#Beautyandthe Beast#BeastofProvence#BaldMountian
#MontVentoux#GiantofProvence#TourdeFrance#CrillonleBrave
Monsieur Honey was bound and bent he was going to the top of Mont Ventoux.
Remember I told you about this "Beauty" a few posts ago.
It is stunning to look at from down here!
Why would I want to go up to the top, I can see it clearly from where I am down below!
Mont Ventoux is the largest mountain in the region (part of the Alps) standing at 1912 meters or 6273 feet at it's peak.
Mont Ventoux achieved it's fame through its' use in the Tour de France races.
On our return trip from our Market/lunch date in Bédoin on Monday, Msr. suggested we take the scenic "high" road to see the views from the top of this famous mountain.
I just kept saying "Go tell it on the Mountain" ... I'm not going to meet the "Beast of Provence".
Mont Ventoux has been given several nicknames over the years ... "Beast of Provence", "Giant of Provence" and "the Bald Mountain".
Fast forward to Tuesday ... first of all we didn't go up the Mountain on Monday.
The Monsieur half of our hosts/ landlords "Jean-Marie" took Monsieur Honey for a road trip which included some "mountain climbing" in his Peugeot.
Phew! I was saved from a white knuckle, hair raising, heart palpitating excursion!
They travelled about 100 kilometers in total.
The actual climb from the bottom to the top of the mountain is about 26 kilometers, they went up one side and came back down on the other side,
They travelled from Sarrians in the direction of Bédoin then onward.
There first stop was in the village of "Crillon Le Brave" (not far from Bédoin) where the Monsieurs checked out this Hotel that we understand is owned by a Canadian.
They wandered through to the terrace where with permission some beautiful photos were shot!
We've now put a "must do visit" to this village on our last few days' itinerary, so I'll tell you about this "beautiful Provençal village" in another post.
Doesn't that look like snow at the top?
The snow poles to measure the depth of the snow. It is not uncommon for there to be snow on the mountain in April. And it looks like snow even now because the top is bare limestone and above the tree line.
Memorial site of Tom Simpson, a British cyclist who during his ascent in the 1967 Tour de France collapsed and died at the age of 29 years old.
This spot has become a pilgrimage for many cyclists.
Commerative stamp ... photo image from the Wikipedia.
Getting closer ...
At the top ...
The views ...
Are you kidding I never could have gone up here and then have to come back down ...
Monsieur Honey actually acknowledged that my fear was warranted!
In certain areas there were extreme drop offs.
View of the "Dentelles de Montmirail".
A field of yellow flowers/shrubs "with an intoxicating, powerful fragrance that defied identification" near Malaucene.
Monsieur Honey was overwhelmed with the strong fragrance in good way; he's still trying to figure out the scent.
The flowers are a variety of broom more specifically in Provence called "genêt".
The village of La Roque Alric with the Dentelles de Montmirail in the back drop ...
Merci beaucoup Jean-Marie!
Thank you Monsieur Honey for being my eyes today and letting me see "The Beauty and the Beast" with all the wonderful landscapes and vistas.
Today's photo credits to Monsieur Honey!
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