Mount Ventoux 2004

(The view to be seen)

Mount Ventoux is known for a number of reasons. For students of ecclesiastical history, Pope Innocent III climbed it. For Renaissance philosophers, reason for the papal visit, to see the view, marks a new humanistic approach for the era. For cycling enthusiasts, it conjures up the image of the notorious northwest Provancale wind, Mistral, known for forcing cyclists off their bikes. For Lance Armstrong, this is stage 14th of the 2002 Tour de France – okay, he did not win this stage, but he won the tour.




A barren and solitary peak in the middle of Provence with the best vista for the whole region, Mount Ventoux provides a good way to blow a few hours of wanderlust with mother nature after the stimulation of civilization, culinary concoctions, and road rage. The winding road up the peak is a comfortable drive if you do not look too closely at the determined grins of the hardy cyclists huffing and puffing the climb. The mistral is indeed ferocious and relentless but, the view is spectacular. Clusters of villages and towns in terra cotta buildings surrounded by parcels of farm fields in different hues as far as the eyes can see - Mr. di Segni, Pope Innocent III, has good taste.




(View from road to Mount Ventoux)

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