Skiing Holidays in Crans-Montana, Switzerland
Crans-Montana is really two villages, sitting high above the Rhone valley. The ski resort of Crans-Montana is more than 100 years old, and offers wonderful views of the mountains including the Matterhorn, and the surrounding lakes.
There are 160km of piste at Crans-Montana, spread over three areas: Cry d’Err, Violettes and Amiona. The ski lift system is modern and well designed. Queues are short. Most of the slopes are south facing and below 2,300m. They can suffer from too much sunshine, although there are over 160 snow cannons in the resort. For advanced skiers, the World Cup pistes in Crans-Montana are challenging and the off piste skiing extensive. Crans-Montana is an ideal resort for intermediates, with plenty of wide and long, red and blue runs. There are three nursery areas for beginners, with the Ski School at Grand Signal, above the village. Snowboarders are well catered for, with snow parks at Pas du Loup and near the Plumachit ski lift. Cross country skiers have a wide choice in Crans-Montana, with 17km of easy track around the golf course, and 17km of track at a high level, with wonderful scenery.
If you tire of the slopes here you can make your way to the top ski resorts in Zermatt, Saas Fee and Verbier by road or rail.
Activities in Crans-Montana
Crans Montana is a popular resort throughout the year, so there are a wide variety of apres ski activities for non-skiers, ranging from snow golf, horse riding and delightful cleared walks around the golf course and in the forest. Supermarkets are good, and there are plenty of shops and boutiques. There are over 80 restaurants in Crans-Montana, offering many different cuisines, along with bars and nightclubs, and a casino. Children’s facilities are adequate. The Fleur des Champs crèche and kindergarten takes infants from three months, making for a friendly family ski holiday resort.