cycling Mont Ventoux - Sault

What a great way to do Ventoux. Starting from Sault, downhill you wind hrough the spectacular scenry, passing lavender fields to a relatively easy ascent. The view across the valley are awesome, something which you dont get from the bedoin route. After a quick expresso at Chalet Reynard from the misses, onto the second stage, the moonscape. You can see up in the distance the weather station as the road ramps up. Beware dont over do it here, as from Tommys place to the top tightens up. If its hot, this part can be crippling. Remember from here to the top, I removed my crash hat, as my head was starting to boil. Finally making the final bend you reach the top, emotional with all the history that has taken place up here, from Pantani, Armstrong and Wiggo. Best day of the year. Also there are a number of photographer taken pics to sell over the internet, look out for them as I now have a lovely framed pic of me on Ventoux with the summit in the background. A family heirloom now. Enjoy

My personal climb rating: 4 stars

28th of July 2009. I had decided to climb the Mont Ventoux that day! I left the camping 06.00 oclock for a ride 0f 1,5 hours by car to go to Sault. On my way to Sault I saw the Mont Ventoux for the first time. My first reaction was.: do I have to climb that basterd? I left Sault at 08.15 oclock. The reason to leave so early was purely the temperature later in the day. We had already 2 weeks with a afternoon temperature of about 35 degrees C. It took me about 1,5 km to find a right ritme to do the first 20 km to the restaurant. I did the first 20km in one go. At the restaurant I stopped for a rest, to eat something and to refill with water. After 10 minutes I decided to start for the last 6 km. I had to stop three time on the last 6 km. The last stop was about 600 mtr from the top. It looked like the road goes straight into heaven!( 11%) Eventually, I made the climb! It took me 2 hours and 5 minutes, average speed 12,5 km. I was tired but proud. After some pictures I started for the trip downhill. The speed goes up to about 75/80 km p/hour by just letting the bike roll. The last 700 mtr just before Sault is another steep clim of about 5,5%. Sault is a good climb to explore your posibilties on the Ventoux.

My personal climb rating: 3 stars

I recently spent 3 weeks in France, 2 weeks of which were spent in Malaucene. So I took on the Mountain 4 times! Twice from Bedoin, (that bloody Forest!)best time of 2hrs 59! Well I am fat! Once from Malaucene and finally from Sault. What a pleasure to leave the town and start on a descent! The initial climb is indeed a pleasure, I even had enough breath to talk to fellow cyclists! Even dropping a couple. Before long I reached a set of Chalets and had just engaged the big ring when I spotted Chalet Reynard. I couldnt believe it. But within 5 minuites my elation was eclipsed by the toil of a scorching luna landscape, but a time of ""only"" 2hrs 35 mins made it all worthwhile!

My personal climb rating: 5 stars

I did the climb from Sault. Not that difficult in teh first 18Kms. The first 2 kms I had it bad. No pace, high heartrate. This passed after 3 kms as I entered the shadow. From the I flew up. The last KM before the Chalet I drove over 30km/h. Then different story. The hardest part : the last 2kms. That was the only challaging thing in the climb from this site. Ill be back to climb from Bedoin.

My personal climb rating: 5 stars

A beautiful ride from this direction. I started from Malaucene, through Bedoin then throug the wodded uplands to Sault. This is a glorious introduction: gentle climbing on divinely isolated roads. Want to ride on the wrong side of the road to enjoy the shade - go ahead, the next car is only due in another hour. A cup of coffee in Sault and then the work in earnest starts. Only it doesnt because the climb from this side is very gradual. I even engaged the big ring for a couple of miles before Chalet Reynard. Then suddenly you enter the moonscape and it all changes. It got cold and slightly misty (no wind though). And the gradient ramps up significantly. Very significantly. The road winds up in a series of curves so that as the top of one ramp unwinds, you can see the next one going across diagonally in front of you. Take a few moments to fully appreciate the unrelenting steepness. This happens about seven times until the summit. The descent back to Malaucene is a blast.

My personal climb rating: 5 stars

I did the climb from Sault in mid July 2007. Started early to avoid the heat. The first 20 Km is a steady climb but not too steep and I recommend this route if you are not a natural grimpuer. At Chalet Reynard the tree cover ceases and the climb gets much harder. On my climb I rode into low cloud cover just above Chalet Reynard all the way to the top. This made the climb much cooler. Got blown across the road by strong winds on reaching the observatory. Ventoux is awsome, its something every cyclist must do at least once in their lifetime.

When making the climb from Sault everything seems to be usual when riding in the trees. But then youll get out of them, to enter the famous moon landscape. Not only the area around impresses. Because that would be nearly impossible! When coming in the open air, the gradient of the road increases, and seldomly will go a bit less steeper again. And because you already got this far, youre not that fit anymore to get impressed by the landscape! But having reached the top compensates this all!