The Ventoux is composed of a set of different landscapes that make up its specificity and diversity. They include:
The Mont Ventoux called "The Giant of Provence". Its peak is at 1,912 meters. You can discover an exceptional panorama, one of the largest in Europe. The North side provides a unique atmosphere with its lace of lunar colors. You can also see the valley of the Rhone, the Baronnies and the Vaucluse plateau.
Long known for its military base, which has been closed for many years now, the Plateau of Albion is a setting of open spaces.
One can discover the typical villages of Haute Provence with their churches and chapels of Romanesque era. It is also an agricultural land. There are large farms especially involved in sheep farming and mixed farming.
It is a little river which originates at the foot of the Castle of Aulan, near Montbrun-les-Bains, fed by the Mount Ventoux. It runs 30 kilometers in a narrow valley with steep and wild gorges.
Many hikers descend the valley, bathing their feet in the water, to enjoy its coolness in the summer, while making stops in areas where picnics and relaxation await you. It crosses several picturesque sites, a real feast for the eyes!
This valley with its blue and gold colors spreads from AUREL to MONIEUX. It’s at the foot of the village of SAULT which sits on a rocky outcrop.
One can discover a beautiful garden surrounded by woods with the scent of hazelnut, blackberry and wild berry. Lavender fields and wheat fields adorn this unique landscape
The Ventoux came out of the earth 95 million years ago.
25 million years ago, the shallow Miocene sea entered the valley of the Rhone. It deposited sediment which played an important role in the current landscape, later carved by the famous “mistral” wind.
In 1990, the Ventoux was honored by UNESCO: the MAB label made it a reservation of the biosphere.
Ventoux has a variety of landscapes and exceptional vegetation. Approximately 400 kinds of flora and over 1,000 species of plants on five floors of vegetation between 400 and 1,900 meters were identified.
The Ventoux is also rich in wildlife. There are 120 species of birds and large mammals such as wild boar, fox, mountain sheep, deer, chamois, roe and hare.
The Ventoux is rich in medieval villages, dominated by the ruins of their castles. The most famous ones are those of MONTBRUN LES BAINS, REILHANETTE, SAVOILLANS, BRANTES and SAINT LEGER DU VENTOUX.
Lavender, called in Provencal « baïasses » or « badasses », is the symbol of Provence and its region. In summer, it perfumes the plateau of Sault and makes a unique purple landscape of lavender, mixed with the golden color of wheat. A fragrant picture!
Calcareous soils, poor and burnt by the sun, are conducive to its development. Its origins seem to be from Persia or from the Canary Islands.
It is used for many culinary preparations, with notably an exquisite lavender ice cream.
Each year in the village of Sault, on August 15th, lavender is celebrated at a festival commonly called "the feast of lavender".
Traditions and terroir await you. On the agenda, a sickle cutting lavender contest, parades of Provencal folklore groups and teams of horses, a horse show, an exhibition and sale of farm products.
Locals and visitors also share a great picnic with local products. Friendliness and good humor are waiting for you !
Many tours are offered, retracing those legs which make many amateur cyclists dreamy.
To reach the top, there are 4 different routes up each of the slopes of the Mount Ventoux.
There are also many other much easier and accessible pathways.
It is a welcoming land, ideal for hikers! The Ventoux is crossed by the hiking trails GR9 to Mount Serein and then GR4 to the peak.
You can discover paths through the lavender, go meet the wildlife of the Ventoux and in November, for example, you will be amazed to hear the bellowing of the Ventoux deer.
