Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
per half-day from €25/15/30; Apr-Nov)
in Bédoin,
Ventoux Bikes
( 04 90 62 58 19;
www.ventoux-bikes.fr
;
1 av de Verdun, Malaucène; Apr-Nov)
in Malaucène, or
Albion
Cycles
( 04 90 64 09 32;
www.albioncycles.com
; rte de St-Trinit, Sault;
daily Jul-
Aug, Tue-Sun Sep-Jun)
in Sault.
Hiking
The GR4 crosses the Dentelles before scaling Mont Ventoux's northern face, where it
meets the GR9. Both traverse the ridge. The GR4 branches eastwards to Gorges du Ver-
don; the GR9 crosses the Vaucluse Mountains to the Luberon.
3140ET Mont Ventoux
map
by
IGN
(
www.ign.fr
)
is essential. Bédoin's tourist office (
Click here
)
carries a topo-
graphic map (€7) detailing 14 walks for all levels; find corresponding trail markers en
route.
In July and August tourist offices in Bédoin and Malaucène facilitate night-time up-
mountain expeditions to see sunrise (must be over 15 years old).
LAVENDER VS LAVANDIN
When shopping for lavender, understand that the sought-after product is fine lavender (in French,
lavande fine
; in
Latin,
Lavandula angustifolia, L. vera, L. officinalis
), not spike lavender (
L. latifolia
) or the hybrid lavandin (
L. hy-
brida
). The latter are high in camphor, and are used in detergents and paint solvents, not perfume.
BÉDOIN
POP 3100 / ELEV 295M
On Mont Ventoux's southwestern flanks, peppy Bédoin is chock-a-block with cafes and
shops, and is the most upbeat of the gateways. Its geographic position diminishes the mis-
tral, which contributes to its popularity with cyclists. In July and August the
tourist office
( 04 90 65 63 95;
www.bedoin.org
; Espace Marie-Louis Gravier; 9am-12.30pm &
2-6pm Mon-Fri, 9.30am-12.30pm Sat, longer hours in summer)
, an excellent information
source on all regional activities, guides walks into the forest. Market day is Monday.
MALAUCÈNE
POP 2691 / ELEV 377M
Despite deceptively lovely plane-tree-lined streets, Malaucène is dreary, except in sum-
mer when hikers and bikers arrive. Its blessing is geographical: on the saddle between
