The quaint little shopping streets are filled with boutique shops such as Hermes and Prada, as well as wonderful local cheese shops and patisseries. Non-skiers will find plenty of things to do, from upmarket spas and beauty salons to skating rinks, a cinema and a casino. There is something for everyone on a luxury ski holiday in Crans Montana.

Crans Montana is a very popular summer destination as well as a winter sports resort. In the warmer months, the plateau is buzzing with people enjoying the mountain sunshine and the swimming lakes. A wide range of events take place here, including music festivals, food festivals and sports competitions.

Activities for children include tobogganing runs, ice tubing and even visits to the miniature railway centre. Skiing is only a small part of what goes on here, you can play golf, go horse riding in the summer, dog-sledding and ice skating in winter, and paragliding all year round.

When to Visit Crans Montana

As an all-year-round resort, Crans Montana is fairly busy most of the time. It is known for being one of the sunniest places in the Alps so you are likely to get a tan whenever you visit. In winter and Spring, the resort has plenty of snow cannons to cope with the sun’s effects on the snow. Thanks to this and the nearby glacier, the ski season extends from December right through to late April.

What We Love About Crans Montana

We love the family-friendly, traditional Swiss charm of Crans Montana, and the wide range of activities and events means that boredom is never an option. We also love the ‘undiscovered gem’ appeal.

Getting to Crans Montana

Geneva Airport is a 2-hour drive away. You can also reach Crans Montana by train; the station is at Sierre, a 30-minute taxi ride away.

The Skiing in Crans Montana

The skiing at Crans Montana is mostly intermediate, with plenty of red and blue runs and nothing too steep or scary. The area has some good off-piste trails, is popular with snowboarders and offers gentle glacier skiing. In fact, there’s only one black run in the whole ski area. There are several easy beginner areas to suit novices on a luxury ski holiday here.

High on a sunny plateau in Switzerland, Crans Montana stands at 1500m and its highest lift is at 3000m. The ski pass covers the four districts: Crans, Montana, Bazettes and Aminona, totalling 140km of pistes, plus three nursery areas.

The Best Places To Eat and Drink in Crans Montana

Gourmet diners will not be disappointed with the restaurants in Crans Montana. From five-star dining rooms such as the Bistro in the Pas de l’Ours Hotel to simple pizzerias – the choice is wide.

Unlike many smaller Swiss ski resorts, Crans Montana offers plenty of alternatives to the traditional Alpine dishes such as rosti, fondue and raclette. You can taste delicious Asian flavours at Le Thai, and classic Chinese, Lebanese, French and Italian food in the myriad local eateries. There are over 70 restaurants in town and at least 25 bars offering plenty of choice for an evening meal on the chef’s night off at your catered ski chalet.

The nightlife in Crans Montana is generally laid back and sophisticated but there is plenty on offer if looking for a night out of your luxury ski chalet. For après ski, the popular places are La Grange and Amadeus, while late-night drinking tends to centre on piano bars such as the Memphis Bar and the Punch Bar. Wine lovers should make sure they try the excellent local wines, from the Valais region, such as Petite Arvine, Humagne and Cornalin.

Crans Montana has a great selection of cosy mountain bars and restaurants too, such as the traditional style Merbe and Cabane CAS, and the modern cool of Chetzeron.