Provence

Scenery

Picturesque villages and rolling hills under a powerful sun made enjoyable by an always present cooling Mistral wind. The wind can be quite strong at times and dangerous while riding.

Sault

The city is very centrally located and a good hub for riding. The natives - while generally nice people - for most part still refuse to speak english and restaurants will not serve food to people showing up late for lunch. Being late starts at 12:30 what makes it quite cumbersome for cyclists to get food after a ride.

Mont Ventoux

Giant of Provence is a suiting name as it easily dwarfes all other moutains in the area. The bleak top can be seen looming up behind the scenery in many places. Its properties made it one of the legendary climbs of the Tour and one that many cyclists want to conquer.
Therefore the caravan of riders going to the top did not really surprise me. It felt like a sporting event - one which takes place every day of the season. The last stretch of the climb is blocked for cars, contributing to the feeling that Ventoux belongs to cycling.