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The
first explorers
The
first explorer was the Tuscan poet, Francesco Petrarch,
who in 1336 reached the Mont Ventoux summit.
The difficulties
he had faced in reaching the summit were quickly forgotten once
faced with the incredible
panoramic views : the Alps, the Mediterranean
and the Rhone.
In addition the Durance could be admired from
this incredible summit.
As
opposed to Petrarch, Mistral made his expedition at night.
He
wanted to witness the sunrise from the summit, and then reported
it in these words:
"we saw the sun emerging, a king of glory, among the dazzling
summits of the snow covered Alps…". The
expeditions and accounts multiplied and this giant of Provence which
was long feared and ignored,
became a place of fascination for
both scientists and athletes.
The
"Little Queen" and the Giant of Provence
The
French have a nickname for the bicycle: la petite reine, or the little
queen.
Since
the opening in 1900 of the road which leads to the summit, the Ventoux
is a place of achievement.
A lunar landscape, 1600 metres high
and 20 kilometers long, attracts those passionate
about the “Little
Queen” as well as mountain bikers. The Giant of Provence became
a
mythical training course thanks to the Tour de France and the Dauphiné
Libéré rally.
The
Mont Ventoux Hill Climb (motor vehicle rally) from Bédoin to Chalet
Reynard
The
first rally took place in 1902.
Ever since then these races have
become a regular event in June from Bédoin.
However, although
the Ventoux is known for the records set there, it is above all
a
delightfully quiet and relaxed place for walkers, full of hidden
resources and mysteries.
The
Ventoux : an observation point for researchers
The
weather observatory on the summit is a
remarkable place for
scientists
due to its extreme weather conditions.
In
1711, Father Laval organized his climb with the aim of defining
the Ventoux’s
geographical location and to carry out astronomic
observations.
These very riches have also attracted botanists
and entomologists namely :
Esprit Requien, Charles Martins,
Jean-Henri Fabre.
Nowadays,
specialists come from far and wide to discover
the thousands of plant
species which grow on the hills
: the hairy poppy from Greenland and the Martagon
lily which
otherwise only grow in the alpine glaciers, to name but two...
The
reforestation of Ventoux
At
the beginning of the XIXth century, the slopes of the Ventoux resembled
a "stone desert".
The bottom of the slopes had been
gravely overworked.
(Wood used for burning, boat construction,
roofing, charcoal…).
Significant reforestation campaigns in which
the villagers
actively took part began in 1875 and were completed 25 years
later.
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