What cyclists love about the Ventoux region is the way it tells the story of its terroir: how a simple ride takes on the feel of a historical fresco, bringing together people, places and scenes from another time. This 80-kilometre route with no major difficulties is in that vein: it takes you on a journey through time, recounting the past and evoking the sacred.

The beginning of the ride brings a little déjà vu, in the shape of the classic Col de la Madeleine climb just outside Bédoin. Around twenty kilometres later, you’ll be rewarded with some wonderful discoveries. The first is Mollans-sur-Ouvèze, where you can refill your bottles at the Fontaine au Dauphin, dating from 1713, which stands proudly in the village square alongside its semi-circular covered washhouse, where it’s easy to imagine the voices of the washerwomen of old. The medieval tower that houses the belfry watches over it all with quiet authority. Below, the Ouvèze flows by, cool and turquoise, whispering stories of floods and droughts. Here begin the Baronnies Provençales, a wilder and infinitely charming Provence.

Pierrelongue demands an abrupt stop, offering a truly astonishing spectacle. Around a bend, a rocky pinnacle rises from the village like a stone tooth, crowned by a white chapel that seems to defy gravity. This is the Chapel of Notre-Dame de la Consolation, whose history is every bit as vertiginous as its form. In 1428, Louis Adhémar de Montélimar, Lord of Pierrelongue, built a keep and a chapel dedicated to Saint Joseph upon the rock. The Revolution destroyed them both. Then, in 1864, a determined and visionary priest, Abbé Jules Joseph Pascaly, arrived in Pierrelongue. Faced with the ruins, he made the extraordinary decision to rebuild a sanctuary dedicated to the Virgin Mary. He wrote to people across the world to raise funds and construction began in 1894, to plans drawn up by a canon from Pau directly inspired by the Basilica of Notre-Dame de Lourdes. Seventy-five steps form a monumental staircase wrapped around the rock. There are curiosities everywhere. The altar, donated by the Duchess of Uzès, reproduces the façade of her own château. Outside, at the top of the staircase, stands a bronze Virgin and Child with outstretched arms, presenting Jesus to the world: a masterpiece cast in 1907 by François Rudier, none other than Auguste Rodin's own foundryman. The crypt houses the tomb of Abbé Pascaly, as well as a museum of sacred art containing remarkable examples of goldsmithing. The chapel is not listed as a Historic Monument of France — the final irony of its story being that Pascaly refused to hand it over to the state. Today, its survival rests in the hands of passionate volunteers.

Further on lies the Col de Propiac and, at its summit, a strange sight: the vast ruins of an imposing building. Once known as Propiac-les-Bains — from the Latin propita aquae, meaning "beneficial water" — the village has been renowned for its thermal springs since Roman times. Recognised by the Academy of Medicine in 1843, its alkaline waters were used to treat rheumatism, digestive disorders and skin diseases. The spa enjoyed its golden age until the end of the nineteenth century and was even honoured by Empress Eugénie herself. Today, only the mineral water brand La Française preserves this heritage through the bottling of its spring water; thermal-baths tourism, meanwhile, did not survive.

On your return route, before reaching Vaison-la-Romaine, make sure to stop at the Café des Barrys. With a terrace set amongst the greenery, this village hub has welcoming owners and melt-in-the-mouth croissants to accompany your coffee that are not to be missed.And all the while, Ventoux remains there like a lighthouse on the horizon, never letting you out of its sight. The time has come to take the road home after a ride that surprises at every turn with the richness of its local heritage. Which page of history will you open on your next outing?

Visiting Ventoux this summer? Find out more about our Bédoin store and other routes to ride here! 

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