Located in the north of the canton of Valais, near Lake Geneva, Crans Montana ski resort lies sun-soaked on a high plateau offering impressive views of majestic peaks from the Matterhorn to Mont Blanc. It is a wonderful ski destination for families seeking quieter evenings. On-piste skiing favours beginners and intermediates, and there’s also plenty of exciting and varied off-piste activity.
The town of Crans Montana (1,500m) is a modern luxury resort consisting of two side-by-side villages where facilities are top rate and there is plenty for non-skiers to do. Crans is chic and loaded with expensive boutiques, while Montana is more laid-back and family orientated. Crans-Montana’s shops are reputed to be the finest in the Alps.
Crans Montana town offers a high standard of lodging, with more than 50 resort hotels, and a huge number of apartments, guesthouses, alpine cabins, and private residences; there are 40,000 beds in all. Après-ski options are good, with the majority of the nightlife in Montana. There are also excellent childcare facilities, including a kindergarten and children’s ski school.
The 160km of slopes, which incorporate the most modern cable railways, offer skiers and snowboarders challenging terrain, with an emphasis on intermediate pistes, as well as quality expert slopes; the longest run is 12kms. Crans-Montana’s 30 lifts, including a cable car, gondolas and drag lifts, can move up to 36,520 skiers per hour.
The nearby skiing resort of Anzère offers alternative slopes which can be less-crowded and offer a greater percentage of expert slopes. The resort village is picturesque with much in the way of traditional stone and slate architecture, and the après-ski is quiet and sedate. Away from the slopes, Sion offers interesting sightseeing, notably its two striking castles.
The ski season runs from December to April, with special rates leading up to the Christmas holidays, mid-January, and from mid-March. The most common way to get to Crans-Montana ski resort is to fly to Geneva and take a train/bus combination, via Sion, or Sierre.
