Let’s Head To The Moon!
The Tour de France is one of the world’s most celebrated sporting events – due in part to the face that, most years it takes place on the moon!
Well, it just LOOKS like the moon – and it’s an amazing part of the race course.
In 2017, the Tour de France is bypassing this incredible mountain, but my wife Alex and I had the chance to drive up it anyway…
To get there, all you have to do is get on a plane and head to France!
Flying Over France…
France is, without a doubt, a beautiful country, as you can see – just flying overhead gets you excited for what lies ahead…today, we are going to go for the world’s most prestigious bike ride!
Welcome to Mont Ventoux!
Mont Ventoux is located in the Provence region of southern France, located a few miles northeast of Carpentras, Vaucluse. It is the largest mountain in the region and has been nicknamed the “Giant of Provence”, or “The Bald Mountain” – for reasons we will show soon. It has gained fame for its role in the world’s greatest bike race: the Tour de France.
Now, who is kidding who? I wasn’t riding up the mountain…instead, we took our rental car for a leisurely drive up a gorgeous summit. Here we are, halfway up the mountain. It’s a beautiful, relaxed drive through beautiful woods…with strategically placed markers alongside the road telling cyclists how far they are from the top!
Mont Ventoux is legendary as the scene of one of the most grueling climbs in the Tour de France race, which has used the mountain more than a dozen times since 1951. As you get near the top, you can see a great expanse below…
And then you head to the Moon!
After driving a few more miles, you suddenly come upon a completely unique and foreign-looking landscape, including the legendary “ORB”:
As you go past this, the surrounding landscape turns white, an eerieness that makes it feel like you have landed on the moon:
And We Have Landed!
It really is like landing on the moon – assuming the moon has candy for sale!
And when you finally park at the top, you are surrounded by a moonscape that is stark and yet beautiful – and you understand why they call it “The Bald Mountain”. But you get more than just a serene void: you get a funny collection of buildings, restaurants and more:
And just like they did when they landed on the moon, we pulled out our camera and started taking pictures of ourselves!
Bikers, Bikers, Bikers!
And we weren’t alone – EVERYONE takes pictures under the sign at the top of Mont Ventoux, especially the mass of bikers who have made it up to the top after an arduous ride…
There were hundreds of bikers there – all posing for pictures and embracing their successful summit – and after taking pictures, they also looked out at the beautiful, stark landscape.
Behold The Moonscape!
After you gaze upon the moon-like landscape, you are, naturally, a bit hungry…but no fear, they have a restaurant up there as well!
And, crazy enough, you can also buy bulk candy as well! Well, I guess the bikers need the energy, but what was my excuse?
After taking lots of pictures, we headed back down the mountain and let the bikers enjoy their day on the moon!
Categories: Awards, Books / Media, Exotic Travel, Food, Restaurants, Sports, Travel, Travel Adventures, Travel Memoir, Uncategorized
johnrieber 
Reblogged this on johnrieber and commented:
To celebrate this year’s Tour de France, here is the race’s outer space mountain!
LikeLike
What stunning landscape! I liked your description of the moonscape as ‘serene void’–fits the view perfectly.
LikeLike