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September 15, 2018 - Mont Ventoux

There are no adequate words to describe how hard and spectacular this hike was!

Definitely the highlight of the Provence hiking trip so far.

We cycled up Mont Ventoux 12 years ago and we decided the hiking was harder (for us).

We were very lucky to have a sunny warm day since the summit is often shrouded in clouds.

We enjoyed a restaurant lunch at the summit and basked in the international ambiance

 of cyclists finishing what is arguably one the toughest climbs in all of France.

ABOVE LEFT - Shepherd dogs were moving sheep on Mont Ventoux near our guides chalet.

ABOVE MIDDLE - Close-up of one of the sheep near the start of our 9 mile, 2000ft hike

ABOVE RIGHT - Which way to the top?

ABOVE LEFT - Cooler today since we climbed from 4000 to 6000 ft.

Enjoying the shade at the lower trail

ABOVE MIDDLE - Looking out at the scenery from the trail on Mont Ventoux.

ABOVE RIGHT - Now if we are very quiet, we may see chamois

ABOVE LEFT - More flora on the hike

ABOVE MIDDLE - Danger, falling rock and scree!

ABOVE RIGHT - A little scary on these loose rocks and steep slopes.

Definitely don’t want to slip here.

ABOVE LEFT - A long way down if we slipped

ABOVE MIDDLE - Limestone on Mont Ventoux, crumbling away

ABOVE RIGHT - What's around the bend?

ABOVE LEFT - Fred on the rocks

ABOVE MIDDLE - Getting pretty tired of rocky slopes

ABOVE RIGHT - Our hiking group spread out on the trail.

ABOVE LEFT - Oh good, bigger rocks!

ABOVE MIDDLE - Glad to see a few trees again but we know

we are almost above the tree line then it's moonscape.

ABOVE RIGHT - Better enjoy the last of the shade

ABOVE LEFT - As we circumnavigated the mountain, the views were constantly changing

ABOVE MIDDLE - Looking at the trail ahead

ABOVE RIGHT - Moonscape approaching

ABOVE LEFT and MIDDLE - We came up a really steep trail to arrive here.

Now we're on a never-ending ridge that leads to the top (and lunch at the restaurant)

ABOVE RIGHT - Our destination is the tower in the distance

ABOVE - So many rocks make for slow walking! Will we ever make it to the top?

ABOVE MIDDLE - Chapel near the top of Mont Ventoux

ABOVE RIGHT - Hundreds of cyclists at the top. We were really missing our bikes,

and remember how much we enjoyed the climb when we did it 12 years ago.

ABOVE LEFT - Enjoying a drink with Joyce, Peter and our guide , Pierre, after our descent

ABOVE RIGHT - Old Roman bridge in Vaison-la-Romaine on our walk to dinner