Mont Ventoux

Mont Ventoux is a mountain in the Vaucluse department in southern France, located about 20 kilometers northeast of Carpentras. It is the only mountain in the Provence region and is therefore also known as the Giant of Provence. The name of the mountain is derived from the Occitan word "ven," which means mountain. Because it is very windy on top of the mountain due to the mistral, the name is often incorrectly interpreted as wind mountain. Wind speeds of up to 300 km/h have been recorded. Another explanation of the name dates back to the 1st or 2nd century AD. The Gallic name can be reconstructed as 'Ven-top(s),' which means 'snow-top.' In the 10th century, the names Mons Ventosus and Mons Ventorius appear. In the region, the wine Côtes du Ventoux is produced. The summit is at an altitude of 1912 meters. The height difference from the foot of the mountain is 1614 m. The mountain is especially known from cycling stages in events such as the Tour de France. The ascent from Bédoin is very tough due to the length of the climb (21 km), the average gradient (7.6 %), and the summer temperatures in southern France. In total, there are three ascents possible with a racing bike. The climb was fatal for cyclist Tom Simpson in 1967 due to a combination of doping, alcohol, and heat. The Mont Ventoux is also a climb that returns annually in the Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré. In the summer, Mont Ventoux is mainly visited by tourists who climb the mountain, mostly by bike. The Dutch poet Jan Kal dedicated one of his most famous sonnets to Mont Ventoux and Tom Simpson. The record time for the climb is held by the Spaniard Iban Mayo. He achieved a climb in 55 minutes and 51 seconds during the Dauphiné Libéré in 2004.

tommislaw