Your La Fuga guides will meet you at Marseille Provence Airport and take you to your hotel in Mazan; this drive will be just over an hour. Here we will help you check in, and our mechanic will build your bike, ensuring it is ready for the journey. You should have time to test the legs out with a loosener depending on arrival time.

We will take you over the hills from the Vaucluse vineyards growing the wine for the Cote du Ventoux appellation and over towards the Luberon. The roads are typical of this area, and even but fairly rough surface with just enough room for two cars to squeeze by each other as they amble along to the boulangerie. Take the time just to relax and pedal peacefully as you set into your new Provençal lifestyle for a week.

We’ll dine in the excellent hotel restaurant this evening, where your tour manager will give you an outline of what to expect over the next few days of riding during the Mont Ventoux and Provence Cycling Tour.

The first real day of riding starts with a gentle amble from Mazan to Bédoin, but once in Bédoin the amble finishes. Once you’ve passed through the town, it’s a right turn at the roundabout, and the climb starts to make itself known. You’ll have 21 km to get into the rhythm, and at first, the weather station at the top is in view. The steepest part comes as you enter the forest and continues until you get to Chalet Reynard and the vegetation gives way to a barren landscape. Only 6km remains to the top, but if the wind is blowing, this is where you will feel it.

Once at the top, there will be a moment for the obligatory photo with the summit sign and to take in the breath-taking views of the landscapes below.

The descent can be pretty fast as some straight sections can see you easily hitting 80km/h. Once in Malaucene, you’ll take some of the quieter roads to trace around the northern side of the mountain and through the lavender fields.

Once you get to Sault, you’ll have a short climb to the top of the Gorge and then look down on one of the most spectacular cycling roads in the world. You’ll be pleased to know it’s all downhill from here and you can swoop around the bends looking at the views as you go. Once back at the hotel, enjoy the late afternoon by the pool with a cool drink.

We’ll eat once again in the hotel before moving onto a new hotel tomorrow evening.

Having spent another night in the Mazan you will have settled into the gentle and relaxing pace of life on in Provence, but now it is time to move on to our next location.

You’ll get to ride the side of Ventoux that you descended yesterday. This is equally as tough as the Bédoin side but has not been used in the Tour de France, with the race preferring to stick with tradition and climb the side from Bédoin every time the race come here.

First, you ride a small climb of the Col de la Madeleine, but this is a very short climb.

At almost the same distance the side from Malaucene is just slightly easier in gradient by virtue of the fact you start slightly higher than at Bédoin. But once at the top, you’ll descend all the way to Sault, descending the third side that you haven’t experienced yet.

The rest of the ride is more or less flat until you start to descend to Forcalquier and into your new home for the next two nights at the Bastide de Saint George. You’ll eat in the hotel this evening and sample some local Provençal cuisine.

Today is quite a tough day. The ride starts with a steady climb through the town of Forcalquier and towards the Montagne de Lure which is where we’re heading. The main climb to the top of the Montagne de Lure at 1750metres – similar in altitude to Mont Ventoux – after the village of Fontienne. The climb is beautiful, through the forest at first before allowing you views over the surrounding valleys. The gradient is manageable too at only 5% average over the 23km climb.

The remainder of the loop back to the Bastide de Saint George is steadily up the Jabron valley road before arriving at the double peak of the Col de la Pigére and the Col du Négron. Both of them essentially one climb but on two different roads.

The road is mainly downhill back to the hotel, where you can relax and unwind in the spa overlooking the views from the gardens.

You’ll eat out in the town of Forcalquier this evening and be able to take in an evening stroll around the town.

Today is your final full day as you return to the original hotel, Chateau de Mazan. Some fast kilometres on a wider road start the day before turning off onto smaller roads to really explore the Luberon.

There is no one climb that dominates today but rather an up and down day means that you may be climbing around 4 or 5km at a time as we work ourselves from one stunning village to the next.

We’ll take time to pause and soak up the atmosphere with a coffee, ice cream or cake as we stop in Apt, Roussillon and Gordes on our way back to Mazan.

We will have one final meal at a local restaurant to celebrate a great week of cycling and fully exploring Mont Ventoux and this part of Provence.

Today you’ll have one last chance to ride with a short loop over to the famous town of Gigondas.

You’ll pass a few of the vineyards on the way up the short climbs towards Beaumes de Venise and Gigondas. A chance to take in the last few moments of Provence and enjoy a coffee in the town square or maybe even a glass of the famous Gigondas wine.

Once back at the hotel, your bikes will be packed up and ready for the journey back to Marseille airport and the flight home. Two transfers will allow riders to leave after breakfast and also for those who want the extra ride to be able to leave late afternoon.