Mont Ventoux
North side of the summit of Mont Ventoux
Elevation	1,909 metres (6,263 feet)
Location	Vaucluse, France
Range	periphery of the Alps
Coordinates	44°10′N, 5°17′E
First ascent	Prior to Petrarch; probably ancient
Easiest route	hike

Mont Ventoux is a mountain in the Provence region of southern France, located some 20 km north-east of Carpentras, Vaucluse. On the north-side, the mountain borders the Drôme département. It is the largest mountain in the region and has been nicknamed the "Giant of Provence", or "The Bald Mountain". Image File history File links Summit of Mont Ventoux Cropped version of image by Rolf Süssbrich Original is at http://de. ... A topographical summit is a point on a surface which is higher in elevation than all points immediately adjacent to it. ... The metre or meter is a measure of length. ... A foot (plural: feet or foot;[1] symbol or abbreviation: ft or, sometimes, ′ – a prime) is a unit of length, in a number of different systems, including English units, Imperial units, and United States customary units. ... The Vaucluse is a département in the southeast of France. ... The Himalaya as seen from the International Space Station A mountain range is a group of mountains bordered by lowlands or separated from other mountain ranges by passes or rivers. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Map of Earth showing lines of latitude (horizontally) and longitude (vertically), Eckert VI projection; large version (pdf, 1. ... In climbing, a first ascent (FA) is the first climb to reach the top of a mountain, or the first to follow a particular climbing route. ... From the c. ... Southern and northern Mount Everest climbing routes as seen from the International Space Station. ... Lyskamm, 4 527 m, Pennine Alps A mountain is a landform that extends above the surrounding terrain in a limited area. ... Coat of arms of Provence Provence (Provençal Occitan: Provença in classical norm or Prouvènço in Mistralian norm) was a Roman province and now is a region of southeastern France on the Mediterranean Sea adjacent to Italy. ... Carpentras is a city and commune in the département of Vaucluse in the Provence-Alpes-Côte dAzur région of France. ... The Vaucluse is a département in the southeast of France. ... Drôme is a département in southeastern France named after the Drôme River. ... The départements (or departments) are administrative units of France and many former French colonies, roughly analogous to English counties. ...

As the name might suggest (venteux means windy in French), it can get windy at the summit, especially with the mistral; windspeeds as high as 320 km/h (193 mph) have been recorded. The road over the mountain is often closed due to high winds. The real origins of the name are thought to trace back to the 1st or 2nd century AD, when it was named 'Vintur' after a Gaulish god of the summits, or 'Ven-Top', meaning "snowy peak" in the ancient Gallic language. In the 10th century, the names Mons Ventosus and Mons Ventorius appear. Mistral is an atmospheric phenomenon that occurs mostly in the winter and spring in the Gulf of Lion. ... Map of Gaul circa 58 BC Gaul (Latin: ) was the name given, in ancient times, to the region of Western Europe comprising present-day northern Italy, France, Belgium, western Switzerland and the parts of the Netherlands and Germany on the west bank of the Rhine river. ... As a means of recording the passage of time, the 10th century was that century which lasted from 901 to 1000. ...

Mont Ventoux, although geologically part of the Alps, is often considered to be separate from them, due to the lack of mountains of a similar height nearby. It stands alone to the west of the Luberon range, and just to the east of the Dentelles de Montmirail, its foothills. The top of the mountain is bare limestone without vegetation or trees. The white limestone on the mountain's barren peak means it appears from a distance to be snow-capped all year round (its snow cover actually lasts from December to April). Its isolated position overlooking the valley of the Rhône ensures that it dominates the entire region and can be seen from many miles away on a clear day. The view from the top is correspondingly superb. This article does not cite any references or sources. ... The Luberon Massif has a maximum altitude of 1 256 m and an area of about 600 km². It is composed of two mountains: the Big Luberon and the Little Luberon, lying in the middle of Provence in the far south of France. ... Dentelles de Montmirail, Provence, France The Dentelles de Montmirail are a small chain of mountains in Provence, France, in the départment of Vaucluse, located just to the south of Vaison-la-Romaine. ... -1... The Rhône River, or the Rhône (French Rhône, Arpitan Rôno, Occitan Ròse, standard German Rhone, Valais German Rotten), is one of the major rivers of Europe, running through Switzerland and France. ...

History

Jean Buridan climbed the mountain early in the fourteenth century; Petrarch repeated the feat on April 26, 1336, and claimed to have been the first to climb a mountain since antiquity, which has been widely repeated since. ^[1] Jean Buridan, in Latin Joannes Buridanus (1300 - 1358) was a French priest who sowed the seeds of religious scepticism in Europe. ... From the c. ... is the 116th day of the year (117th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Events End of the Kemmu restoration and beginning of the Muromachi period in Japan. ...

The 15th century saw the construction of a chapel on the top, dedicated to the Holy Cross. (14th century - 15th century - 16th century - other centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 15th century was that century which lasted from 1401 to 1500. ... The traditional form of the Western Christian cross, known as the Latin cross. ...

In 1882, a meteorological station was constructed on the summit, though it is no longer in use. In the 1960s a 50m-high telecommunications mast was built. Year 1882 (MDCCCLXXXII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Tuesday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... The 1960s decade refers to the years from January 1, 1960 to December 31, 1969, inclusive. ...

Flora and fauna

View of Mont Ventoux from Mirabel-aux-Baronnies

Originally forested, Mont Ventoux was systematically stripped of trees from the 12th century onwards to serve the demands of the shipbuilders of the naval port of Toulon. Some areas have been reforested since 1860 with a variety of deciduous trees (such as holm oaks and beeches) as well as coniferous species, such as Atlas cedars and larches. A little higher, junipers are common. Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (1600 × 1200 pixel, file size: 354 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) View of Mont Ventoux from Mirabel-aux-Baronnies. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (1600 × 1200 pixel, file size: 354 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) View of Mont Ventoux from Mirabel-aux-Baronnies. ... Mirabel-aux-Baronnies is a commune and an old village in the Drôme département (Region Rhone-Alpes) of France. ... (11th century - 12th century - 13th century - other centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 12th century was that century which lasted from 1101 to 1200. ... Panorama of Toulon area Satellite view Coat of Arms of Toulon view of Toulon harbour around 1750, by Joseph Vernet. ... 1860 is the leap year starting on Sunday. ... Deciduous means temporary or tending to fall off (deriving from the Latin word decidere, to fall off) and is typically used in reference to trees or shrubs that lose their leaves seasonally. ... Binomial name Quercus ilex L. The Holm Oak (Quercus ilex), also called Holly Oak or Evergreen Oak, is a large evergreen oak native to the Mediterranean region. ... Species Fagus crenata - Japanese Beech Fagus engleriana - Chinese Beech Fagus grandifolia - American Beech Fagus hayatae - Taiwan Beech Fagus japonica - Japanese Blue Beech Fagus longipetiolata - South Chinese Beech Fagus lucida - Shining Beech Fagus mexicana - Mexican Beech or Haya Fagus orientalis - Oriental Beech Fagus sylvatica - European Beech Beech (Fagus) is a genus... Orders & Families Cordaitales † Pinales   Pinaceae - Pine family   Araucariaceae - Araucaria family   Podocarpaceae - Yellow-wood family   Sciadopityaceae - Umbrella-pine family   Cupressaceae - Cypress family   Cephalotaxaceae - Plum-yew family   Taxaceae - Yew family Vojnovskyales † Voltziales † The conifers, division Pinophyta, are one of 13 or 14 division level taxa within the Kingdom Plantae. ... Atlas Cedar is a large cedar tree native to the Atlas mountains of Algeria and Morocco. ... Species About 12; see text Siberian larch Male (above) and female (below right) cones of Japanese Larch emerging in spring Larches are conifers in the genus Larix, in the family Pinaceae. ... Species Junipers are coniferous plants in the genus Juniperus of the cypress family Cupressaceae. ...

The mountain comprises the species boundary or ecotone between the flora and fauna of northern and southern France. Some species, including various types of spiders and butterflies, are unique to Mont Ventoux. It is a good place to spot the Short-toed Eagle (Circaetus gallicus). An ecotone is a transition area between two adjacent ecological communities (ecosystems). ... Families Suborder Mesothelae     Liphistiidae (primitive burrowing spiders) Suborder Mygalomorphae     Atypidae (atypical tarantula)     Antrodiaetidae (folding trapdoor spider)     Mecicobothriidae (dwarf tarantulas)     Hexathelidae (venomous funnel-web tarantula)     Dipluridae (funnel-web tarantula)     Cyrtaucheniidae (wafer trapdoor spider)     Ctenizidae (trapdoor spider)     Theraphosidae (tarantula) Suborder Araneomorphae     Hypochilidae (lampshade spider)     Filistatidae (crevice weaver)     Sicariidae (recluse spider)     Scytodidae (spitting... For other uses of the term butterfly, see butterfly (disambiguation). ... Binomial name ( Gmelin, 1788) Light Green: nesting area Blue: wintering area Dark Green: resident all year The Short-toed Eagle (Circaetus gallicus) is a medium-sized bird of prey in the family Accipitridae which also includes many other diurnal raptors such as kites, buzzards and harriers. ...

Its biological distinctiveness was recognised by UNESCO in 1990 when the Réserve de Biosphère du Mont Ventoux was created, protecting an area of 810 square kilometres (200,150 acres) on and around the mountain. UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) is a specialized agency of the United Nations established in 1945. ... Year 1990 (MCMXC) was a common year starting on Monday (link displays the 1990 Gregorian calendar). ...

Road cycling

For road bicycle racing enthusiasts, the mountain can be climbed by three roads. Road bicycle racing is a popular bicycle racing sport held on roads (following the geography of the area), using racing bicycles. ...

• South from Bédoin: 22 km over 1610 m. This is the most famous and difficult ascent. The road to the summit has an average gradient of 7.6%. Until Saint-Estève, the climb is easy, but the 16 remaining kilometres have an average gradient of 10%. The last kilometres have strong, violent winds. The ride takes 2-3 hours for trained amateur individuals, and professionals can ride it in 1-1.5 hours. The fastest time so far recorded has been that of Iban Mayo in the individual climbing time trial of the 2004 Dauphiné Libéré: 55' 51". The time was measured from Bédoin for the first time in the 1958 Tour de France, in which Charly Gaul was the fastest at 1h 2' 9".

• North from Malaucène: 21 km over 1570 m. A little easier than the Bédoin ascent, better sheltered against the wind.

• East from Sault: 26 km over 1220 m. The easiest route. After Chalet Reynard (where the "lunar landscape" of the summit starts), the climb is the same as the Bédoin ascent. Average gradient of 4.4%.

Every year there are amateur races to climb the mountain as quickly and often as possible in 24 hours. On May 16, 2006, Jean-Pascal Roux from Bédoin broke the record of climbs in 24 hours, with eleven climbs, all of them from Bédoin ^[2]. Located at the base of Mt. ... Iban Mayo Diez (born August 19, 1977, in Igorre, Basque Country, Spain) is a professional road bicycle racer. ... shelby was here 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré is an annual cycling road race, run over eight stages in the Dauphiné region in France during the first half of June. ... The 1958 Tour de France was the 45th Tour de France, taking place June 26 to July 19, 1958. ... Charly Gaul (December 8, 1932 – December 6, 2005) was a road professional cyclist from Luxembourg. ... Malaucène is a commune of the Vaucluse département in southern France. ... Sault Ste. ... May 16 is the 136th day of the year (137th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ...

Tour de France

Memorial to Tom Simpson on Mont Ventoux

Mont Ventoux has become legendary as the regular scene of one of the most gruelling climbs in the Tour de France bicycle race, which has ascended the mountain thirteen times since 1951. The followed trail mostly passes through Bédoin. Its fame as a scene of great Tour dramas has made it a magnet for cyclists around the world. Image File history File links Memorial to Tom Simpson on Mont Ventoux Image by Rolf Süssbrich Original is at http://de. ... Image File history File links Memorial to Tom Simpson on Mont Ventoux Image by Rolf Süssbrich Original is at http://de. ... For a list of Tour de France winners, see Detailed list of Tour de France winners. ... Year 1951 (MCMLI) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

The mountain achieved worldwide notoriety when it claimed the life of English cyclist Tom Simpson, who died here on July 13, 1967 from a combination of amphetamines, alcohol and heat exhaustion. He began to wildly weave across the road before he fell down. He was delirious and asked spectators to put him back on the bike, which he rode to within a half mile of the summit before collapsing dead, still clipped into his pedals. Amphetamines were found in his jersey and bloodstream. There is a memorial to Simpson near the summit which has become a shrine to fans of cycling, who often leave small tokens of remembrance there. In 1970, Eddy Merckx rode himself to the brink of collapse while winning the stage. He received oxygen, recovered, and won the Tour. In 1994, Eros Poli, not known for his climbing ability, stole away at the beginning of the day's stage, built up a substantial time gap from the peloton, and was first over the Ventoux and eventual stage winner despite losing a minute of his lead per kilometre of the ascent. The last winner on the Ventoux was the French climber Richard Virenque. Tom Simpson (30 November 1937 - 13 July 1967) was a top English road racing cyclist of the 1960s who died of exhaustion on the slopes of Mont Ventoux during the 13th stage of the Tour de France. ... is the 194th day of the year (195th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1967 (MCMLXVII) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar (the link is to a full 1967 calendar). ... Amphetamine or Amfetamine (Alpha-Methyl-PHenEThylAMINE), also known as, beta-phenyl-isopropylamine, and benzedrine, is a prescription stimulant commonly used to treat Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in adults and children. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... 1970 (MCMLXX) was a common year starting on Thursday. ... Edouard Louis Joseph Merckx (IPA: ) (born June 17, 1945, Meensel-Kiezegem, Vlaams Brabant, Belgium) is a former Belgian professional cyclist. ... Year 1994 (MCMXCIV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display full 1994 Gregorian calendar). ... Eros Poli was a popular Italian cyclist of the 1990s, notably employed as Mario Cipollinis lead-out man in bunch sprints. ... Richard Virenque (born November 19, 1969 in Casablanca, Morocco) is a retired French professional bicyclist. ...

Winners of the Mont Ventoux stage at the Tour de France

• 2002: Richard Virenque (  France)
• 2000: Marco Pantani (  Italy)
• 1994: Eros Poli (  Italy)
• 1987: Jean-Francois Bernard (  France)
• 1972: Bernard Thévenet (  France)
• 1971: Gonzalo Aja (  Spain)
• 1970: Eddy Merckx (  Belgium)
• 1967: Julio Jimenez (  Spain)
• 1965: Raymond Poulidor (  France)
• 1958: Charly Gaul  (  Luxembourg)
• 1955: Louison Bobet (  France)
• 1952: Jean Robic (  France)
• 1951: Lucien Lazarides (  France)

The Tour de France of 2002 started in Luxembourg on July 6, 2002, and ended in Paris on July 28. ... Richard Virenque (born November 19, 1969 in Casablanca, Morocco) is a retired French professional bicyclist. ... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... The 2000 Tour de France was won by Lance Armstrong. ... Marco Pantani (January 13, 1970, Cesena – February 14, 2004, Rimini) was an Italian cyclist widely regarded as being one of the best climbers of all times in professional road bicycle racing. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Italy. ... The 1994 Tour de France was the 81st Tour de France and included two stages in England (twenty years after the tour first visited), Stage 4, Dover to Brighton and Stage 5, around Portsmouth. ... Eros Poli was a popular Italian cyclist of the 1990s, notably employed as Mario Cipollinis lead-out man in bunch sprints. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Italy. ... The 1987 Tour de France was the 74th Tour de France, it took place July 1–26, 1987. ... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... The 1972 Tour de France was the 59th Tour de France, taking place July 1 to July 22, 1974. ... Bernard Thévenet, born January 10, 1948, in Saint-Julien-de-Civry, France, is a retired bicycle racer. ... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... The 1971 Tour de France was the 49th Tour de France, taking place June 26 to July 18, 1971. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Spain. ... The 1970 Tour de France was the 57th Tour de France, taking place June 27 to July 19, 1970. ... Edouard Louis Joseph Merckx (IPA: ) (born June 17, 1945, Meensel-Kiezegem, Vlaams Brabant, Belgium) is a former Belgian professional cyclist. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Belgium_(civil). ... The 1967 Tour de France was the 54th Tour de France, taking place June 29 to July 23, 1967. ... Julio Jimenez (or Julio Jiminez) (born October 28, 1934) is a Spanish former professional road racing cyclist. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Spain. ... The 1965 Tour de France was memorable for a number of reasons. ... Raymond Poulidor, often nick-named Pou Pou (born April 15, 1936, Masbaraud-Merignat, France), was a professional bicycle racer. ... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... The 1958 Tour de France was the 45th Tour de France, taking place June 26 to July 19, 1958. ... Charly Gaul (December 8, 1932 – December 6, 2005) was a road professional cyclist from Luxembourg. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Luxembourg. ... The 1955 Tour de France was the 42nd Tour de France, taking place July 7 to July 30, 1955. ... Louison Bobet (March 12, 1925 - March 13, 1983) was a French professional road cyclist. ... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... The 1952 Tour de France was the 39th Tour de France, taking place June 25 to July 19, 1952. ... Jean Robic was a French cyclist who won the 1947 Tour de France. ... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... The 1951 Tour de France was the 38th Tour de France, taking place July 4 to July 29, 1951. ... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ...

References

Lynn Thorndike (1882–1965) was an American historian, born in Lynn, Massacusetts. ... JSTOR®, begun in 1995, is an online system for archiving academic journals. ...

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Mont Ventoux

• Mont Ventoux: Picture Gallery
• Velo News: The curse of the Ventoux
• Réserve de Biosphère du Mont Ventoux (in French)
• winter picture mont ventoux