Expedition brigadières - Ventoux
From June 17 to 19, 2022
In June 2022, 7 extra motivated brigadières for this new edition of brigadières en Expé met at the foot of the Giant of Provence!
In 2021, it was an independent stay from Annecy, for a bike experiencepacking. In 2022, heading for Ventoux. We stay in the same place for 3 days to explore the surrounding area and of course The Giants of Provence.
7 crossing guards with different backgrounds and training, but who are brought together with the sole aim of having a great time among girls, pushing themselves and finishing the announced courses.
Friday the 17th
Some are working, others are already on vacation, somewhere other than Annecy. The organization for everyone to meet up is A headache, but we finally get there. The majority of the group leaves in the morning to arrive around noon in Sault. We're ready to roll. The heat is there, 42C°. A little warm-up planned for the end of the afternoon before starting the next day's hostilities. The Col de l'Homme Mort via Ferrassières awaits us. Ironic when you're a group of girls. 4.38% average, just to get us in shape for the weekend. Mont-Ventoux is the next day's construction site.
The rest of the girls arrive in dribs and drabs at the end of the afternoon. Jerseys are handed out to ensure they belong to the same peloton and have a group identity. This season's colors are burgundy, and the girls are fans!
Saturday 18th
After a wild night with a neighborhood dog that spends the night barking at imaginary passersby... Wake up at 6 a.m., for a 7 a.m. departure. We get up early to avoid the heat of the day... Will this be a good strategy? Either way, we'll be knocked out by this summer heat. We head towards Bédoin via the small roads. And precisely, to be sure to stay on these roads with fewer people passing by, we find ourselves right from the start on a steep climb in Monieux with a 19% gradient. The warm-up is radical!
But behind the small roads, small balconies unfold, revealing the summit of Mont Ventoux in the distance. The trail is top-notch! It builds excitement and motivation to climb the Giant of Provence.
We arrive in Bédoin, the stop is brief, just enough time to take a photo in front of the famous 0 km marker before attacking the d+ for Ventoux.
Heading to Malaucène, we also stop for a few minutes to fill our water bottles. Yes, after only 46 km, we're already dry in this heat. Even at 8 a.m., it's scorching!
And there we go, off for 21 km of climbing at an average of 7.24% in 39 C°. Km 10 is a 10% difficulty which doesn't help. The breaks in the shade are very appreciated but not enough to regain the energy. Fortunately, Eric, a biker accompanying his friend who was riding, was there to help us. He saw us struggling at km 12 then 14 and finally at km 15, he restocked us with water and dried fruit. Thank you!!!!
Only 4km to go to the summit, with an average gradient of 10%, which uses up all the energy we have left.But we did it!! We're there, Mont Ventoux Summit :D So of course, the tourist photos and the shot of the cyclist in front of the sign, in front of the meteorological observatory tower, of the view follow... At the same time, we went up there for that, to have the memory of this unique experience and for it to remain engraved.
What a group! As some said:
“How can I make you believe you’re on vacation when it’s only the weekend?!”
“Sweat, laughter, tears, confidences, songs, ice cream, fries, mosquitoes, steep slopes and crazy landscapes! We cooked 🥵 but we had a lot of fun!”
We're having our lunch break at the summit, at the Vendran restaurant, which will have saved some of us from the hunger pangs. We have to get back afterward.
We're off again for a "descent" via Sault to return to the accommodation. A descent in quotation marks because it's actually quite flat, so it's a descent that's always gripping to move forward between all the hairpin bends. The climb via Sault is actually the easiest, with an average gradient of 4.48%.
Arriving in Sault, head to André Boyer, Maître Nougatier, and his to-die-for ice creams! Anything goes to cool off.
End of outing with 95 km 2229 d+.
Well-deserved rest, relaxing evening, laughter and BBQ, we are lucky to have cooks on the team.
Sunday 19th
Already the last day in Provence. We get up early again for the fresh morning air.
A great trail that takes us to the entrance to the Gorges de la Nesque. This time, there's no steep slope and small, car-free roads.
We begin our descent into the Gorges, each turn is incredible, we see Mont Ventoux in the distance. After the day before with all that elevation gain, do the 13 km of Gorges downhill was a real pleasure!
Behind follow small roads surrounded by lavender fields, always with Ventoux in sight.
Some are feeling the effects of the previous day, so the group splits up. The initial 85 km loop 1,426 m+ is taken by three of the girls, the others complete a loop of 69 km and 1000 m+. When we meet up, everyone is delighted with the landscapes and the kilometers covered.
The idea for this last day is to not get back to the accommodation too late to pack our bags and make the 4.5-hour drive. We still take the time to enjoy lunch on the terrace.
This edition of the Brigadières en Expédition was once again a great experience, surpassing oneself, encouraging, kindness, and laughing. It's through difficulty and sharing that we bond. The three days went by far too quickly. We're only waiting for one thing: to return next year: for the expeditions to continue!
