It’s your first season as manager in Bédoin. What’s your history with Café du Cycliste?

I discovered Café du Cycliste while immersing myself in cycling – and particularly cycling clothing – via social media. I realised that it was a world where style counted, where you had to match colours and take care of your look a little more than in trail running, where you're often hidden in the woods (laughs). I got caught up in it and that's how I discovered Café. I wanted to understand the brand universe a little better, so I went down to the Nice store. Really, it was after this visit that my story with Café began. That was in 2019. My very first product was a pair of socks that I wore for a very long time... and which took me a long time to wear out!

Tell us about the boutique, the surroundings, Ventoux itself?

Our Bédoin boutique is a village shop with greengrocer vibes: it's a former fruit and vegetable store and we've retained that typical architecture, it’s really like being in a Provençal village shop. There's an outdoor terrace to welcome customers, and inside it’s very welcoming and full of light. We also have a small repair shop, rental bikes, showers... so we have all the amenities to welcome cyclists who come to ride around Ventoux.

We're the last bike shop and “feed station” before tackling the climb up Ventoux on this side, so it’s an essential stop to regain strength – or find some! – before hitting this legendary climb. First you have the steep gradients through the forest. Emerging at Chalet Reynard, then the end via the Col des Tempêtes, with the characteristic wind... it's a real challenge!

We're lucky to be located in one of the most legendary spots in France – or even the world – for road cycling, gravel and cycling in general. It's a magnificent place.

When did cycling first become a part of your life?

Cycling came into my life through cross training: I incorporated it to increase my training volume for my trail races. I've been trail running competitively for almost ten years, and it was in this context that cycling began to be a thing. Then I dabbled a little in triathlon, which further reinforced my desire to cycle more regularly.

Do you prefer riding road or gravel?

For now, I'm more of a roadie. It's still the benchmark for me, especially for the social aspect. The majority of cyclists ride road, so it's more practical for meeting people and organising outings or events. Gravel remains a little more technical and less accessible to new cyclists. But for sure, I'm planning to get into gravel soon!