On the road from St Saturnin, after just 20kms as you turn the bend you are confronted with the sight of Mont Ventoux.
This is real lavender, grown for its healing qualities typically above 700 metres it creates a wonderful foreground to this impressive mountain.
And superb colours for artists and photographers to capture
From a distance Ventoux looks like it is snow covered year round, when in fact it is the granite stone that gives this appearance.
On the route up is the memorial to Tommy Simpson , a British cyclist who died in 1967 at just 29 years of age.
Three kilometres from the summit, in a landscape of stone, where the mountain becomes most arid, the Briton began to wobble. The drama was imminent and it came a kilometre further on. Simpson climbed in slow motion, his face blank, his head tilted towards his right shoulder in his familiar manner. He was at the end of his strength. He fell a first time. Spectators went to him, putting him back in the saddle and pushing him. He went another 300m, helped by unknown arms, then fell again. This time, nobody tried to pull him upright: he had lost consciousness.
And so we plough on to the summit where the views are spectacular...
sorry for the tacky photograph!
Heading down on the north side, the driving is incredible, bring a decent car, preferably open topped!
And again, simply breath taking views over to the Alps.
This is the slope at Mont Serein where I was skiing in seriously thick snow just 4 months ago.
I think you could say we like it here!
No comments:
Post a Comment