I had seen Mont Ventoux so many times during my hike in the Luberon that it seemed necessary to climb it. I set out on the GR de Pays: Tour du Massif du Ventoux par le sommet, from Sault, a bus ride from Apt. The forecast for my summit day was not good.
26 September I started from the church in Sault, pleased to see plenty of eating options in the village for afterwards. 
I could see Mont Ventoux very clearly, the same side I saw from the Luberon. The trail went into a puddly pine forest and I emerged at a pretty village, Aurel, with a church and castle ruins.
Then oak forest and I found myself among mountains with a quite different perspective on the Ventoux, seeing it from the east and as part of a mountain range for the first time. I had a little hill to get over on a rocky path and I arrived at Montbrun les Bains with a medieval core. I checked into the campground and had a stroll around, which involved a considerable climb to the church (nice frescoes), clock tower and castle ruins.
It was Monday but everything was open. 12 kms
I could see Mont Ventoux very clearly, the same side I saw from the Luberon. The trail went into a puddly pine forest and I emerged at a pretty village, Aurel, with a church and castle ruins.
Then oak forest and I found myself among mountains with a quite different perspective on the Ventoux, seeing it from the east and as part of a mountain range for the first time. I had a little hill to get over on a rocky path and I arrived at Montbrun les Bains with a medieval core. I checked into the campground and had a stroll around, which involved a considerable climb to the church (nice frescoes), clock tower and castle ruins.
It was Monday but everything was open. 12 kms
27 September I walked back through the town, had breakfast at the Tabac, and went through light forest to the edge of Savoillans. From there I started a reasonable climb onto a ridge north of the Ventoux massif but parallel, so I should have had a great view of the range; it was cloudy and I could see the whole Ventoux range bar the peak which remained obstinately covered. I could see Brantes sitting at the base of the mountains. As I began my descent to the village I bumped into two female hikers and we had a long chat. Afterwards I was delighted to be able to see, intermittently, the summit towers.
Brantes was a simple village not expecting many visitors; the only place open (and well hidden) did crêpes which suited me fine.
Brantes was a simple village not expecting many visitors; the only place open (and well hidden) did crêpes which suited me fine.
From right beneath it the Ventoux range looked formidable. When I left Brantes on its other side I realised it was a perched village and I still had a long descent to the valley. 
I crossed a dry river on an old stone bridge and the real ascent began. I was zigzagging in pine forest then came out onto a more open ridge with quite extensive mountain views south, although after over an hour I was only at 800 metres. It was very windy; the forest gave protection but I knew I couldn’t pitch my tent and I hoped the Contrat hut would materialise. I returned to denser pine forest and crossed several vast scree slopes, then came into patches of beech forest, although there was still pine forest on the higher parts. The gradient had eased. I saw a mouflon with big curled horns among the trees. I was happy to reach the hut (1400 m) and when I looked up: there was the summit directly above (500 metres higher).
The hut had mattresses. It soon became really cold and I got into my sleeping bag for warmth. 25 kms
I crossed a dry river on an old stone bridge and the real ascent began. I was zigzagging in pine forest then came out onto a more open ridge with quite extensive mountain views south, although after over an hour I was only at 800 metres. It was very windy; the forest gave protection but I knew I couldn’t pitch my tent and I hoped the Contrat hut would materialise. I returned to denser pine forest and crossed several vast scree slopes, then came into patches of beech forest, although there was still pine forest on the higher parts. The gradient had eased. I saw a mouflon with big curled horns among the trees. I was happy to reach the hut (1400 m) and when I looked up: there was the summit directly above (500 metres higher).
The hut had mattresses. It soon became really cold and I got into my sleeping bag for warmth. 25 kms
28 September The peak and plenty of forest below was in cloud when I woke up and I stayed in the warm for a long time hoping it would clear. When I left the hut the peak was still covered but there was plenty of blue sky. I continued in forest then came onto stony slopes, and the last part was hard on rough steep zigzags. I wore all my clothes and used my spare pair of socks as gloves, and I was comfortably warm despite the wind. At the top (1910 m) the cloud was solid and not going anywhere, but there were lots of people dropping in, cyclists and cars. 
The summit kiosk was closed. I sat around waiting for the cloud to clear until I had enough of the wind, and started walking down.
The summit kiosk was closed. I sat around waiting for the cloud to clear until I had enough of the wind, and started walking down.
The descent began on stony terrain with scattered dwarf conifers and I had a few views into the valley I left yesterday. I crossed a minor peak, Tête de la Grave. The path returned to forest and I could see a big black dome of cloud hanging over the higher ground while there was blue sky over the valleys. I went through sections of beech (it only grows at a narrow altitude range here) and into grassy woodland, lovely for camping if it weren’t so windy.
Jas Forest hut, my goal, was a pleasant surprise: I was worried about having very little water (I’d seen none since Brantes) and there was a well outside the hut; not seen that before. Inside I found some liquid hand sanitiser which burned nicely in my metho burner so I could make coffee with the sachets I’d been carrying for ages. 15 kms
29 September I decided to make a change to the route by going to Monieux on the way to Sault so I wouldn’t have such a long wait for the bus. It was all downhill to Monieux, in forest, then I crossed a lavender field by mistake, then passing farmland and a steep descent into the village. Monieux had a 12th century church with a belltower, some remains of the surrounding wall, an original gateway and ruins high on a cliff above.
But no bakery. It was quiet apart from (surprisingly) a large group of walkers. I had coffee at a huge empty restaurant.
But no bakery. It was quiet apart from (surprisingly) a large group of walkers. I had coffee at a huge empty restaurant.
The last section of my summer of walking in France was across farmland, sheep with barking patous, lavender. I had to climb to Sault and arrived back at the church (highest point in the town) after some cobbled laneways. I went for a crêpe (banana, nutella, chantilly) at the cafe that looked like it was a part of the church. Everyone seemed to be rugged up for winter; quite a contrast with my arrival in France. 14 kms
hand sanitiser is not fuel for cooking
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