|
Mont Ventoux (''Ventor'' in Provençal) is a mountain in the Provence region of southern France, located some 20 km northeast of Carpentras, Vaucluse. On the north side, the mountain borders the Drôme ''département''. It is the largest mountain in the region and has been nicknamed the "Beast of Provence", the "Giant of Provence",〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=Mont Ventoux )〕 or "The Bald Mountain".〔 It has gained fame through its use in the Tour de France cycling race.〔 As the name might suggest (''venteux'' means windy in French), it can get windy at the summit, especially with the ''mistral''; wind speeds as high as 320 km/h (200 mph) have been recorded. The wind blows at 90+ km/h (56+ mph) 240 days a year. The road over the mountain is often closed due to high winds. Especially the "col de tempêtes" ("storm pass") just before the summit, which is known for its strong winds. The real origins of the name are thought to trace back to the 1st or 2nd century AD, when it was named 'Vintur' after a Gaulish god of the summits, or 'Ven-Top', meaning "snowy peak" in the ancient Gallic language. In the 10th century, the names ''Mons Ventosus'' and ''Mons Ventorius'' appear. Mont Ventoux, although geologically part of the Alps, is often considered to be separate from them, due to the lack of mountains of a similar height nearby. It stands alone to the north of the Luberon range, separated by the Monts de Vaucluse, and just to the east of the Dentelles de Montmirail, its foothills. The top of the mountain is bare limestone without vegetation or trees, which makes the mountain's barren peak appear from a distance to be snow-capped all year round (its snow cover actually lasts from December to April). Its isolated position overlooking the valley of the Rhône ensures that it dominates the entire region and can be seen from many miles away on a clear day. ==History== While the hill was probably climbed in prehistoric times, the first recorded ascent was by Jean Buridan, who on his way to the papal court in Avignon before the year 1334, climbed Mt. Ventoux "in order to make some meteorological observations".〔Ernest A. Moody (Jean Buridan ) in the Dictionary of Scientific Biography〕〔Michael Kimmelman, ("NOT Because it's There" ), ''New York Times'', June 6, 1999.〕 The Italian poet Petrarch wrote a possibly fictional account of an ascent accompanied by his brother on April 26, 1336, in his Ascent of Mont Ventoux. In the 15th century, a chapel was constructed on the top and dedicated to the Holy Cross. In 1882, a meteorological station was constructed on the summit, though it is no longer in use. This observatory was planned in 1879, along with a carriage road for access. In the 1960s a 50m-high telecommunications mast was built. From 1902 to 1976 the Mont Ventoux Hill Climb for car and motorcycle took place on the roads of the Mont. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Mont Ventoux」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
|