


===Tour de France===
*East from [[Malaucène]]: 21 km over 1570 m. A little easier than the Bédoin ascent, better sheltered against the wind.
[[File:Tom Simpson memorial, Mont Ventoux, 2 May 2009.jpg|thumb|Memorial of [[Tom Simpson]], who died near the summit during the [[1967 Tour de France]], aged 29.]]
Mont Ventoux is the scene of one of the most grueling climbs in the [[Tour de France]] bicycle race, which has ascended the mountain eighteen times since 1951.<ref name="CN">{{cite web|url=http://www.cyclingnews.com/features/tour-de-france-gallery-mont-ventoux |title=Tour de France Gallery: Mont Ventoux|author=Peter Hymas |date= 13 July 2011 |work=Cycling News|publisher=Future Publishing Limited|access-date=13 July 2013}} See also [[Julian Barnes]]'s "Tour de France 2000", (pages 71-89), in his book of essays, ''Something to Declare'' (2002).</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cyclingnews.com/news/chris-froome-returns-to-mont-ventoux-riding-a-different-kind-of-tour-de-france/ |title=Chris Froome returns to Mont Ventoux riding a different kind of Tour de France|author=Barry Ryan |date= 6 July 2021 |work=Cycling News|publisher=Future Publishing Limited|access-date=12 July 2021}}</ref> The followed trail mostly passes through Bédoin. Its fame as a scene of great Tour dramas has made it a magnet for cyclists around the world.


British cyclist [[Tom Simpson]] died on the mountain on 13 July 1967 from [[hyperthermia|heat exhaustion]] caused by a combination of factors, including [[dehydration]] (caused by lack of fluid intake and [[diarrhea]]), use of [[amphetamine]]s, and [[alcoholic beverage|alcohol]], although there is still speculation as to the exact cause of his death.<ref name="CN"/> He began to wildly weave across the road before he fell down.<ref name="CN"/> He was delirious and asked spectators to put him back on the bike, which he rode to within a half mile of the summit before collapsing dead, still clipped into his pedals. Amphetamines were found in his jersey and bloodstream. There is a memorial to Simpson near the summit, which has become a shrine to fans of cycling, who often leave small tokens of remembrance there.<ref name="CN"/> In 1970, [[Eddy Merckx]] rode himself to the brink of collapse while winning the stage. He received oxygen, recovered, and won the Tour.<ref name="CN"/> In 1994, [[Eros Poli]], not known for his climbing ability, stole away at the beginning of the day's stage, built up a substantial time gap from the peloton, and was first over the Ventoux and eventual stage winner despite losing a minute of his lead per kilometre of the ascent.
*North-west from [[Sault, Vaucluse|Sault]]: 26 km over 1220 m. The easiest route. After Chalet Reynard (where the "lunar landscape" of the summit starts), the climb is the same as the Bédoin ascent. Average gradient of 4.4%.


====Tour de France stage finishes====
Every year there are amateur races to climb the mountain as quickly and often as possible in 24 hours. On [[May 16]], [[2006]], [[Jean-Pascal Roux]] from Bédoin broke the record of climbs in 24 hours, with eleven climbs, all of them from Bédoin <ref>[http://www.velo101.com/actualite/default.asp?Id=10444&Section=Cyclosport Site from Velo101.com]</ref>.
[[File:Ventoux - Froome & Quintana.JPG|thumb|[[Chris Froome]] and [[Nairo Quintana]] climbing Mont Ventoux at the [[2013 Tour de France]]]]
The race has finished at the summit of Mont Ventoux ten times. The finish line is at {{cvt|1910|m}}, although in 1965, 1967, 1972 and 1974 the finish was lower, at {{cvt|1895|m}}.
[[File:MontVentoux Summit.jpg|thumb|Summit of Mont Ventoux]] Three riders have won on top of the mountain, and gone on to win the Tour; [[Charly Gaul]] in 1958, [[Eddy Merckx]] in 1970 and [[Chris Froome]] in 2013. Both Merckx and Froome won while wearing the yellow jersey, maintaining the overall lead until Paris. Gaul was not in yellow when he won on the Ventoux, nor did he immediately gain the maillot jaune following the victory, Gaul only taking the overall lead of the tour several stages later.


In September 2008, it was announced by Claude Haut, the president of the Vaucluse province, that in 2009 the Tour de France would visit Mont Ventoux after a seven-year absence. Unusually, the riders climbed the mountain on the second-to-last day of the race, on 25 July 2009, prior to transferring to Paris for the [[Champs-Élysées stage in the Tour de France|traditional parade]] on the [[Champs-Élysées]]. It was next featured in the [[2013 Tour de France|100th Tour de France in 2013]] on Stage 15.
===Tour de France===
[[Image:Provence ventoux simpson1.JPG|right|thumb|250px|Memorial to Tom Simpson on Mont Ventoux]]
Mont Ventoux has become legendary as the scene of one of the most gruelling climbs in the [[Tour de France]] bicycle race, which has ascended the mountain thirteen times since 1951. The followed trail mostly passes through Bédoin. Its fame as a scene of great Tour dramas has made it a magnet for cyclists around the world.


In [[2016 Tour de France, Stage 12 to Stage 21#Stage 12|2016]], the stage to Mont Ventoux was shortened by {{convert|6|km|mi|abbr=on}} the day before, after a weather forecast of high winds at the summit. The stage then finished at Chalet Reynard at {{cvt|1435|m|ft}}, with approximately {{cvt|10|km|0}} of ascent up the mountain.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/tour-de-france-ventoux-stage-shortened-due-to-risk-of-100km-h-winds/|title=Tour de France: Ventoux stage shortened due to risk of 100km/h winds|work=Cycling News|first=Barry|last=Ryan|date=13 July 2016|access-date=13 July 2016}}</ref> This stage also featured a motorcycle-induced crash which damaged [[Chris Froome]]'s bike, prompting him to jog some 100&nbsp;metres up the mountain until he was able to get a neutral service bike (as his team car was too far back at the time), which did not fit him properly.
The mountain achieved worldwide notoriety when it claimed the life of [[United Kingdom|British]] cyclist [[Tom Simpson]], who died here on [[July 13]], [[1967]] from [[hyperthermia|heat exhaustion]] caused by a combination of factors including [[dehydration]] (caused by lack of fluid intake and [[diarrhoea]]), [[amphetamine]]s, and [[alcoholic beverage|alcohol]]; although there is still speculation as to the exact cause of his death. He began to wildly weave across the road before he fell down. He was delirious and asked spectators to put him back on the bike, which he rode to within a half mile of the summit before collapsing dead, still clipped into his pedals. Amphetamines were found in his jersey and bloodstream. There is a memorial to Simpson near the summit which has become a shrine to fans of cycling, who often leave small tokens of remembrance there. In 1970, [[Eddy Merckx]] rode himself to the brink of collapse while winning the stage. He received oxygen, recovered, and won the Tour. In 1994, [[Eros Poli]], not known for his climbing ability, stole away at the beginning of the day's stage, built up a substantial time gap from the peloton, and was first over the Ventoux and eventual stage winner despite losing a minute of his lead per kilometre of the ascent. The last winner on the Ventoux was the French climber [[Richard Virenque]].


:{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
[[Image:MONTVENTOUX-BEDOIN-TIME-B.jpg|right|thumb|250px|Required cycling time for Top-Profs]]
=== Tour de France stage finishes ===
|+Tour de France stages with summit finishes on Mont Ventoux<ref name="CN"/>
The race has finished at the summit of [[Mont Ventoux]] seven times. The finish line is at 1909 m, although in 1965, 1967, 1972 and 1974 the finish was lower, at 1895 m.

{| class="wikitable" cellpadding="3" style="text-align: center;"
|-
|-
!Year
!Year
Line 65: Line 201:
!Category
!Category
!Stage winner
!Stage winner
![[General classification in the Tour de France|General classification]] leader
!Nationality
!Tour de France winner
!Yellow jersey
|-
|-
| [[2002 Tour de France|2002]]
| [[1958 Tour de France|1958]]
| 18
| [[Bédoin]]
| 21.5 ([[Individual time trial|ITT]])
| 1
|align=left|{{Flagathlete | [[Charly Gaul]] |LUX}}
|align=left|{{Flagathlete | [[Raphaël Géminiani]]|FRA}}
|align=left|{{Flagathlete | [[Charly Gaul]]|LUX}}
|-
| [[1965 Tour de France|1965]]
| 14
| 14
| [[Lodève]]
| [[Montpellier]]
| 221
| 173
| 1
| [[Hors Catégorie|HC]]
|align=left|{{Flagathlete | [[Raymond Poulidor]]| FRA}}
| [[Richard Virenque]]
|align=left|{{Flagathlete | [[Felice Gimondi]]|ITA}}
| {{FRA}}
|align=left|{{Flagathlete | [[Felice Gimondi]]|ITA}}
| [[Lance Armstrong]]
|-
|-
| [[2000 Tour de France|2000]]
| [[1970 Tour de France|1970]]
| 12
| 14
| [[Carpentras]]
| [[Gap, Hautes-Alpes|Gap]]
| 149
| 170
| 1
| [[Hors Catégorie|HC]]
|align=left|{{Flagathlete | [[Eddy Merckx]]| BEL}}
| [[Marco Pantani]]
|align=left|{{Flagathlete | [[Eddy Merckx]]|BEL}}
| {{ITA}}
|align=left|{{Flagathlete | [[Eddy Merckx]]|BEL}}
| [[Lance Armstrong]]
|-
| [[1987 Tour de France|1987]]
| 18
| [[Carpentras]]
| 36.5 ([[Individual time trial|ITT]])
| [[Hors Catégorie|HC]]
| [[Jean-François Bernard]]
| {{FRA}}
| [[Jean-François Bernard]]
|-
|-
| [[1972 Tour de France|1972]]
| [[1972 Tour de France|1972]]
Line 100: Line 236:
| 207
| 207
| 1
| 1
| [[Bernard Thévenet]]
|align=left|{{Flagathlete | [[Bernard Thévenet]]| FRA}}
|align=left|{{Flagathlete | [[Eddy Merckx]]|BEL}}
| {{FRA}}
| [[Eddy Merckx]]
|align=left|{{Flagathlete | [[Eddy Merckx]]|BEL}}
|-
|-
| [[1970 Tour de France|1970]]
| [[1987 Tour de France|1987]]
| 14
| 18
| [[Gap]]
| [[Carpentras]]
| 36.5 ([[Individual time trial|ITT]])
| 170
| [[Hors catégorie|HC]]
| 1
|align=left|{{Flagathlete | [[Jean-François Bernard]]| FRA}}
| [[Eddy Merckx]]
|align=left|{{Flagathlete | [[Jean-François Bernard]]|FRA}}
| {{BEL}}
|align=left|{{Flagathlete | [[Stephen Roche]]|IRL}}
| [[Eddy Merckx]]
|-
|-
| [[1965 Tour de France|1965]]
| [[2000 Tour de France|2000]]
| 12
| [[Carpentras]]
| 149
| [[Hors catégorie|HC]]
|align=left|{{Flagathlete | [[Marco Pantani]]| ITA}}
|align=left|{{Flagathlete | [[Lance Armstrong]]| USA}}
|align=left|{{Flagathlete | <s>[[Lance Armstrong]]</s>| USA}}
|-
| [[2002 Tour de France|2002]]
| 14
| 14
| [[Montpellier]]
| [[Lodève]]
| 173
| 221
| [[Hors catégorie|HC]]
| 1
|align=left|{{Flagathlete | [[Richard Virenque]]| FRA}}
| [[Raymond Poulidor]]
|align=left|{{Flagathlete | [[Lance Armstrong]]| USA}}
| {{FRA}}
|align=left|{{Flagathlete | <s>[[Lance Armstrong]]</s>| USA}}
| [[Felice Gimondi]]
|-
|-
| [[1958 Tour de France|1958]]
| [[2009 Tour de France|2009]]
| 18
| 20
| [[Bédoin]]
| [[Montélimar]]
| 167
| 21.5 ([[Individual time trial|ITT]])
| [[Hors catégorie|HC]]
| 1
|align=left|{{Flagathlete | [[Juan Manuel Gárate]]|ESP}}
| [[Charly Gaul]]
|align=left|{{Flagathlete | [[Alberto Contador]]|ESP}}
| {{LUX}}
|align=left|{{Flagathlete | [[Alberto Contador]]|ESP}}
| [[Raphaël Geminiani]]
|-
|-
| [[2013 Tour de France|2013]]
| 15
| [[Givors]]
| 242.5
| [[Hors catégorie|HC]]
|align=left|{{Flagathlete | [[Chris Froome]]|GBR}}
|align=left|{{Flagathlete | [[Chris Froome]]|GBR}}
|align=left|{{Flagathlete | [[Chris Froome]]|GBR}}
|-
| [[2016 Tour de France|2016]]
| 12
| [[Montpellier]]
| 178
| [[Hors catégorie|HC]]
|align=left|{{Flagathlete|[[Thomas De Gendt]]|BEL}}
|align=left|{{Flagathlete | [[Chris Froome]]|GBR}}
|align=left|{{Flagathlete | [[Chris Froome]]|GBR}}
|-
| [[2025 Tour de France|2025]]
| 16
| [[Montpellier]]
| 172
| TBD
|
|
|
|}
|}
::<small>Note: As a result of an investigation into doping in 2012 Lance Armstrong was stripped of his Tour de France titles between 1999 and 2005 by the UCI. As such the tours for those years have no winner.</small>


===Other appearances in Tour de France===
====Other appearances in the Tour====
The race has also crossed the summit eight times.

The race has also crossed the summit six times.


{| class="wikitable" cellpadding="3" style="text-align: center;"
:{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|-
|-
!Year
!Year
Line 145: Line 316:
!Finish
!Finish
!Leader at the summit
!Leader at the summit
!Nationality
|-
|-
| [[1994 Tour de France|1994]]
| [[1951 Tour de France|1951]]
| 15
| 18
| 1
| [[Hors Catégorie|HC]]
| [[Montpellier]]
| [[Montpellier]]
| [[Avignon]]
|align=left|{{Flagathlete | [[Lucien Lazaridès]]| FRA}}
|-
| [[1952 Tour de France|1952]]
| 14
| 1
| [[Aix-en-Provence]]
| [[Avignon]]
|align=left|{{Flagathlete | [[Jean Robic]] | FRA}}
|-
| [[1955 Tour de France|1955]]
| 11
| 1
| [[Marseille]]
| [[Avignon]]
|align=left|{{Flagathlete | [[Louison Bobet]] | FRA}}
|-
| [[1967 Tour de France|1967]]
| 13
| 1
| [[Marseille]]
| [[Carpentras]]
| [[Carpentras]]
|align=left|{{Flagathlete | [[Julio Jiménez (cyclist)|Julio Jiménez]]| ESP}}
| [[Eros Poli]]
| {{ITA}}
|-
|-
| [[1974 Tour de France|1974]]
| [[1974 Tour de France|1974]]
| 12
| 12
| 1
| 1
| [[Savines-le-Lac]]
| [[Savines-le-Lac]]
| [[Orange, Vaucluse|Orange]]
| [[Orange, Vaucluse|Orange]]
| [[Gonzalo Aja]]
|align=left|{{Flagathlete | [[Gonzalo Aja]] | ESP}}
| {{ESP}}
|-
|-
| [[1967 Tour de France|1967]]
| [[1994 Tour de France|1994]]
| 13
| 15
| [[Hors Catégorie|HC]]
| 1
| [[Marseille]]
| [[Montpellier]]
| [[Carpentras]]
| [[Carpentras]]
|align=left|{{Flagathlete | [[Eros Poli]] | ITA}}
| [[Julio Jimenez]]
| {{ESP}}
|-
|-
| [[1955 Tour de France|1955]]
|rowspan="2"| [[2021 Tour de France|2021]]
|rowspan="2"|11
| 11
| 1
| [[Marseille]]
| [[Avignon]]
| [[Louison Bobet]]
| {{FRA}}
|-
| [[1952 Tour de France|1952]]
| 14
| 1
| [[Aix-en-Provence]]
| [[Avignon]]
| [[Jean Robic]]
| {{FRA}}
|-
| [[1951 Tour de France|1951]]
| 18
| 1
| 1
|rowspan="2"| [[Sorgues]]
| [[Montpellier]]
| [[Avignon]]
|rowspan="2"| [[Malaucène]]
|align=left|{{Flagathlete | [[Julian Alaphilippe]] | FRA}}
| [[Lucien Lazarides du Pont]]
| {{FRA}}
|-
|-
| HC
|align=left|{{Flagathlete | [[Wout Van Aert]] | BEL}}
|}
|}
In 1951, the approach to the summit was from [[Malaucène]]. In all other years, the approach has been from [[Bédoin]]
In 1951, the approach to the summit was from [[Malaucène]]. In 2021, the first ascent was from [[Sault, Vaucluse|Sault]], whilst the second was from [[Bédoin]]. In all other years, the approach has been from [[Bédoin]].


===Climb from Bédoin===
[[Image:MONTVENTOUX-BEDOIN-3DVIEW-A.jpg|right|thumb|250px|3D-View of the route from Bédoin|{{deletable image-caption|1=Tuesday, 29 July 2008}}]]
The climb by bike from [[Bédoin]] to Mont Ventoux is one of the toughest in professional cycling. The figure for the average gradients per kilometre can be found in many books and websites on cycling. The average gradient of the total climb and also the average gradients per kilometre differ slightly, depending on the source of the information. Accurate measurements result in an average gradient for the total climb of 7.43%, based on a horizontal distance of {{cvt|21.765|km}} and an ascent of {{cvt|1617|m}}. The actual distance ridden is {{cvt|21.825|km}}.


The average gradients in each kilometre are as follows:
===The climb from Bédoin to the Mont Ventoux===
[[Image:MONTVENTOUX-BEDOIN-TOPVIEW-A.jpg|left|thumb|250px|Topview of the route|{{deletable image-caption|1=Tuesday, 29 July 2008}}]]


:{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"


The climb by bike from Bédoin to the Mont Ventoux is one of the toughest in professional cycling. Every climb has its own unique particulars. To get a detailed impression of this climb, the route has been measured accurately. With the aid of these measured data, a number of figures has been produced.

Other standard figures to present a climb are the topview, the profile and the gradients per kilometer. From the topview, the general course of the route can be seen.

The profile figure shows the uphill route over the length of the road. The altitudes during the route and also the some differences in gradients can be read off.

The figure for the average gradients per kilometre can be found in many books and websites on cycling. The average gradient of the total climb and also the average gradients per kilometre differ slightly, depending on the the source of the information.
Accurate measurements result in an average gradient for the total climb of 7.43%, based on a horizontal distance of 21765 metres and an ascent height of 1617 metres. The appertaining biking distance is 21825 metres.



Additionally, the average gradients per kilometer are as follows:

{| class="wikitable" cellpadding="3" style="text-align: center;"
|-
|-
!Kilometre
!Kilometre
!Average gradient
!Average gradient
!Kilometre
!Kilometre
!Average gradient
!Average gradient
|-
|-
| 1 || 1.9 % || 12 || 10.1 %
| 1 || 1.9% || 12 || 10.1%
|-
|-
| 2 || 2.8 % || 13 || 9.2 %
| 2 || 2.8% || 13 || 9.2%
|-
|-
| 3 || 3.8 % || 14 || 9.4 %
| 3 || 3.8% || 14 || 9.4%
|-
|-
| 4 || 5.8 % || 15 || 8.8 %
| 4 || 5.8% || 15 || 8.8%
|-
|-
| 5 || 5.6 % || 16 || 6.9 %
| 5 || 5.6% || 16 || 6.9%
|-
|-
| 6 || 3.1 % || 17 || 6.6 %
| 6 || 3.1% || 17 || 6.6%
|-
|-
| 7 || 8.6 % || 18 || 6.8 %
| 7 || 8.6% || 18 || 6.8%
|-
|-
| 8 || 9.4 % || 19 || 7.4 %
| 8 || 9.4% || 19 || 7.4%
|-
|-
| 9 || 10.5 % || 20 || 8.3 %
| 9 || 10.5% || 20 || 8.3%
|-
|-
| 10 || 10.1 % || 21 || 9.1 %
| 10 || 10.1% || 21 || 9.1%
|-
|-
| 11 || 9.3 % || 22 || 10.0 %
| 11 || 9.3% || 22 || 10.0%
|-
|}
|}


===Transcontinental Race===
[[Image:MONTVENTOUX-BEDOIN-GRADIENT-KM-A.jpg|right|thumb|250px|Gradients per km|{{deletable image-caption|1=Tuesday, 29 July 2008}}]]
Mont Ventoux was used as the first checkpoint in the 2015 [[Transcontinental Race]], which is a non-stop, unsupported bicycle race across Europe.
<!-- Image with unknown copyright status removed: [[Image:MONTVENTOUX-BEDOIN-GRADIENT-A.jpg|left|thumb|250px|Gradients of the climb]] -->
[[Image:MONTVENTOUX-BEDOIN-GRADIENT-DIST-A.jpg|right|thumb|250px|Distances per gradient|{{deletable image-caption|1=Tuesday, 29 July 2008}}]]
Beside the figure for the average gradient per kilometre, an additional figure for the actual gradient for every metre of the Mont Ventoux has been made, based on accurate measurements. From this figure, it can be learnt that the minimum and maximum gradient of the route are -1.1 and 17.6%.

Knowing the gradients for every metre of the route, a new figure can be made. Gradients can be split up in groups for 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5% etcetera. Adding up the distances for the gradient-group results in total distances for every gradient. In this way the figure for gradients and appertaining distances has been constructed. Above-mentioned and shown figures result in a detailed "fingerprint" of the climb from Bédoin to the Mont Ventoux.

Taking into account natural laws for human power, heat production, required food, sweat and mechanical bike particulars a number of other figures on required food and water and recommended gears for novice up to professional cyclists have been produced.


==Skiing==
==Skiing==
There is a small skiing facility on the Northern side of Mont Ventoux. High winds and the modest altitude tend to limit the amount of time when this is open to the public.
There are two small ski stations on the mountain: "Mont Serein" on the north side, and "Chalet Reynard" on the south. High winds and the modest elevation tend to limit the ski season. Weather conditions are such that the northern slope is often icy, leading to a saying among people of the surrounding region regarding the challenges of skiing the mountain: ''Qui skie au Ventoux, skie partout'' (If you can ski Ventoux, you can ski anywhere).

Its popularity is due to it being the southernmost ski area in france.
==See also==
* [[List of highest paved roads in Europe]]
* [[List of mountain passes#Europe|List of mountain passes]]


==References==
==References==
{{reflist}}
{{reflist|30em}}


==Further reading==
== External links ==
*{{cite book|title=Mapping Le Tour|first=Ellis|last=Bacon|publisher=HarperCollins Publishers|location=Glasgow|year=2014|pages=260–261|isbn=9780007543991|oclc=872700415}}
{{commonscat|Mont Ventoux}}
*[http://www.cycling-challenge.com/?p=612 Cycling Route details and GPX files Bedoin side]
*[http://www.cycling-challenge.com/?p=529 Cycling Route details and GPX files Malaucene side]
*[http://www.badische-seiten.de/impressionen/index.php?action=showgallery&pfad=Mont-Ventoux Mont Ventoux: Picture Gallery]
* Velo News: [http://www.velonews.com/race/tour2002/articles/2509.0.html The curse of the Ventoux]
* [http://www.mab-france.org/fr/reserves/R_ventoux.html Réserve de Biosphère du Mont Ventoux {{fr}}]
* [http://tmv84.free.fr/modules/myalbum/ Winter picture of Mont Ventoux]
* [http://www.sport-passion.fr/parcours/ascension-ventoux.htm Mont Ventoux cycling - Pictures and profiles {{fr}}]
* [http://www.memoire-du-cyclisme.net/eta_tdf/Ventoux.php Les montagnes du Tour de France - Le Mont Ventoux {{fr}}]
* [http://mrambaul.club.fr/villes_etapes/villes_v/ventoux.htm Le Mont Ventoux dans le Tour de France {{fr}}]


==External links==
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ventoux}}
{{commons category|Mont Ventoux}}
[[Category:Mountains of France]]
* [http://www.cycling-challenge.com/mont-ventoux-all-three-sides/ Map, profiles, info for cycling all three sides of Ventoux]
[[Category:Climbs in cycle racing]]
* [https://archive.today/20131012081031/http://goo.gl/maps/mQsto Mont Ventoux on Google Maps (Tour de France classic climbs)]
[[Category:Vaucluse]]
* [http://cyclingup.eu/english/France_Alps/Mont_Ventoux-south.php Cycling up to Mont Ventoux: data, profile, map, photos and description]
[[Category:2000 Tour de France]]
* [http://www.sport-passion.fr/en/routes/mont-ventoux-climbing.php Climbing Mont Ventoux by bike: information for cyclists, itineraries, pictures and profiles]


{{Authority control}}
[[af:Mont Ventoux]]

[[ca:Ventor]]
[[da:Mont Ventoux]]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ventoux}}
[[Category:Biosphere reserves of France]]
[[de:Mont Ventoux]]
[[Category:Climbs in cycle racing in France]]
[[es:Mont Ventoux]]
[[Category:Landforms of Vaucluse]]
[[eo:Ventoux (monto)]]
[[Category:Mountains of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur]]
[[fr:Mont Ventoux]]
[[gl:Monte Ventoux]]
[[it:Monte Ventoso]]
[[he:מון ונטו]]
[[nl:Mont Ventoux]]
[[ja:モン・ヴァントゥ]]
[[no:Mont Ventoux]]
[[nn:Mont Ventoux]]
[[oc:Ventor]]
[[pl:Mont Ventoux]]
[[pt:Monte Ventor]]
[[simple:Mont Ventoux]]
[[sv:Mont Ventoux]]

Latest revision as of 19:05, 19 December 2024

Mont Ventoux
South side of the summit of Mont Ventoux
Highest point
Elevation1,910 m (6,270 ft)
Prominence1,148 m (3,766 ft)[1]
Coordinates44°10′28″N 5°16′44″E / 44.17444°N 5.27889°E / 44.17444; 5.27889
Geography
Mont Ventoux is located in France
Mont Ventoux
Mont Ventoux
Vaucluse, France
Parent rangeperiphery of the Alps
Climbing
First ascentPrior to Jean Buridan; probably ancient
Easiest routeHike
Mont Ventoux
North side of the summit of Mont Ventoux
Elevation1,910 m (6,266 ft)
Traversed byroad
Location France
RangeFree-standing on the western periphery of the Alps
Coordinates44°10′28″N 5°16′44″E / 44.17444°N 5.27889°E / 44.17444; 5.27889
Mont Ventoux is located in Alps
Mont Ventoux
Mont Ventoux
Mont Ventoux

Mont Ventoux (French: [mɔ̃ vɑ̃tu]; Provençal: Ventor [venˈtu]) is a mountain in the Provence region of southern France, located some 20 km (12 miles) northeast of Carpentras, Vaucluse. On the north side, the mountain borders the department of Drôme. At 1,910 m (6,270 ft), it is the highest mountain in the region and has been nicknamed the "Beast of Provence",[2] the "Giant of Provence",[3][4] or "The Bald Mountain".[4] It has gained fame through its inclusion in the Tour de France cycling race;[4] in 2009 it was the scene of the first penultimate-day mountain top finish in the Tour de France, with Alberto Contador sealing his yellow jersey.[citation needed]

As the name suggests (venteux means windy in French), it can get windy at the summit, especially with the mistral; wind speeds as high as 320 km/h (200 mph) have been recorded. The wind blows at over 90 km/h (56 mph) for 240 days a year. The road over the mountain is often closed due to high winds, especially the col des tempêtes ("storm pass") just before the summit, which is known for its strong winds. In the 10th century, the names Mons Ventosus and Mons Ventorius appear.[citation needed]

Mont Ventoux, although geologically part of the Alps, is often considered to be separate from them, due to the lack of mountains of a similar height nearby. It stands alone to the north of the Luberon range, separated by the Monts de Vaucluse, and just to the east of the Dentelles de Montmirail, its foothills. The top of the mountain is bare limestone without vegetation or trees, which makes the mountain's barren peak appear from a distance to be snow-capped all year round (its snow cover actually only lasts from December to April). Its isolated position overlooking the valley of the Rhône ensures that it dominates the entire region and can be seen from a long distance away on a clear day.[citation needed]

History

[edit]
Mont Ventoux as seen from Avignon, around 50 km (30 miles) away.
Mont Ventoux as seen from the town of Roussillon.

Although the hill was probably climbed in prehistoric times, the first recorded ascent was by Jean Buridan, who, on his way to the papal court in Avignon before the year 1334, climbed Mont Ventoux "in order to make some meteorological observations".[5][6] The Italian poet Petrarch wrote a possibly fictional account of an ascent accompanied by his brother on 26 April 1336, in his Ascent of Mont Ventoux.[7][8]

In the 15th century, a chapel was constructed on the top and dedicated to the Holy Cross.[citation needed]

In 1882, a meteorological station was constructed on the summit, but it is no longer in use. This observatory had been planned in 1879, along with a carriage road for access.[9]

In the 1960s, a 50-metre-tall (160 ft) telecommunications mast was built.[citation needed]

From 1902 to 1976, the Mont Ventoux Hill Climb for car and motorcycle took place on the roads of the Mont.[citation needed]

Flora and fauna

[edit]
View of Mont Ventoux from Mirabel-aux-Baronnies

Originally forested, Mont Ventoux was systematically stripped of trees from the 12th century onwards to serve the demands of the shipbuilders of the naval port of Toulon. Some areas have been reforested since 1860 with a variety of hardwood trees (such as holm oaks and beeches) as well as coniferous species, such as Atlas cedars and larches. A little higher, junipers are common.

The mountain comprises the species boundary or ecotone between the flora and fauna of northern and southern France. Some species, including various types of spiders and butterflies, are unique to Mont Ventoux. It is a good place to spot the short-toed eagle (Circaetus gallicus).

Its biological distinctiveness was recognised by UNESCO in 1990 when the Réserve de Biosphère du Mont Ventoux was created, protecting an area of 810 square kilometres (200,150 acres) on and around the mountain.

Climate

[edit]
Climate data for Beaumont du Ventoux (Mont Serein), 1445m (1991−2020 normals)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 12.7
(54.9) 		14.7
(58.5) 		17.0
(62.6) 		20.0
(68.0) 		26.9
(80.4) 		33.4
(92.1) 		30.0
(86.0) 		32.1
(89.8) 		24.7
(76.5) 		19.6
(67.3) 		16.1
(61.0) 		14.0
(57.2) 		33.4
(92.1)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 1.2
(34.2) 		1.6
(34.9) 		5.2
(41.4) 		8.2
(46.8) 		13.2
(55.8) 		17.7
(63.9) 		20.7
(69.3) 		20.5
(68.9) 		14.6
(58.3) 		9.9
(49.8) 		4.6
(40.3) 		2.0
(35.6) 		10.0
(49.9)
Daily mean °C (°F) −0.7
(30.7) 		−0.7
(30.7) 		2.3
(36.1) 		4.9
(40.8) 		9.6
(49.3) 		13.7
(56.7) 		16.4
(61.5) 		16.4
(61.5) 		11.3
(52.3) 		7.5
(45.5) 		2.7
(36.9) 		0.1
(32.2) 		7.0
(44.5)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) −2.6
(27.3) 		−3.1
(26.4) 		−0.6
(30.9) 		1.7
(35.1) 		6.1
(43.0) 		9.7
(49.5) 		12.0
(53.6) 		12.3
(54.1) 		8.0
(46.4) 		5.2
(41.4) 		0.8
(33.4) 		−1.8
(28.8) 		4.0
(39.2)
Record low °C (°F) −15
(5) 		−18
(0) 		−13
(9) 		−9
(16) 		−4.7
(23.5) 		−0.5
(31.1) 		1.5
(34.7) 		3.2
(37.8) 		−1.8
(28.8) 		−8
(18) 		−11
(12) 		−14.9
(5.2) 		−18
(0)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 130.9
(5.15) 		84.9
(3.34) 		82.5
(3.25) 		125.7
(4.95) 		112.3
(4.42) 		76.4
(3.01) 		43.7
(1.72) 		59.5
(2.34) 		138.8
(5.46) 		169.2
(6.66) 		177.2
(6.98) 		115.9
(4.56) 		1,317
(51.84)
Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm) 8.8 7.2 7.5 9.4 8.9 6.0 4.3 4.6 6.9 8.8 10.3 8.9 91.6
Source: Météo-France[10]

Road cycling

[edit]
The view from the summit of Mont Ventoux at dawn

In road bicycle racing, the mountain can be climbed by three routes.

  • From the South: climb starts in Bédoin: 1,617 m (5,305 ft) over 21.8 km (13.5 mi). This is regarded as the most difficult ascent, and is ranked by PJAMM Cycling as the 3rd most difficult bike climb in France.[11] The road to the summit has an average gradient of 7.43%. Until Saint-Estève, the climb is 3.9% over 5.8 km (3.6 mi), but the remaining 16 km (9.9 mi) has an average gradient of 8.9%. To serve as a comparison the climb of Alpe d'Huez is about 13.8 km (8.6 mi) at an average gradient of 7.9%. The last kilometres may have strong, violent winds. The ride takes 1+1⁄2 to 2+1⁄2 hours for trained amateur riders. Professional riders take 60 to 75 minutes. The fastest time so far recorded has been that of Iban Mayo in the individual climbing time trial of the 2004 Dauphiné Libéré: 55 min 51 s. The time was measured from Bédoin for the first time in the 1958 Tour de France, in which Charly Gaul was the fastest at 62 min 9 s.
  • From the Northwest: climb starts in Malaucène: 1,570 m (5,150 ft) over 21.5 km (13.4 mi). About equal in difficulty as the Bédoin ascent, but better sheltered against the wind.
  • From the East: climb starts in Sault: 1,210 m (3,970 ft) over 26 km (16 mi). The easiest route. After Chalet Reynard (where the "lunar landscape" of the summit starts), the climb is the same as the Bédoin ascent. Average gradient of 4.4%.

Every year there are amateur races to climb the mountain as quickly and often as possible in 24 hours, the Ventoux Masterseries and "Les Cinglés du Mont Ventoux".[12] On 16 May 2006, Jean-Pascal Roux from Bédoin broke the record of climbs in 24 hours, with eleven climbs, all of them from Bédoin.[13]

Tour de France

[edit]
Memorial of Tom Simpson, who died near the summit during the 1967 Tour de France, aged 29.

Mont Ventoux is the scene of one of the most grueling climbs in the Tour de France bicycle race, which has ascended the mountain eighteen times since 1951.[14][15] The followed trail mostly passes through Bédoin. Its fame as a scene of great Tour dramas has made it a magnet for cyclists around the world.

British cyclist Tom Simpson died on the mountain on 13 July 1967 from heat exhaustion caused by a combination of factors, including dehydration (caused by lack of fluid intake and diarrhea), use of amphetamines, and alcohol, although there is still speculation as to the exact cause of his death.[14] He began to wildly weave across the road before he fell down.[14] He was delirious and asked spectators to put him back on the bike, which he rode to within a half mile of the summit before collapsing dead, still clipped into his pedals. Amphetamines were found in his jersey and bloodstream. There is a memorial to Simpson near the summit, which has become a shrine to fans of cycling, who often leave small tokens of remembrance there.[14] In 1970, Eddy Merckx rode himself to the brink of collapse while winning the stage. He received oxygen, recovered, and won the Tour.[14] In 1994, Eros Poli, not known for his climbing ability, stole away at the beginning of the day's stage, built up a substantial time gap from the peloton, and was first over the Ventoux and eventual stage winner despite losing a minute of his lead per kilometre of the ascent.

Tour de France stage finishes

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Chris Froome and Nairo Quintana climbing Mont Ventoux at the 2013 Tour de France

The race has finished at the summit of Mont Ventoux ten times. The finish line is at 1,910 m (6,270 ft), although in 1965, 1967, 1972 and 1974 the finish was lower, at 1,895 m (6,217 ft).

Summit of Mont Ventoux

Three riders have won on top of the mountain, and gone on to win the Tour; Charly Gaul in 1958, Eddy Merckx in 1970 and Chris Froome in 2013. Both Merckx and Froome won while wearing the yellow jersey, maintaining the overall lead until Paris. Gaul was not in yellow when he won on the Ventoux, nor did he immediately gain the maillot jaune following the victory, Gaul only taking the overall lead of the tour several stages later.

In September 2008, it was announced by Claude Haut, the president of the Vaucluse province, that in 2009 the Tour de France would visit Mont Ventoux after a seven-year absence. Unusually, the riders climbed the mountain on the second-to-last day of the race, on 25 July 2009, prior to transferring to Paris for the traditional parade on the Champs-Élysées. It was next featured in the 100th Tour de France in 2013 on Stage 15.

In 2016, the stage to Mont Ventoux was shortened by 6 km (3.7 mi) the day before, after a weather forecast of high winds at the summit. The stage then finished at Chalet Reynard at 1,435 m (4,708 ft), with approximately 10 km (6 mi) of ascent up the mountain.[16] This stage also featured a motorcycle-induced crash which damaged Chris Froome's bike, prompting him to jog some 100 metres up the mountain until he was able to get a neutral service bike (as his team car was too far back at the time), which did not fit him properly.

Tour de France stages with summit finishes on Mont Ventoux[14]
Year Stage Start of stage Distance (km) Category Stage winner General classification leader Tour de France winner
1958 18 Bédoin 21.5 (ITT) 1  Charly Gaul (LUX)  Raphaël Géminiani (FRA)  Charly Gaul (LUX)
1965 14 Montpellier 173 1  Raymond Poulidor (FRA)  Felice Gimondi (ITA)  Felice Gimondi (ITA)
1970 14 Gap 170 1  Eddy Merckx (BEL)  Eddy Merckx (BEL)  Eddy Merckx (BEL)
1972 11 Carnon-Plage 207 1  Bernard Thévenet (FRA)  Eddy Merckx (BEL)  Eddy Merckx (BEL)
1987 18 Carpentras 36.5 (ITT) HC  Jean-François Bernard (FRA)  Jean-François Bernard (FRA)  Stephen Roche (IRL)
2000 12 Carpentras 149 HC  Marco Pantani (ITA)  Lance Armstrong (USA)  Lance Armstrong (USA)
2002 14 Lodève 221 HC  Richard Virenque (FRA)  Lance Armstrong (USA)  Lance Armstrong (USA)
2009 20 Montélimar 167 HC  Juan Manuel Gárate (ESP)  Alberto Contador (ESP)  Alberto Contador (ESP)
2013 15 Givors 242.5 HC  Chris Froome (GBR)  Chris Froome (GBR)  Chris Froome (GBR)
2016 12 Montpellier 178 HC  Thomas De Gendt (BEL)  Chris Froome (GBR)  Chris Froome (GBR)
2025 16 Montpellier 172 TBD
Note: As a result of an investigation into doping in 2012 Lance Armstrong was stripped of his Tour de France titles between 1999 and 2005 by the UCI. As such the tours for those years have no winner.

Other appearances in the Tour

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The race has also crossed the summit eight times.

Year Stage Category Start Finish Leader at the summit
1951 18 1 Montpellier Avignon  Lucien Lazaridès (FRA)
1952 14 1 Aix-en-Provence Avignon  Jean Robic (FRA)
1955 11 1 Marseille Avignon  Louison Bobet (FRA)
1967 13 1 Marseille Carpentras  Julio Jiménez (ESP)
1974 12 1 Savines-le-Lac Orange  Gonzalo Aja (ESP)
1994 15 HC Montpellier Carpentras  Eros Poli (ITA)
2021 11 1 Sorgues Malaucène  Julian Alaphilippe (FRA)
HC  Wout Van Aert (BEL)

In 1951, the approach to the summit was from Malaucène. In 2021, the first ascent was from Sault, whilst the second was from Bédoin. In all other years, the approach has been from Bédoin.

Climb from Bédoin

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The climb by bike from Bédoin to Mont Ventoux is one of the toughest in professional cycling. The figure for the average gradients per kilometre can be found in many books and websites on cycling. The average gradient of the total climb and also the average gradients per kilometre differ slightly, depending on the source of the information. Accurate measurements result in an average gradient for the total climb of 7.43%, based on a horizontal distance of 21.765 km (13.524 mi) and an ascent of 1,617 m (5,305 ft). The actual distance ridden is 21.825 km (13.561 mi).

The average gradients in each kilometre are as follows:

Kilometre Average gradient Kilometre Average gradient
1 1.9% 12 10.1%
2 2.8% 13 9.2%
3 3.8% 14 9.4%
4 5.8% 15 8.8%
5 5.6% 16 6.9%
6 3.1% 17 6.6%
7 8.6% 18 6.8%
8 9.4% 19 7.4%
9 10.5% 20 8.3%
10 10.1% 21 9.1%
11 9.3% 22 10.0%

Transcontinental Race

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Mont Ventoux was used as the first checkpoint in the 2015 Transcontinental Race, which is a non-stop, unsupported bicycle race across Europe.

Skiing

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There are two small ski stations on the mountain: "Mont Serein" on the north side, and "Chalet Reynard" on the south. High winds and the modest elevation tend to limit the ski season. Weather conditions are such that the northern slope is often icy, leading to a saying among people of the surrounding region regarding the challenges of skiing the mountain: Qui skie au Ventoux, skie partout (If you can ski Ventoux, you can ski anywhere).

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Mont Ventoux". Peakbagger.com. Retrieved 2010-07-04.
  2. ^ "Ascending the "Beast"". 17 July 2013. Retrieved 5 March 2014.
  3. ^ Maddock, David (13 July 2013). "Taking on Mont Ventoux: The Giant of Provence that stands squarely in front of Britain's Chris Froome this weekend". Mirror. Retrieved 5 March 2014.
  4. ^ a b c "Mont Ventoux". More than 21 bends. Archived from the original on 6 December 2019. Retrieved 5 March 2014.
  5. ^ Ernest A. Moody Jean Buridan in the Dictionary of Scientific Biography
  6. ^ Michael Kimmelman, "NOT Because it's There", New York Times, 6 June 1999.
  7. ^ Cassirer, Ernst (January 1943). "Some Remarks on the Question of the Originality of the Renaissance". Journal of the History of Ideas. 4 (1). University of Pennsylvania Press: 49–74. doi:10.2307/2707236. JSTOR 2707236.
  8. ^ Halsall, Paul (August 1998). "Petrarch: The Ascent of Mount Ventoux". fordham.edu. Fordham University. Retrieved 5 March 2014.
  9. ^ "Notes". Nature. 21 (519): 18–19. 6 November 1879. doi:10.1126/science.ns-21.519.18. PMID 17744197. Retrieved 19 April 2011.
  10. ^ "Fiche Climatologique Statistiques 1991-2020 et records" (PDF) (in French). Météo-France. Retrieved August 29, 2023.
  11. ^ "France - Top Bike Climbs". pjammcycling.com. PJAMM Cycling Inc. Retrieved 22 December 2022.
  12. ^ Club des Cinglés du Mont-Ventoux
  13. ^ "Record de la montée du Ventoux en 24 heures : le live". Velo101.com. 16 May 2006. Retrieved 15 July 2013.
  14. ^ a b c d e f Peter Hymas (13 July 2011). "Tour de France Gallery: Mont Ventoux". Cycling News. Future Publishing Limited. Retrieved 13 July 2013. See also Julian Barnes's "Tour de France 2000", (pages 71-89), in his book of essays, Something to Declare (2002).
  15. ^ Barry Ryan (6 July 2021). "Chris Froome returns to Mont Ventoux riding a different kind of Tour de France". Cycling News. Future Publishing Limited. Retrieved 12 July 2021.
  16. ^ Ryan, Barry (13 July 2016). "Tour de France: Ventoux stage shortened due to risk of 100km/h winds". Cycling News. Retrieved 13 July 2016.

Further reading

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