Crans-Montana Ski Resort other information

Other Information

Crans-Montana genuinely is an all year round resort and a sophisticated one at that with plenty of activities besides skiing. In fact, only 30% of guests come to Crans-Montana to ski so the non-skier is especially well catered for.

Winter walking, snow shoeing and cross-country skiing in Crans-Montana
Besides 140km of alpine skiing there are 63km of designated paths for walking, with varying degrees of difficulty, and 5 different snow shoe routes totalling 15km marked out on the golf course, in the forest and around the lakes.

On the Plaine Morte glacier you can appreciate the amazing 360 degree views of the most beautiful 4000 metre peaks in the Alps whilst cross country skiing. There’s also a 6 km sledging run which runs from an altitude of 2400 down to 1500 metres, which is open in the evening and a good way to build up an appetite, followed by a fondue.

Summer activities in Crans-Montana including walking, biking, golf, tennis and horse-riding
From May to October, there are many summer activities including walking, biking and especially golf. Crans is an important destination for golfers and the one hundred year old Golf Club Crans-sur-Sierre hosts a number of important golf tournaments.

In summer there’s around 280km of paths for walking in through mountains, forests and around the lakes plus 170km cross-country trails for biking, 40km of downhill bike trails and a special Bike Park next to the Cry d’Er lift station in Crans.

Golf is serious business in Crans-Montana. Golf Club Crans-sur-Sierre is home to the Swiss Open and in September each year to the Omega European Masters, which is the second most prestigious PGA event in Europe after the British Open. The highly regarded 18-hole Ballesteros golf course was described by Greg Norman as one of the most spectacular tournament sites in the word. There’s also a 9-hole Jack Nicklaus course and the Super-Crans and Noas courses are open to beginners (no handicap necessary). The golf courses are open from May to October and a new indoor golf centre is planned for winter. Tel: +41 (0) 27 485 97 97. Web: www.golfcrans.ch.

At the Centre de Congies and Sports ‘Le Regent’ there is a golf simulator with driving swing analyser, open from 9-4 and costs approx 20 euros per hour. For tennis lovers Crans boasts 2 tennis halls, 20 outdoor courts and 7 indoor courts and is now the only ski resort in Europe to host an ATP Tour Event. If you are with the family and looking to entertain children there is all year round horse riding at Le Centre Equestre de Montana (a short bus ride away) with private tuition and a Shetland mini club for children. Or an archery programme for adults and children over 10 years old. And from Crans it’s a short bus ride or a 5-10 minute walk to the outdoor ice skating rink in the centre of Montana. There is swimming, curling and bowling available too.

If you feel like taking it easy there is a cinema in the centre of Crans with a good variety of up to date films. There are several internet cafes and a library of more than 30,000 books and CD’s.

Superb shopping in Crans-Montana
Crans especially is packed full of high quality boutiques selling just about every brand of Swiss watch and designer fashion brand you can think of and a few less well known but special brands. Quality foods, including caviar and local dairy products, wines and interior furnishings, and exceptionally presented so if you can afford to splash the cash you’ll find plenty to tempt you, and if not, then it makes for good window shopping along with dozens of real estate agents offering mostly upmarket chalets and apartments for sale.

Crans-Montana events
The resort takes pride in an exceptionally strong calendar of international events covering a range of sports and cultural themes, which attract a varied clientele.

In 2007-08 Crans-Montana was host to two women’s World Cup Skiing events and for the second year running was home to Crans-Montana Champs Open sponsored by Rip Curl and attracting some of the world’s best freestyle skiers and snowboarders.

Other winter sports events from January to March are numerous including La Foulée Blanche Cross-country ski race, European Cup Skiing, FIS Men’s Races, Swiss Curling Championships, Swiss R Project National Freestyle snowboard competition, World Cup Skiing, Trofeo del Mont Lachaux open downhill ski race, Défi des Faverges ski mountaineering race and Crans-Montana Snowgames.

Most weeks throughout the year there is one or other special sporting or cultural event ranging from the Crans Montana International Hot-Air Balloon Meeting, Musical Weeks, Antique and Arts Fair, Wine Gala, ‘Nuits des Neiges’ charity evening, the Caprices Festival of music and comedy, International Bridge Week and many more cultural events.

European Cup Skiing and FIS Races
International Hot-Air Balloon Meeting
Swiss Curling Championships
Champs Open by Rip Curl - www.champsopen.com
La Foulée Blanche cross-country ski race
Mont Lachaux Trophy open downhill ski race
Défi des Faverges ski mountaineering race - www.defidesfaverges.ch
Crans-Montana Snowgames - www.cransmontanasnowgames.ch
Caprices Festival of music and comedy - www.caprices.ch