In France’s southern Rhône Valley, Mont Ventoux offers plenty of drama both for cyclists and winegrowers. On 13 occasions since 1951, the tortuous switchbacks of “The Giant of Provence,” as the mountain is called in France, figured prominently in the famous Tour de France bicycle race. But while the Tour de France visits only occasionally, the rest of the time Mont Ventoux dramatically influences more than 15,000 acres of vineyards in the foothills and plains surrounding its base.
