Mont Ventoux
1,910 m
France
Also known as Ventor, Мон-ВантуAlso known as
Ventor · Мон-Ванту
- Elevation
- 1,910 m
- Prominence
- 1,143 m
- Difficulty
- 2/10
- Hike
- Best Season
- May–Jun
- Routes
- 2
Routes
2The easiest walk to the summit: about 4.3 km and 490 m of ascent on the red-and-white GR4 from the Mont Serein ski station (about 1,413 m), through pine forest and then steep, shadeless limestone scree to the summit buildings. Roughly 1h45–2h up.
Elevation Profile
approximate line- Distance
- 4.3 km
- one way
- Ascent
- +543 m
- start → summit
- High Point
- 1,910 m
- Time Up
- 2h 22m
- DIN 33466
- Time Down
- 1h 38m
- DIN 33466 · same way back
Mont Serein, a small ski station on the north side, is reached by the D974 from Malaucène and the D164a. The GR4 leaves to the right of the restaurant terrace on a flat gravel track, then climbs in steady zigzags through tall pines with views north to the Baronnies. Above the trees the path climbs steep, loose white scree; cairns mark most bends. Higher up, the waymarked line turns up to the left at a junction marked only faintly in paint on the rocks, while a more obvious path carries straight on; watch for it, especially in cloud. The path reaches the D974 just below the summit; cross the road to the summit plateau with its weather station, telecommunications mast and viewpoint. Return the same way (about 11 km round trip). There is no shade above the forest, so carry plenty of water in summer, and a windproof at any time of year: the mistral can make the summit unpleasant or dangerous and temperatures are often more than 10 °C lower than in the valleys. Expect cars, motorbikes and cyclists at the top in season.
Start
Station du Mont Serein1,372 m
- No regular public transport to Mont Serein; buses run from Carpentras to Malaucène (check current timetables).
- Parking at the trailhead
Stages
| Day | Stage | km | m ascent | m descent | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Station du Mont Serein → Mont Ventoux | 4.3 | 543 | 7 | 2h 22m |
Waypoints
- Parking: Station du Mont Serein1,372 m
- Summit: Mont Ventoux1,910 m
Key Passages
- Steep scree above the treeline
- Easily missed left turn of the GR4 on the scree
Equipment
0/5 packedDownloads
Route confidence 75%Overview
The 'Giant of Provence' (1,910 m), an isolated limestone ridge whose bare white summit rises some 1,600 m above the surrounding vineyards. Famous for the Tour de France and the mistral, it is also a fine walk: 490 m from Mont Serein or 1,460 m from Sainte-Colombe near Bédoin.
Mont Ventoux stands alone north of the Luberon, at the western end of the Provence Prealps, its long east–west ridge rising from vineyards and lavender at about 300 m to a summit of bare, white limestone scree that looks snow-covered from a distance. The name derives from the French for 'windy' (venteux): the mistral blows on most days of the year and has produced gusts of up to 320 km/h at the summit. A road (D974) crosses the top, which carries a disused 19th-century weather station, a telecommunications mast about 50 m high and a chapel.
The mountain marks a boundary between northern and southern France in its plants and animals, with holm oak low down and beech, Atlas cedar, larch and juniper higher up, the result of reforestation since the 1860s. It has been a UNESCO biosphere reserve since 1990.
For walkers it offers routes of every length: the short GR4 from the Mont Serein ski station, ridge walks from Chalet Reynard, and full ascents of 1,300–1,500 m from Bédoin, Malaucène or Sault. All finish on shadeless scree in a busy summit area, shared in summer with cars, motorbikes and thousands of cyclists.
Climbing Notes
From Mont Serein the ascent is a straightforward half-day walk suitable for fit families; the full ascents from Bédoin, Malaucène or Sault are long days of 5–7 hours up and need good fitness. No technical skills are needed in summer, but the summit is exposed: check the mistral forecast, carry a windproof and warm layer even in July, and turn back if gusts make walking on the scree difficult.
Carry at least 2 litres of water per person; there is no shade or water on the upper slopes and the lower forests are hot in summer. In winter the summit road is closed to all vehicles and the upper slopes are snow-covered, usually December to April; snowshoes and winter clothing are then needed, and the north side holds snow longest.
In summer, access to forest massifs in Vaucluse may be restricted on days of high wildfire risk; check the prefecture's daily access map before setting out.
History
The first recorded ascent was by the philosopher Jean Buridan, some time before 1334, to make weather observations. Petrarch described climbing it with his brother on 26 April 1336, an account that may be partly fictional but is often cited as the beginning of mountaineering for its own sake. The summit chapel of Sainte-Croix is said to date from the 15th century. A carriage road and summit weather station were planned in 1879 and the observatory built in 1882; a car and motorcycle hill climb was held on the roads from 1902 to 1976. The Tour de France first climbed Ventoux in 1951; on 13 July 1967 the British rider Tom Simpson collapsed and died about 1 km below the summit, where a memorial now stands.
Season
Best May–Jun- January: Possible
- February: Possible
- March: Possible
- April: Good
- May: Best (best window)
- June: Best (best window)
- July: Good
- August: Good
- September: Best
- October: Best
- November: Possible
- December: Possible
- Jan
- Snow on the upper slopes; summit road closed; snowshoeing from Mont Serein
- Feb
- Snow and strong cold winds
- Mar
- Snow on the north side; road still closed
- Apr
- Snow melting; south-side road reopens mid-April
- May
- Usually snow-free; north-side road reopens mid-May
- Jun
- Long days; pleasant at the top
- Jul
- Hot lower down; busy summit; possible wildfire access restrictions
- Aug
- Hot and busy; thunderstorms; possible wildfire access restrictions
- Sep
- Settled weather, fewer people
- Oct
- Clear air and autumn colours; cold wind at the top
- Nov
- Summit road closes to vehicles in mid-November; first snow
- Dec
- Winter conditions
Access & Permits
- Fees
- Parking at Bédoin, Malaucène, Mont Serein and Chalet Reynard is generally free; arrive early in high season
- Rules
- The D974 to the summit is closed to all vehicles, including bicycles, every winter, typically from mid-November to mid-April (from Chalet Reynard) and mid-May (from Mont Serein); Mont Serein and Chalet Reynard remain accessible by road
- Winter equipment (chains or winter tyres) is required on the D974, D164 and D164a from 1 November to 31 March
- UNESCO Mont Ventoux biosphere reserve: stay on marked paths and take litter home
- Access to Vaucluse forest massifs may be restricted in summer on days of high wildfire risk
- Getting There
Malaucène (north side) and Bédoin (south side)
Avignon (AVN) for limited flights; Marseille Provence (MRS) about 1h30 by road
- By car: D974 from Malaucène to Mont Serein (D164a) or from Bédoin to Chalet Reynard; D164 from Sault to Chalet Reynard
- Train to Avignon or Carpentras, then regional buses to Bédoin or Malaucène; no regular public transport to Mont Serein or Chalet Reynard
Hazards
- Weather
Huts & Shelters
1- 1,517 m
Jas des PèlerinsBivouacUnstaffed