Ventoux mount

The mount Ventoux is a top of Provence culminating with: 1912 meters. The Ventoux Mount makes approximately 25 kilometers length on a East-West axis for 15 kilometers broad on a North-South axis and covers approximately 26000 hectares. Called the " Giant of Provence" , it is more the high mountain known as " isolée" from France, culminating point of the Massive of Baronnies, it is more the high summit of Vaucluse.

Toponymy

Of Latin source Venturi , which sees by far (in Occitan Provençal: Mount Ventor according to the traditional standard or lou Mount Ventour according to the Standard mistralienne).

Its old name Ventour, based on the preceltic root Oronymique went' mount , was reinterpreted by “windy”. It is true that the mistral often blows there with more 100 km/h, and sometimes until 300 km/h. Besides the Ventoux mount holds one of the records high speed of wind recorded in Metropolitan France with a wind having blown to 320 km/h on November 19th, 1967. Indeed, the mount extending perpendicular to the wind, it produced there a Effect Venturi accelerating flow of air, as on the suction face of a wing of plane.

Geography

Situation

Located at 20 km as the crow flies in the North-East of Carpentras, it is rather far away from the other tops of the area, the Signal of Lure (: 1826 m) being with more 40 km in the east, to appear higher than it is it actually. In fact, at the top, in released weather, one discovers an exceptional panorama on all the chain of the the Alps, the Mediterranean, the the Camargue and low the Vallée of the Rhone in direction of Avignon, the the Cevennes, the Massif Central and even Our-Lady-of-the-Guard with Marseilles in clear weather.

Transportation access and routes

The access to the top by the Northern slope is done by the D164. On the southern slope, the D974 coming from Bédoin and passing by the commune of Flassan joined on the level of the Reynard Country cottage the D164 which goes up since Sault until the top.

Geology

Ventoux finishes with the Dentelles of Montmirail the chain of the Baronnies. This mountain consists of massive limestones Urgonien S blanchâtres, of age Crétacé inferior, and very lights (from where the impression of a snow-covered top).

The important rise in the top originates in compression due to the formation of the Chaîne pyrénéo-of Provence now disappeared. This compression bent and overlapped the rocks of the mountain on the grounds more in north, during the Crétacé superior and the beginning of the tertiary .

Hydrography

The karstic solid mass of Ventoux takes part with the Montagne of Lure and the Monts of Vaucluse, with the food of the Fountain of Vaucluse (the first resurgence of France and fifth world).

Several sources (Resurgence S) - perennial or not - are directly related to the system, of which most important are:

In the valley of the Toulourenc (Northern slope close to Malaucène):

Notre-Dame of the Angels : one almost observes a whole of small perennial sources in the bed of the river, and a few meters higher one cave ( the Balsam ) of a few tens of meters length on 2-3m top and finishing on a drowned conduit, functions like a siphon during the periods of strong pluviometry. A powerful source spouts out then of the cave, with the image of his/her big sister the Fountain of Vaucluse .
Groseau (according to the name of the Celtic god Grasélos then recovered by the Romans then the Christians): this perennial source (or rather a whole of spouting springs with blank of rock and hydrologiquement near to the system of Notre-Dame of the Angels ) would have been used to feed out of water Vaison-the-Roman thanks to the construction of a work by the Romans (of the traces of the conduit were found besides on the road of Malaucène).
Several resurgences appear all along the bed of the Toulourenc (detectable when they spout out in the river by their temperature the constant - surroundings 11-12 °C - all year).

Close to the top: Fontfiole , highest of the department, runs with 1788m.

Southern Slope:

the Fountain of the Low register (or make pastres ), source collected by a small fountain.
Makes of Angiou .

Seismicity

Except for the cantons of Bonnieux, Apt, Cadenet, Cavaillon, and Sluices classified in zone Ib (weak risk), all the cantons of the department are classified in zone Ia (very weak risk). This zoning corresponds to a seismicity resulting only exceptionally in the destruction of buildings.

Climate

The situation and the differences in altitude of Ventoux are at the origin of a very particular climatic situation energy of the Mediterranean climate to the alpine climate and which explains the richness of its flora (400 floristic kinds for more than 1000 species of plants on five stages of vegetation observed) and of its fauna (including more than 100 species of birds). The weather station of the Ventoux Mount raises each year of important temperature variations according to the season. Canicular in summer, that can go down to -30° in winters.

From climatic protection that the Ventoux Mount confers, the southern part of Comtat Venaissin profits from a true microclimate where grow the majority of the fruit and vegetables of France. Among the most known and recognized (i.e. profiting from a AOC Ventoux) let us quote: the cherry, the strawberry, table grapes, the melon, the apricot, asparaguses.

Flora and fauna

Classified by UNESCO “Reserve of biosphere” in 1990, become site Natura 2000 on a surface of 3140 ha, it presents a Flore of a rare diversity: thanks to the configuration of the solid mass and his exposure - a northern face (Ubac), a southern face (Adret) - one meets a Mediterranean Flore, médioeuropéenne, alpine species, forests of Mélèze S, Sapin S, Cèdre S etc At the top, thermoclastic zone of fall S, subjected to an extreme climate, one finds even a species observed in artic region. Many are protected spaces, some, very rare, meet only on Ventoux.

To preserve the environment, the gathering of the plants, even not protected, is prohibited.

The sides Mont Ventoux are covered with Mediterranean plants like the holm oak, but also with cedars of Lebanon, pines, etc and some cultures of olive-trees or of lavender on the circumferences.

Southern slope

The southern slope (adret) is well exposed to the sun and the vegetation is Mediterranean there almost until the top.

Northern slope

The northern slope (ubac), is less sunny and its flora is médioeuropéenne there and either Mediterranean.

The peak

The summit part of the Ventoux Mount is covered of stone limestones what can make think considering by far that there is snow in its top all the year. Among the stones Arctic plants like the poppy of Greenland and the saxifrage develop with opposite sheets.

History

The first reported rise was that undertaken in April 1336 by Pétrarque, which described the extraordinary panorama offered since the top. At the 15th century a vault dedicated to the Holy Cross was built.

Frederic Mistral in 1859 made the forwarding of night to attend the rising of the sun at its top. He reported this event in these words: “ We saw the sun emerging, a such superb king of glory, between the dazzling summits of the covered Alps of snow ”.

The shipyards of Toulon, as of the 12th century, used the trees which pushed on its slopes. The Ventoux mount was retimbered at the 19th century (in the Années 1860), on the initiative of Mr. Tichadou, inspector of the National Forestry Commission, using cedars of the Atlas which was very well acclimatized. The upper part is however deprived of any vegetation, especially for the southern face.

Since 1882, one finds an observatory of the French Central Meteorological Office there. A transmitting television builds in the Années 1960 of a power of 195 kw (the signal is so powerful that one can receive it to 90 km with the round) was built at its top, using a pylon of 50 Mr. Since March 31st, 2007, this transmitter diffuses TNT.

Economy

Agriculture and productions

With the bottom of its southern sides, the area the Comtat Venaissin, being rich in vineyards, a Name of controlled origin in the category of the " Wines and other drinks fermentées" bear its name, the Côtes of Ventoux which belong to the southernmost Côtes of the Rhone. A decree of December 29th, 1951 defines the conditions of production of the V.D.Q.S. Côtes of Ventoux. Recognition in A.O.C. dated July 27th, 1973. The decree was modified in 1980 and 1994. The produced wines are: white, rosy, red, early product rosy white, early product red red rose early product.

Tourism

Except agriculture, the economy most easily identifiable around the solid mass of Luberon is related to the Tourisme. Even the wine producers seem to take account of the development of tourism and more and more of fields propose in addition to the traditional tasting of true introductory courses to the enology.

One can consider three principal kinds of tourism on the Ventoux Mount. First of all, tourism relaxation which results in an important development of the rooms of hosts, hotel trade and seasonal hiring, by an important concentration of swimming pools and animations like provençaux markets. Then, the country holidays which benefit from the framework protected that offer the Ventoux Mount and its surroundings. Lastly, sporting tourism because many are the tourists who come to see this mythical mountain of the Tour de France and sometimes even if tests on part of the course, or come to practice the excursion or to ski.

Practicable activities

Cycling

The Masterséries is a challenge organized each year at the end of June or at the beginning of July. The Ventoux Mount is a mythical stage of the Tour de France, from its made uneven and its wind, very violent.

Three routes of rises are possible for the Ventoux Mount:

Bédoin (southern) is emblématique of the rises and the route borrowed by the turn of France. Starting from the exit of the village, it is 22 km and 1610 m of uneven: easy until Saint-Estève, the slope hardens to reach an average from approximately 10% for the 16 remaining km, with generally a strong wind in the last kilometers.

Malaucène (northern) offers, in spite of passages to 11,5 percent, a difficulty a little lower than the southern route, with 21 km and 1570 m of made uneven, and one is protected better there from the wind.

Sault (is) is longest but easiest of the rises, with 26 km, 1220 m of made uneven and the slopes with 5%.

Car

Organization of hill climbs.

The winter sports resort of the Serene Mount

Located on the northern slope of the Ventoux Mount, with the foot of the Serene Mount culminating to 1445 m, one finds a ski station installed since the Années 1930 (alpine: 12 km, Scandinavian: 7 km), and a hotel with restaurant. It knew to diversify its activities by proposing leisures the summer like the horsemanship, the Vélo any ground, the Tyrolienne, the Grimpe tree, initiation with the Astronomie, etc

Excursion

The Mount-Ventoux has two paths of great excursion the GR. 91 and the GR. 91b

Environment

Representations of the Ventoux Mount

Literature

Pétrarque the rise of the mount Ventoux

Frederic Mistral reports in 1906 its rise of the Ventoux Mount in " My origins, memories and accounts " ( Moun espelido, Memòri E Tells )

Painting

The Ventoux Mount makes each year the object of many paintings, either like principal subject, or in background of landscape.

Cinema

The Ventoux Mount was used as decoration has a great number of films:

Feature-length films:

the Mount Ventoux (1978) of Jean Fléchet
Memory of fire (1976) of Andre Ughetto
the Bicycle of Ghislain Lambert (2000) of Philippe Harel

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