The Challenge of Mont Ventoux Mont Ventoux stands alone in Provence dominating the skyline and looming ahead no matter from which direction you approach it. The “Giant of Provence” is 6,273 feet high with two distinct parts. The first half is tree-lined, shaded with dappled sunlight but then just before Le Chalet Reynard the trees disappear exposing a bare limestone mountain with no vegetation. From a distance, it appears to be snow-capped all year around giving Ventoux another of its nicknames, “The Bald Mountain”. Chalet Reynard, a former refuge, is now a restaurant that at 4,649 feet is a welcome drink and food stop for cyclists to re-fuel before facing the final miles of the ascent. Mont Ventoux has its own microclimate with temperatures dropping as you leave the forested area and the fierce Mistral winds whip across the exposed summit. This microclimate combined with the continuous steep ascent for all of its 13.2 miles makes Mont Ventoux a challenge for even the