Crans-Montana ski resort, located in the Valais canton, is one of the top ski resorts in Switzerland. The Plaine Morte Glacier, at an altitude of 2,927 meters, is the highest point of the Crans-Montana ski area. From here, skiers can enjoy breathtaking panoramic views of iconic peaks such as the Matterhorn, Mont Blanc, Weisshorn and Dufourspitze.
Crans Montana ski area
Crans Montana warmly welcomes beginners, most notably with the ‘Snow Island’ area designed mainly for children and novices. Doubling as a summer golf course, this region offers gentle nursery slopes. Novices will find the magic carpet especially useful and preferable over traditional drag lifts. The Discovery section provides a beginners-only ‘Secure’ run near the Verdets lift. Starting at the top, beginners have three short but easy runs on the Plaine-Morte Glacier, where good snow is guaranteed.
Red pistes makes up the vast majority of the runs in Crans Montana so intermediate skiers can find plenty of fun throughout the mountain. The longest intermediate ski trails here would most probably be from the top of Violettes to the base at Barzettes. This whole run can be broken down to shorter runs as they could stop by the Cabane de Bois chairlift in between to go back up or choose to go down all the way towards the cable car at Barzettes.
While most of the red intermediate runs are quite do-able even for those progressing, there are some parts that can get quite bumpy and pose a challenge to skiers by the end of the day. This includes the red runs at the bottom of Barzettes and the lower parts of Arnouva.
The red runs from Chetseron back to Crans is also enjoyable in the morning when it is not as choppy though there is a somewhat steep black section at the start of this piste when starting from the Chetseron hotel.
Four demanding black runs await, including the challenging Col du Pochet from Bellalul. Although Crans-Montana skiing isn’t especially pitched at expert downhillers, one of the more notable black runs in the area tackles the steep section directly below Plaine Morte, the resort’s highest accessible peak at just under 3,000m. While this long run is the only way out of Plaine Morte, it is more of a hard red piste and stronger intermediate skiers should have no trouble going down here.
There’s also a lot of scope around Crans-Montana for off-piste skiing. Much of this is centred around the Plaine Morte Glacier, from where you can follow any number of converging routes and itineraries - one popular route takes you over to the nearby Anzere resort, via a skiable roadway and numerous tunnel sections.
Crans Montana snowpark
Apres-ski
Crans Montana village
Accommodation is varied, with a strong luxury element including several 5* hotels and a spread of 3* and 4* options as well as self-catering apartments and B&B’s.
It is important to note that nightlife is very active in Crans-Montana. The bars, pubs and nightclubs are all very much alive.
As for the shopping opportunities in the village, you’ll find that most stores sell winter clothes and gear. But the village does have quite a few luxury shops like Montblanc and Moncler and a variety of smaller local shops where you can find some unique items. Jewellery shops, gift stores and art galleries are among other variety of shops to enjoy some window shopping.
In the resort there are 9 swimming pools, 4 health centres, 2 ice rinks, indoor squash and tennis courts, 4 bowling alleys and cinemas.
Crans-Montana also hosts international events so you are sure to find one or two events to get involved with. Experience the largest winter mountain music festival, The Caprices Festival, also international ski competitions such as the World Cup mens race, The International hot air balloon meet and many others.
