Bald crown
Climbing Mont Ventoux. That was on my bucket list ever since I saw the mountain with the bald crown on a ride through Gorges de la Nesque. Not by bike, like the many cyclists every day who toil up the mountain and then hurtle down with death defiance. Nor will it be a lazy tour by car, it’s going to be a hike to the top. In doing so, I will cheat a bit. From the foot it’s at least 15 kilometres to the summit, one way. That is too much and too boring for me. I start the walk at Le Mont Serein, on the northern slope of Mont Ventoux. From there it’s a nice 4½-kilometre walk to the top, with 500 altitude metres.
To my surprise, Le Mont Serein turns out to be a small winter sports village. The ski slopes are now rolling grassy plains and the drag lifts are out of order. This is a different Mont Ventoux than the scorching hot brute I know from the Tour de France.
Scary path
The climb starts as an ordinary forest walk. The first kilometre is still flat, then the forest path begins to ascend and wind. It is a pleasant walk in the shade of the trees. The air I breathe feels wonderfully fresh, a little thin due to the altitude. There is not much to see along the way, but I’m actually fine with that. I concentrate on the quite sneaky climb. It’s not a difficult path to hike, but I undeniably feel the 15% average gradient in my legs.
As the forest thins out, the walk becomes more exciting. The path is little more than a flattened ledge on a nasty slope of loose stones. My camera goes in my backpack so that I have both hands free. The path is just wide and sturdy enough to walk over gently. But on the narrow stretches with lots of loose stones on the path, I find it terrifying. One misstep or a slipping stone and you tumble down the slope, with no trees to stop you. Don’t think. Focus. And in the bends where there is enough space to stand safely, enjoy the spectacular lunar landscape. Because that’s what I came for.
Olympic fire
Even though it is my first time at the top of Mont Ventoux, I notice that the place is different than usual. It is quieter and busier at the same time. There are hardly any cars or motorbikes to be seen, the road is closed on both sides of the summit. At the same time, it’s buzzing with activity at the tower at the top. There are crowd control barriers, lots of gendarmes and an ever-growing crowd of people waiting for something to happen.
I wait along and learn that the Olympic flame is on its way. It is making a journey across France and the overseas territories, in the run-up to the Olympic Games in Paris. Organisation officials and local notables are pacing between the barriers, waiting for the Olympic flame. I peer down the road where the flame is supposed to come from, but see nothing yet. After half an hour of waiting and wandering, I hear that the flame is expected in three quarters of an hour. That’s too long for me, I’m going for a nice walk again.
Endless depths
The path down is wide and leads over less steep slopes. Helped by gravity I take big steps. Here I truly realise how immense Mont Ventoux is, as the view over the Provençal hilly landscape in the depths is literally endless.
Towards the end I get confused. The path goes up again, away from the road below where the car is parked. I decide to walk down the wide ski slope, heading straight for the goal. Halfway down the ski slope I hear the sound of a helicopter. I look up and see that the helicopter is hovering near the top of Mont Ventoux. That is where the Olympic flame must have finally arrived.
Hiking map
The hike starts on the right of the entrance to Camping Mont Serein. The road leading to the campsite has parking bays on the left and right along its entire length, where you can park for free.
More information
- The website De Kale Berg contains extensive information about Mont Ventoux (in Dutch). The website is mainly aimed at cyclists, but also contains plenty of interesting information about the mountain for non-cyclists.
- The complete route of the Olympic flame for the 2024 Games in Paris can be found on the website of the Olympic Games.
