Tucked away in a little corner of Provence on a hill above the vineyards is the perfect holiday getaway.

During the long, cold winter evenings the memories of a trip to the south of France in late summer helps to keep your morale going until the evenings get lighter and you can start planning your summer sojourn again.

This year, with the intention of cycling up the Tour de France’s famed Mont Ventoux in Provence, we took the ferry from Poole to Cherbourg with Brittany Ferries.

Because we had numerous bikes and masses of kit – and a desire to have a vehicle while on holiday – the ferry was the best and most convenient way of crossing the Channel.

And to have the port of Poole right on our doorstep makes the journey that much shorter – and sweeter.

Leaving from Poole in the morning, we arrived just after lunch, following a pleasant journey and snooze in the en-suite cabin, feeling fresh and ready for a few hours of afternoon driving.

The next day, after hailstorms and various direction mishaps, we arrived in Malemort du Comtat, just a few miles from Carpentras, where we were renting a gîte for two weeks.

Yes, the skies were grey and laden with rain but the sight of a pool and comfy bed and hot shower signalled the official beginning of our French break.

After feasting on glorious pizzas at a little restaurant in the tiny village – I can honestly say I will never eat Domino’s again – we awoke the next morning refreshed and ready for action.

The first stop was a traditional French market in Bedoin – at the bottom of Mont Ventoux – labelled the “giant of Provence”.

There we stocked up on fresh bread, cheese, olives and wine – a ritual we repeated at various times during the trip at a host of different markets in equally delightful towns. The best are in Vaison-La-Romaine and Isle-sur-La-Sorgue and it’s best to get there early as they can get very busy and, in the heat of the day, can be quite unpleasant.

But our main mission was to conquer Ventoux.

Anyone who may have seen Chris Froome’s ride up the famed mountain, where British rider Tom Simpson died during the 1967 Tour, will know how tough and brutal it is.

And after driving up it the day before to assess the route – scary enough – we were all a little subdued setting off on the morning of the challenge.

Months of training and hard work and talk had gone into this.

And as the pedals began to turn and our road bikes steered round the sharp corners, we realised this was not for the faint hearted out on a Sunday jaunt.

We set off from Sault – admittedly one of the easier routes to get to Chalet Reynard – which is where you then start climbing for the final 6km to the summit.

By the time I reached the notorious cafe, I was done. I had completed what I wanted and stopped.

My partner and 65-year-old cycling fanatic dad, who has reached the summit in the past, carried on, battling the steep inclines and aching legs and lungs to keep turning the pedals.

Sadly, my dad had to stop just past the Tom Simpson memorial but my partner reached the top through sheer grit and determination.

Just a few days later in a mammoth repeated effort, they both reached the top in very difficult and windy conditions.

Even if cycling or sports aren’t your thing there is enough beauty and scenery in Provence to keep you entertained for far more than a two-week holiday.

The smells, sights and sounds of the region are difficult to leave behind and you’ll come away with fantasies of living in the idyllic hills surrounded by lavender and vineyards bathed in sunshine.

  • For details on all Brittany Ferries offers and prices go to Brittany-Ferries.co.uk