Our trip to Provence and tackling the mighty Ventoux July 2025

Fresh from our club trip to Provence and tackling the mighty Ventoux, please see below some words that have been kindly compiled by our own Jimi William.

On the trip were Andrew Simpson, Andrew Woodward, Alasdair Chisholm, Peter Flick, Angus Wilson, Matthew Ritchie, Stephen Maddison, Chris Golightly & Matt Orrock,

We were also appreciative of Ali Merry, venturing out of his way to meet us in Bedoin on the Sunday of our arrival. Ali at the time was 7 weeks into a solo cycling tour around Europe. He tackled Ventoux the day before we arrived, I dared look at his Strava times on the climb, on his somewhat weighty gravel bike, humbled is the word!

Club De Cinglés du Mount Ventoux – 10 minute read.

Good and/or bad things happen in Threes - Climbing Mount Ventoux.

There were three aims to the trip:

1. Climbing Mt Ventoux

2. Climbing Mount Ventoux three times in a day from the three different locations. Bédoin, Malaucene and Salut. This is known as Club De Cinglés du Mount Ventoux

3. General Cycling in the area.

The Giant of Provence was not the first challenge and this write up can not go without mentioning the journey out and all of the group's accomplishments on this journey. We overcame the French air traffic control strikes. We overcame a huge delay to the flight. We overcame the hire car company closing before we got there. We overcame paying a premium for a replacement for a three hour drive at 2 am, and we all overcome only having two hours sleep after getting in at 5am. All were really chuffed with completing this challenge and spoke in glowing terms about it for the entirety of the trip.

The second challenge was building our bikes and going for a ride on two hours sleep. Fortunately there was plenty of experience in the group (Peter) and several bike shops around to aid all post bike box needs. There were a plethora of technicals. However, that’s not to ignore the role the local insects played in convincing some that their bottom bracket was due a replacement.

The third challenge was which day to climb the mountain. Sunday, the weather forecast was calm and 30 degrees but had a closure on the climb from between for a half marathon in the morning. Monday's forecast was windy with chances of rain and no closures. There were many discussions, some tense, as to which day was best. We all wanted to go together but couldn’t agree which day was best. It’s perfectly normal for cyclists to have differing views, like herding cats. Cycling is an activity that is mostly spent alone, after all. And that was the reality, all pretty much did it alone as everyone had different paces and plans. Therefore, the right day, was the right day for the individual (and that’s the end of it). Eager to attack the challenge sooner, Angus, Matt, Andrew Simpson, Andrew Woodward and Jimi, Climbed on the Sunday, taking an unconventional start from Malaucene, adding more kilometres and height to an already staggering day in the saddle. The road between Bédoin was worth the extra efforts as most were saying that it was one of the most beautiful roads they had ridden on (this was said before the trip to Gorge des la Nesque). All three sides of the climb had a different character. Whilst five Jaggies tackled the climbs on Sunday, the remaining Jaggies indulged in some local culture stumbling on a cafe in Malemort-du-Comtat, when everywhere seemed shut, to discover there was a pottery class and tattooing going on! Club des Cinglés translates as “Club of the Madmen" or "Crazy Club" To reverse a John Motson quote, it seems that day the culture club had beaten the crazy gang.

Monday’s forecast was just wrong and what opened up was a beautiful day and probably most suitable for open roads and weather, for those willing to wait for it. Peter, Mads, Chris, Al and honorary member for the trip, Matt, took to the climbs in the conventional sequence with Peter gaining new admirers and followers, due to the quality of his effort. At times riders tackling Club Des Cinglés encountered other Jaggies who were lunching in Salut whilst riding the other area of outstanding natural beauty Gorge des la Nesque. Some of the most beautiful roads you’ll ever have the pleasure of riding.

During the trip the rumour of the “ghost rider” of Ventoux was discussed at meals prior to talking the climb. This myth told by those who have climbed Ventoux became convinced on the climb that a rider is on their wheel, only to look around to see no one. Some of us experienced this but no one believed it was the ghost of anyone, more hallucinating from fatigue.

In varying states of decline during the challenge, we all had things to question about our reality whilst on the brutal climbs. Angus had a close encounter with potentially a rabid fox showing no fear of humans of cyclists, Jimi saw a rainbow on the final descent curving over the summit (both incidents later proven by photography) and Al, however, had an experience on the climb of his own.

Here he is in his own words:

“I still laugh when I think about the young guy following me up Ventoux with Tourette’s.

It was all in French so no ideas what he was shouting but as he caught me it went silent and he said ‘we’re on the same bike…beautiful’. He then just accelerated away and the twitching and shouting began again. Tourette’s is usually brought on by stress so kinda glad that although he looked fit he was also struggling up the climb.

At least he must have enjoyed the fact he didn’t have to worry about upsetting anyone at that time of day.”

We each had ways of tackling The Beast of Provence. Matty had a touching picture of his family on his stem for motivation and sang Cher incorrectly on descents, some got a cold can at the top and others used the many cries of “allez, allez” from locals to get through. Jimi got a small 6 euro model of the iconic observation tower on the top of Ventoux each time he summited from the tourist shop. On the final ascent, in the rain, jersey wide open and covered in his body’s rejections of all cycling nutrition, the shop was beginning to close. Jimi ran to the shop Froome style to get to the shop before the doors shut. The lady running the shop spoke little English, yet was international in her instructions that she would refuse to serve him until he covered up. We were all suffering and having our own experiences with nutrition.

Andrew Simpson’s tale of the Etape is such :

“Riding with Matty past Chalet R on the second ascent then being hit with agonising cramp on one of the 8%ers, nothing to be done but ride through it shouting with my best Tourette’s impression. Maybe not a favourite moment!”

During this trip we paid our and the club’s respect to the Tom Simpson memorial 1km from the top, adorning it with a Thistle sticker and some bowing heads as they passed. They were not the only graves and memorials on the climbs, a reminder of the respect that also needs to be shown to such a feat of climbing Ventoux. There is also a wooden wizard in the forest section. No idea how to explain that.

Big shout outs need to go to Chris Golighlty for booking the trip way back in winter time and letting slide any comments of hire cars. Chapeau! Got to be clubman of the year.

Peter Flick also needs to be thanked for booking two evening meals. The second was a Belgian cycling themed place, serving good food and Belgian beers. Peter, a glass half full type of guy described the abnormal feat of climbing Ventoux three times in a day without any tales of woe. “Went up a hill, came down it times three” you have to admire such a fearless stance. Matty, however, is more of a “full glass better off now” type of guy after obtaining a highly desirable Flandrien glass incognito. Chapeau, Matt. Just don’t go to Belgium anytime soon without disguise.

The Flandrien was our location for the last night, where we were all in a celebratory mood after a very successful trip. Andrew Simpson tells it best: “Beers at the Flanders’s was a nice moment, all of us together and basking in the sun, Al getting the tab (very appreciated) and of course glass gate!” You’re part of the folklore now, Matty. Bédoin is beautiful and a known mecca for cyclists with beautiful landscapes, bike and memorabilia shops, as well as being treated like royalty everywhere we went. What it is not known for is taxis. With dead legs and the promise of beer, Jimi planned to leave the car in town and return by taxi. No research went into this and prompted a long uphilll walk. All who had bought in to Jimi’s plan were happy and thankful for this but not as much as Al, who took some lovely photos of the area in beautiful sunset. He recalls:

“The walk back from Bédoin to the hotel after our last meal just reinforced how gorgeous the area was and of course, Ventoux was always dominating the views.”

Many of us plan on returning.

Anyone inspired by our exploits and are eager to go can feast on a wealth of advice that we all have to get there an do it, notably, the direct contact for the hotel which was excellent and had a lovely pool with a glorious view of Ventoux. It also has a glorious pair of coffee machines that is tightly monitored by the owner, who rejoices in showing you how to use it. His enthusiasm for his remarkable machines got him the endearing title of “Captain Coffee Machine” from Matty. And from this point onwards was then his name to us all. The pool there was a point of enjoyment for us all. Andrew Simpson’s sense of achievement was there as he tells it: “my favourite moments were getting in the pool circa 11pm after our Vent effort” he missed out the numerous beers that were also enjoyed that night. And possibly the 1am giggles that some reported by other Thistle residents.

On the final day shopping in the bike shops, Andrew Simpson has learnt never to go shopping with Angus, ‘he’s like a devil on your shoulder “buy it” , “go on”, “that’s nice, you won’t regret it”…

thankfully I wasn’t looking at a Colnago” he says, but Andrew does look good in the Thistle Ventoux jersey, so Angus speaks wise words.

The return home was bizarrely straightforward in comparison, even dodging the rural fires in Marseille, though we did see whole conveys of Fire Trucks rushing to the emergency. Jimi had a wee emergency and melt down himself in Nice airport over a phone he never lost, but that was the only drama.

We are hoping that this trip has a legacy of equally challenging trips.

In the interests of holding your attention span any further, ask us any questions about specifics in the comments.

Tres bien, Au revoir

-Jimi.