Mont Ventoux unaffected as wildfire danger forces spectator restrictions on queen stage

Mont Ventoux will remain the finish of the seventh stage of the Tour de France Femmes, although wildfire concerns have forced organisers to close parts of the route to spectators.

Friday’s queen stage from La Voulte sur Rhône will take place as originally planned, with no changes to the course or its summit finish. However, fans and hikers will not be allowed inside the Dentelles de Montmirail massif, where authorities have identified an increased risk of forest fires.

The closure covers several roads and access points between Caromb, Crillon le Brave, Suzette, Malaucène and Bédoin. Pedestrian access will remain possible on the D19, while the Paty exemption area is the only part of the restricted massif that will stay open to the public.

“The prefect has decided, given the vulnerability of the area and the increased risk of wildfires, to close the Dentelles de Montmirail to the public,” organisers said in a statement released on Wednesday evening.

Local authorities had prepared an alternative route avoiding the Dentelles and Col de la Madeleine, but officials preserved the ascent of Mont Ventoux. Instead, the most vulnerable sections were closed to spectators, allowing the sporting challenge of the queen stage to remain intact.

For the riders, the decisive test therefore remains unchanged: after the Col de Suzette, the race reaches Bédoin for the classic southern ascent of Mont Ventoux, a 15.7 kilometre climb at an average gradient of 8.8 per cent, finishing at 1,910 metres.

The restrictions are precautionary, with heat, dry vegetation and wind increasing the wildfire risk across the area. Narrow roads and limited access could also hamper emergency services, prompting organisers to introduce additional safety measures for both the professional race and Thursday’s amateur Étape du Tour event on the same roads.

Mont Ventoux is expected to prove decisive in the fight for the yellow jersey, with its exposed upper slopes capable of opening significant gaps among the main contenders. The mountain has staged some of the Tour de France’s most memorable battles, and Friday’s summit finish could add another chapter to its history.

The spectator restrictions are not without precedent. Wildfires also affected the men’s Tour de France earlier this summer. Stage 3 in the Pyrénées Orientales finished without roadside spectators along the final section of the route, while the final stage was shortened and confined to Paris to reduce pressure on security and emergency services.