VillaFleury · Montbrun-les-Bains
Cycling around Mont Ventoux
Whatever the weather, whatever the season, every single day you will find cycling enthusiasts on or around Mont Ventoux. From VillaFleury you can take on the mountain from every side.
Mont Ventoux: the ultimate cycling challenge
What is it that keeps them coming here? There is no one simple answer to that question, but many cyclists point to the challenge, the nature, the weather and the atmosphere.
The charming Provence region, with its aromatic fields of lavender and terraces under the plane trees, is also home to a gruelling mountain. If Provence is “the Beauty”, then Mont Ventoux is “the Beast”. This “Giant of Provence”, also known as “the Bare Mountain” and the “Olympus of Provence”, is above all an incredibly hard climb, often unbearably hot, sometimes extremely cold, windy and exhausting.
This probably does not sound very attractive at all, and yet, every season, you will find swarms of cyclists on its slopes. They obviously find exactly what they are looking for!
27 cycling routes from Montbrun-les-Bains
From VillaFleury you can explore a wide range of cycling routes and approach Mont Ventoux from all sides. You should also try the route through the Toulourenc valley or along the Gorges de la Nesque. These are the routes from the route booklet, in the order of the booklet.
| No. | Route | Distance | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Le Col de l’Homme Mort | 28 km | moderate |
| 2 | Circuit des 4 cols | 47 km | fairly hard |
| 3 | Tour de la Montagne de Buc | 38 km | moderate to fairly hard |
| 4 | Le Col d’Ey | 75 km | fairly hard |
| 5 | Le Col de Soubeyrand | 78 km | hard |
| 6 | 5 cols des Hautes Baronnies | 87 km | hard |
| 7 | Brantes | 30 km | easy |
| 8 | Tour de la Montagne de Banne | 60 km | moderate |
| 9 | Le Toulourenc, grand circuit | 76.5 km | fairly hard |
| 9 | Le Toulourenc, petit circuit | 57 km | moderate |
| 10 | Les Baronnies | 72 km | fairly hard |
| 11 | Le Mont Ventoux par Sault ou Malaucène | 97 km | very hard |
| 12 | Le Mont Ventoux par Bédoin | 103 km | very hard |
| 13 | Ventoux Double | 133 km | very hard |
| 14 | Les Gorges de la Nesque par la petite Nesque | 87.5 km | moderate to fairly hard |
| 15 | Les Gorges de la Nesque par le col de la Gabelle | 83.5 km | fairly hard |
| 16 | Le Bois du Deffends | 47 km | moderate |
| 17 | Forêt de St Lambert | 90 km | fairly hard |
| 18 | Monts de Vaucluse | 76 km | hard |
| 19 | Incursion en Luberon | 79 km | very hard |
| 20 | Le Pays d’Apt | 87 km | hard |
| 21 | La Montée de Ferrassières | 21 km | moderate |
| 22 | Le Col du Négron | 51 km | hard |
| 23 | Les Grandes Bosses | 60 km | fairly hard |
| 24 | La Montagne de Lure | 133 km | very hard |
| 25 | Le grand 8 | 81.5 km | hard |
| 26 | Le grand raid | 100 km | very hard |
| 27 | Le Tour de la Montagne de Chamouse | 79 km | very hard |
On routes 19, 22 and 23 the difficulty depends on the direction you ride. The booklet has a map and a description of every route.
The route booklet: 27 cycling routes from Montbrun (PDF in French, 9 MB)
Good to know
Pick-up and drop-off
If you need it, we offer a pick-up and drop-off service at a reasonable rate per kilometre.
No bike with you?
Not everybody is a Ventourist or a Ventousiast, but you can still try one of the routes without your own bicycle: there are good bikes for hire nearby.
Lunch on the way
Do stop for a delicious lunch in one of the many restaurants along the way. We are happy to give you good tips.