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Access: After passing through the village of Saint-Léger-du-Ventoux, cross the bridge over the Toulourenc. Leave the access to the Chante-Perdrix Forest House on your right and continue on the D40 for about 1 km. The small car park (used as a turning area) is immediately after the EDF transformer (at a place called Le Moulin Monin).
(S/E) From the car park, look for the "Saint-Basile" sign, then turn left towards Brantes/Les Bernards.
Take the small, gravel-covered, uphill road. Yellow markings.
After a few dozen metres, the tarmac gives way to a dirt track. Pass below the Saint-Basile chapel.
The track then makes a sharp right turn. Continue straight ahead on the path. This crosses through broom for about 200 metres.
(1) At the junction with a wider path, at the "Les Vaisses" sign, turn right towards Mont Serein/Combe Rolland, then a few metres further on, turn left.
You will find yourself on theGR®9, marked in white/red.
The path climbs steeply, on an access track that is a little stony in places.
Continue the ascent along a series of hairpin bends, following the regular markings. Ignore all the paths you come across (on the right and left).
(2) You will arrive at a wide forest track at the "Combe Rolland" sign. Turn right towards Mont Serein/Les Rouyères, taking the wide track.
A few steps further on, you will reach the "Les Rouyères" sign.
There, leave the track and turn left towards Mont-Serein/Abris du Contrat. Continue the ascent on theGR®9, which is marked very regularly.
The climb then continues along small paths. The ascent takes place in the forest (with views of the cliffs and scree slopes on the north face) and crosses a few scree slopes on the hillside.
(3) When you reach Abri du Contrat (a small refuge), follow the sign to the left towards Mont Ventoux. Take theGR®4/GR®9. White/red markings. You will soon reach the sign for "Le Contrat".
(4) Continue left towards Mont Ventoux on a beautiful wide track.GR®4/GR®9, white/red markings.
(5) At the "Combe de la Mine" sign, continue right on theGR®4towards Mont Ventoux. White/red markings.
After a few metres, you will reach the "Les Mélèzes" sign. Continue straight ahead towards Mont Ventoux.
The trail initially climbs through the forest, with increasingly tight hairpin bends. It then crosses scree slopes where vegetation is sparse.
Shortly before the summit, pass close to the D974 road at a hairpin bend.
(6) Continue climbing over the bare ground. TheGR®4then joins the D974, just below the orientation table.
Cross the road towards the buildings.
Pass the "Mont Ventoux" sign. Head up towards the main building of the antenna, passing in front of the souvenir shop to reach the sign marking the summit.
(7) At the summit, turn around and descend to the "Mont Ventoux" sign. Continue to the right towards Chalet Reynard.
Descend between the red and blue posts, taking the very stony track via theGR®4.
Cross the D974 road at Col des Tempêtes.
(8) Continue straight on theGR®4, marked in white/red. Follow the ridges towards the south-east.
The descent is initially on very stony ground, then on more stable ground.
(9) At the Tête de la Grave sign, descend to the left. Follow the yellow markings.
Cross a small rocky area, then continue quickly along a path where vegetation reappears.
After a sharp left turn, the descending trail heads northwest.
(10) At the "Serre Gros" sign, turn right towards Épaulement de la Frache. You will find yourself on theGR®9, marked in white/red.
The path winds its way down the slopes of Mont Ventoux and crosses several deforested corridors.
Cross the entire beech forest (signs are present).
The trail, which generally faces east, continues to the "Épaulement de la Frache" sign (in a small clearing).
(11) Continue straight ahead on the path descending towards Col de la Frache/Brantes. Yellow markings.
(12) At the "Col de la Frache" sign, turn left towards Fonfroide/Brantes. Yellow markings (shared path with mountain bike trail, red markings).
The Col de la Frache may be used as pasture for sheep, with patous (sheepdogs) present.
(13) At the end of a forest track, continue to the left. No markings.
Follow the old, unmaintained track.
At the fork, continue right on the downhill track. The ground is littered with branches.
(14) At the fork, continue left into the hairpin bend. There are no markings.
Continue along an old forest access track.
Continue eastwards.
(15) Cut across a nice track and continue to the left. The path climbs slightly.
At the fork, continue right on the track descending several hairpin bends.
No markings.
(16) At the fork, continue straight ahead. Yellow markings. Continue downhill along the beautiful track.
(17) At the "Lestellier" sign, turn left towards Brantes/La Maison Forestière. Yellow markings.
Then take a beautiful track suitable for vehicles for about 1.8 km.
(18) When you reach the sign for "La Maison Forestière", continue straight ahead towards Les Bernards. Yellow markings.
After 450m, pass close to the Brantes forest house.
Shortly before arriving at the hamlet of Les Bernards, follow the tarmac road for a few hundred metres.
(19) At the sign for "Les Bernards", shortly after the basin/wash house, turn left towards Les Vaisses. Follow the yellow markings.
After 10 metres, continue left on the path running alongside the fields/pasture.
Continue left again to join theGR®9. White/red markings.
Cross the stream bed on the right, following theGR®9. Continue along theGR®9westwards to reach "Les Vaisses".
(1) Then turn right onto the path towards the Saint-Basile Chapel. Yellow markings.
Cross the broom bushes again. You will come out onto the track. Continue straight ahead downhill.
You will arrive below the chapel and then at the car park (S/E).
We covered 40 km instead of the 35 km stated...
Visorando member
Difficult 
Moderate 
