INTERNATIONAL ADVENTURE
A New Year’s Assault on Ventoux
When your traditional New Year’s ski-tour to a mountain hut won’t work because of the weather, then doing it on mountain bikes is arguably a better choice.
WORDS & PHOTOGRAPHY RICHARD BORD
I’ve lived in Annecy, France, for many winters now and I like spending New Year’s Eve high up in the mountains, far from the crowded towns and cities. I love nothing better than ski touring to a hut, meeting a bunch of like-minded guys, setting up the fire, watching the stars and going to bed before midnight to wake up early and enjoy the first day of the year at its best. Yes, but…
Yes, but this time, in the French Alps, the rain cleared all the snow under 2,000m high a few days before New Year, and a strong wind blew at the summits. Then the hot temperatures came. Those who know the mountains a little bit can tell that these are not the best conditions to go out at altitude. The snow was bad and the slopes dangerous.
I still had in mind my escape idea, so along with two friends we decided to go to the South of France and find a sunny place for a mountain bike ride. I knew the weather conditions would be perfect in Provence, around Mount Ventoux, and we thought it was a good challenge to say hi to the ‘Giant of Provence’ with our mountain bikes.
My friend Michel had ridden this 1,909m mountain on a road bike many times and even twice on a mountain bike, but it was the first time for Thibaud and me. And even though Mich is an old guy, we like to keep him around as he still is faster than us… most of the time! Malaucène on the west side of the mountain was our starting point, so we met there early on the morning of the last day in December.