Mont Ventoux (Ventour in Provençal) is a mountain in the Provence region of southern France, located some 20 km northeast of Carpentras, Vaucluse. On the north side, the mountain borders the Drôme département. It is the largest mountain in the region and has been nicknamed the "Giant of Provence", or "The Bald Mountain". It has gained fame through its use in the Tour de France cycling race.

As the name might suggest (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 90+ km/h (56+ mph) 240 days a year. The road over the mountain is often closed due to high winds. Especially the "col de tempêtes" ("storm pass") just before the summit, which is known for its strong 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 Gaulish 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.

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 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 many miles away on a clear day. The view from the top is correspondingly superb.

As the last Alpine mountain ridge before the Rhône plain, the Mont Ventoux can be seen almost from everywhere in Provence. Its isolated position gives it a gigantic and dominating feature. In all directions you'll have no higher peaks in the neighbourhood of the Mont Ventoux.

As you drive toward it it dominates the skyline. For those who have driven to Bright the domination is like that of Falls Creek, Hotham and Buffalo.

The Ascent

Start in the center of Bedoin.

Take the D19, keeping the mountain to their left. It's warming up for what comes.

After 2 km, you take the road to the left towards Les Baux and Sainte Colombe. Passing those two villages, the climb gets slightly more steep. You're passing Les Bruns while the road keeps to the right of the mountain, until you reach St Estève (about 5K into the climb)and its famous bend which used to be even a lot steeper than it is now. This is where the real climb starts.

The Mont Ventoux does not give you any rest until you reach the Chalet Renard. The climb never goes under 8% and there are long strokes of 10%+, until you reach the chalet, where the climb gives you the opportunity to get some breath, its not even 7%...

The climb gets harder again approaching the top. You are lucky if there is no wind trying to blow you from your saddle.

You can try enjoy the view on the Provence to your left while going in and out of the mountain amidst a lunar - lunatic? - landscape.

Take the last hairpin to the right at 10%+ and you're there.

Starting from Bédoin, the Mont Ventoux ascent is 22.7 km long. Over this distance, you climb 1622 metres. The average percentage is 7.1 %.

Tour de France

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 fourteen 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.

The mountain achieved worldwide notoriety when it claimed the life of British cyclist Tom Simpson, who died here on July 13, 1967 from heat exhaustion caused by a combination of factors including dehydration (caused by lack of fluid intake and diarrhea), amphetamines, and 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.

2009 saw the most recent ascent of the Ventoux with Rabobank Squad's Spanish climber Juan Manuel Gárate making to the top first.