Climbing Mont Ventoux on bike, which cyclist does not want to that? There are some climbs that you just want to do as a cyclist. Think of Alpe d’Huez, the Tourmalet or the Stelvio. The Mont Ventoux is also on the to-bike list of many cyclists. You can climb the Mont Ventoux while staying at Le Rêve Provençal.

The 3 ways for climbing Mont Ventoux on bike by road

The Mont Ventoux can be climbed from 3 places

• Malaucène – at 18 kilometers from Le Rêve Provençal
• Bedoin – at 30kilometers from Le Rêve Provençal
• Sault – at 50 kilometers from Le Rêve Provençal

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Climbing Mont Ventoux on bike from Malaucène

From Malaucène you climb 21.1 km and you will have to overcome 1,583 altitude metres to get to the top of the Mont Ventoux. The average gradient is 7.5%, while the steepest part is 12.7%. During the climb you have beautiful views towards the Drôme.

Check out the Malaucène-Mont Ventoux segment on Strava.

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Cycling up Mont Ventoux from Bedoin

The most famous way to cycle up the Mont Ventoux is the climb from Bedoin. This climb is 21.4 km with 1,603 altitude metres. The average gradient is 7.5 %, the steepest part is 12.9 %. The first five kilometres go up slowly, but after that you have to work hard. For kilometres, the road rises around 9 to 10%. At Chalet Reynard – where the road from Sault joins the climb – you can catch your breath. After that, there are still 6 kilometres to go to the top of the Mont Ventoux.

Check out the Bedoin-Mont Ventoux segment on Strava.

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Climbing Mont Ventoux on bike from Sault

On this side of Mont Ventoux, you have a great chance to cycle through lavender fields. The climb from Sault is considered the easy one. The climb is 25.6 kilometres long and has 1,216 altitude metres. The average gradient of 4.5 % is a lot less than the other two climbs. You still have to overcome a stretch of 12.9%. The devil is in the tail of this climb. From Chalet Reynard – where the road from Bedoin joins, the climb gets steeper.

Check out the Bedoin-Mont Ventoux segment on Strava.

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The monument to Tom Simpsom

Between Chalet Reynard and the summit of Mont Ventoux, you end up in a lunar landscape. There are no longer trees and along the road you only see white stones. It is therefore that the Mont Ventoux is nicknamed The Bald Mountain. It is here that Briton Tom Simpson fell off his bike on 13 July 1967 and spoke the legendary words “Put me back on my bike”. He was indeed hoisted back onto his bicycle, only to fall back to earth after less than 500 metres and never to get up again.

During the climb or descent, you can stop at the monument in honour of Tom Simpson. Many cyclists leave a water bottle or other bike-related souvenir here.

The 4th way to climb Mont Ventoux on bike

There is also a 4th way to climb Mont Ventoux. You will however need a mountain bike for this. This climb starts in Bedoin and is 24.5 km long. You bridge in the 24.5 km 1,620 altimeters, so you end up with an average gradient of 6.7%. The maximum percentage is 12,5 %. From Bedoin you cycle the first 8 kilometres on the road. After 8 kilometres you turn left, the beginning of the forest path through the Massif des Cèdres. You keep following this path for 11 km, until you arrive at the asphalt climb from Malaucène. This is 1.5 km after Mont Serein. You then cycle the remaining part on the road to the top.

The Club des Cinglés du Mont Ventoux

If you do all three sides of the Mont Ventoux in one day by road, you can join the Club des Cinglés du Mont Ventoux, or the Club of the Mont Ventoux Madmen. You will have to buy a stamp card in advance on the website of the Club des Cinglés du Mont Ventoux. Those who also climb the Mont Ventoux on the same day via the unpaved route through the Massif de Cèdres may call themselves Galérien du Mont-Ventoux. A Galérien is what we call a galley slave in English. You may call yourself a Bicinglette if you cycle up the Mont Ventoux six times in one day, or double Cinglé.

When climbing Mont Ventoux on bike

Even though the Mont Ventoux is located in the south of France, you cannot climb it all year round. There are barriers at the ski station of Mont Serein and at Chalet Reynard. Generally, they go down in mid-November. When there is no snow on the road, there are plenty of cyclists who ignore those barriers.

In 2024, the roads from Bédoin and Sault will officially open on April 12 and the road from Malaucène in May 3. Depending on the weather and the Vaucluse prefecture’s decision, these dates may be adjusted.

Tip: check the current weather at the top of Mont Ventoux on the website Météo Ventoux.

Cycling around the Mont Ventoux

Do you know that cycling around the Mont Ventoux is also very nice ride? From our gîte you then cycle in the direction of Vaison-la-Romaine and Malaucène via the Col de la Madeleine to Bedoin. In Bedoin, you do not go up the Mont Ventoux like the majority of cyclists do, but you go to Flassan. Via the Col de Notre-Dame-des-Abeilles, you cycle to Sault. Also here, you literally and figuratively ignore the road to the Mont Ventoux. Via Aurel and Reilhanette you cycle slightly downhill along the Toulourenc. Via the Col de Veaux you climb out of the river valley to cycle back to Mirabel-aux-Baronnies via Faucon. When you get home, you will have 110 kilometres and 1,650 metres altitude on your counter.

Check out the Cycling around the Mont Ventous route on Strava.

 

Cycling races on the Mont Ventoux

On 9 June 2024 the Cyclosportive Santini GF Mont Ventoux will take place. There are 2 distances on the program:

• The Medio: 100 km – 2600m D+. Total is 130 km with the return to Vaison-la-Romaine.
• The Gran Fondo: 122 km – 3600m D+. Total is 152 km with the return to Vaison-la-Romaine.

In 2024, the Mont Ventoux Dénivelé Challenges will not take place because of the passage of the Olympic flame over Mont Ventoux.

Note: on 19 June, the Olympic flame will pass over Mont Ventoux.

Excellent accommodation for climbing Mont Ventoux on bike

Our gîte in Mirabel-aux-Baronnies is an excellent accommodation for climbing Mont Ventoux on bike. With an average of 300 days of sunshine per year, a large choice of quiet roads and many little and big climbs, it is a true paradise for cyclists. And towards the Rhône valley, you can cycle a relatively flat for a change. We are cyclists ourselves and during your stay we will be able to advise you on possible routes and we will make GPS-tracks available.

Check our availability or read more blogs about cycling on our website.