With the Montagne de Lure, the Ventoux massif forms the northern front of the Northern Provence cover panel, a rectangular limestone Urgonian platform. The first emergence of the Ventoux-Lure block took place during the Cenomanian (-95 to -40 Ma) and was strongly accentuated by the Pyrenean phase of the Upper Cretaceous which, through its north/south compression, caused the formation of the large east/west folds of the Ventoux-Lure chain. During this orogenic phase, the massif took on its aspect of an overturned anticline pushed northwards at the drip line of the Toulourenc valley separating it from the Baronnies massif.