Tour de Provence, Bedoin, France

Our first ride in Provence was a classic tour loop, one I have done several times now as this is my third visit to this area. I nearly completed the loop without the help of the GPS guide…..but not quite.

A nice view of Mont Ventoux with it’s head in the clouds all day.

Crillion le Brave, these little hilltop villages are all over this region.

Into the walled city of Crillon le Brave we go.

The next one is Le Barroux. Notice the vineyards in almost every countryside image and also the olive tree.

The light is different here in Southern France, its a photographer’s paradise!

A random cyclist climbing to Suzette, a super tough little climb! (Pictures never do slope justice, this grade is about 12%) I think we saw this same dude in Lauret!

This image makes me think of hiking with my buddies John and Ruby and an adventure we did this summer to the Castle, a peak in the Payette National Forest. This is the French equivalent! https://davefaitlemonde.com/2019/07/22/square-top-basin-payette-national-forest-next-24-hours/

The village of Beams de Venise is below this little gap in the hills and vineyards.

I know this region well enough now that I have found some really cool tiny roads though the vineyards and country side. The locals’ only routes!

This is the roundabout just before Bedoin, with Mont Ventoux directly behind the statue. The wide angle lens does not do Mont Ventoux justice, from this point here, its about 13 miles to the summit and about 4500 feet of climb….. oh, and the first 2 miles are relatively flat.

This is the turnoff to the summit. We turned around here today and are hoping for an assault on Friday….Today, the high on the summit was 29 degrees with 40 mph winds.