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Crans Montana Reviews
6 reviews of Crans Montana in Switzerland.
Voted 12th out of 14 reviewed ski resorts in Switzerland
- Superb(0)
- Good(5)
- O.K.(1)
- Poor(0)
- Awful(0)
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Excellent for families, we will return
Reviewed 11 May 2016
The variety of possibility for all levels was good and we’d definitely visit again. I was juggling a 2 year old and two other sons, and it all worked with ease, even getting the buggy up the mountain. I would definitely recommend this resort as it’s very good for families. If you’ve got very young skiers I would stay in Crans rather than Montana, as in Montana you have to go up in the cable car to reach the ski school whereas Crans has a meeting point at the bottom. They also have a fantastic snow playground for very young children at the golf course, though it was 20 minutes on the bus from where we were based and with a buggy and other children in classes it was difficult to reach which was a shame. Montana’s great if you’re happy to go up the lift and just ski.
Lovely place, limited skiing
Reviewed 11 May 2015
We had a lovely week overall. We’re all good skiers who like to ski all day every day and did find the ski area a wee bit limiting. The teenagers in particular (who are used to skiing in places like Courchevel) thought that the ski area was very small. They did advanced classes and got to see parts of the mountain they wouldn’t otherwise ski which was good. There’s lots on in the villages but we were kept occupied our hotel spa facilities every evening!
What the Intern said...
Reviewed 28 Jan 2014
The 1960’s became a literal landmark for two mountain villages. Charismatically perched amongst the sunniest peaks in Switzerland, fondue and family met with upmarket chic as Crans and Montana unified into what has now become a vivacious wintry retreat. Stretching above the Rhone Valley, the views verge on panoramic perfection as both the Matterhorn and Mont Blanc can be appreciated by the mountain devotee. Had you been a patient of the Geneva doctor Theodore Stephani in the 1890s then he would have begun your road to recovery by sending you to the fresh mountain air. 1911 brought the first Alpine Ski Competition thanks to Arnold Lunn and the 1987 Alpine Skiing World Championships brought even more publicity. In a modern twist, you may have heard of Caprices. It is the second largest winter pop festival and is held towards the end of the ski season for week of electro, pop and rock music. As a modern resort with a cosmopolitan feel, Crans- Montana caters well in diversity. As women clad in furs wait for the latest BMW to pass, mothers nod approvingly at the 30mph sign whilst their husbands stare into the window displaying the latest GoPro edition. It is common fact that wired into the female mind is an inability to visit any idyllic holiday town without having a nosy browse or purchase in the local shops. Essentially, Crans Montana is a shopper’s haven with over 150 boutiques and shops satisfying the fashion conscious with popular labels from Cartier to Prada. Grumbling partners can also be distracted by sport shops where sales assistants are happy to offer news and advice on the latest technology trends. For those interested more in the local scene, there are galleries and art shops to be perused whilst the model train museum and 3D cinema provide a family friendly atmosphere.
Whats the skiing like?
Reviewed 28 Jan 2014
Beginners can be comfortably introduced to the slopes on three nursery runs. 200 instructors are spread across 5 ski schools from both the Crans and Montana side that welcome both first time snowboarders and skiers. Grand Signal is a suitable area for beginners with easy access from the Gondola. The wide expansive slopes allow for an uninterrupted snowplough and as this improves, the blue runs leading from La Toula and Les Violettes offer a beneficial stepping stone in the learning curve. For a skiing newbie, it is a ski area that has a strong focus on building confidence. Intermediates will take instantly to the broadly sweeping array of red runs available. From 8:45 a well-oiled and modern lift system provides access to scenic tree-lined routes to the Piste Nationale’s 12 km of uninterrupted snow. Once, you might have been lucky enough to bump into Roger Moore as he emerges from his Chalet. Although the black runs are not excessively over-challenging, the off-piste skiing is more so and the short mogul fields surrounding La Toula are best enjoyed with some level of skill. Most importantly, the pistes are well maintained with 200 snow canons to keep up a consistent level of snow. Snow boarders are adequately represented both on the piste and at the Adrenaline Snow Park. A cable car to Crans will take you to an area of bordercrosses, quarterpipes and rails, the making of which can largely be attributed to the first ever snowboarder to nail the Switch Backside Triple Cork, Pat Burgener. In addition, three runs supply both the more and less experienced skiers with jumps and structures for a more challenging descent. When legs are suitably fatigued from a day skiing on the Plaine-Morte Glacier, a guarantee of decent snow, 6km tobogganing is available that the traditionally inclined will most certainly follow up with a fondue. For the more adventurous, feet are strapped to snowshoes and exhausted on the expanse of 15km routes that surround the mountain pistes. The free slalom course at Pas du Loup and speed skiing at Cry d’Er provide two reasons why the slopes are rarely overly-crowded and queuing at lifts is the same that any resort can expect.
Nice places to eat and socialise, even gamble!
Reviewed 28 Jan 2014
On the mountain you have 18 choices of where to enjoy lunch, a hot chocolate or a much-craved mulled wine. Lunch and a sun lounge at Chetzeron will cover the basics with a relaxed atmosphere. For a more Michelan starred approach, Les Violettes mountain restaurant will certainly provide you with a memorable meal and if only for the view go to Bellalui. If you end your morning on the La Toula lift, The Cabanes Taules is often recommended and if you manage to actually spot its signpost then Buvette Pepinet is also worth a visit. The 80 restaurants within the town offer a cultural variance of culinary dishes. For those on a more lenient budget restaurants at Le Crans Hotel and the Hotel Guarda golf will prove pleasingly appetising. Pizza, pasta and more modestly priced food can easily be found by having a wander through the topsy turvy city-like streets. A visit to the Bistrot at Pas de L’Ours Hotel is also a popular choice. Fancy yourself as a bit of a wine coinesseur? Then exploring the wine list will prove of interest as a variety of local wines can be found on the menu from Petite Arvin to Johannisberg. Popping over to for a meal Sierre is made easy by the funicular railway. Before mooching between the modest but well-attended bars and clubs that dot sporadically around the town of Crans-Montana, there are guided night-time descents that operate on Friday night between 19:00 – 22:00 down 6km of floodlit pistes. The wintery atmosphere is further encouraged by the two ice rinks, dog sledging and tubing available as well as the Crans Montana ice disco. You could choose to begin your après-ski at Bar 7, accessible for both beer and coffee lovers. There is no shortage of after skiing activities and the party-hearted will not have left Crans Montana without having had at least one dance at the Pacha nightclub or a drink or four at Zerodix. Themed evenings are a frequent attraction and The Cabaret nightclub might interest your Wednesday after Monki’s helped you see Tuesday off. Tempting your luck can be easily achieved at the established casino that beckons across Montana for a spot of roulette, blackjack or poker.
Christmas and New Year are fun
Reviewed 17 Jan 2014
Christmas Period: If you are in Crans Montana for Christmas then I recommend the Winter Festival - when I was last there it opened on 21st with the lighting of an extremely sizeable Christmas tree. It is an excessively child-friendly atmosphere with the opportunity to meet both Santa Clause as well as Bibi La Marmotte who is the mascot for Crans Montana. One of the hotels (not sure if its Guarda Golf) also offers a leisure centre for children aged 2 – 16 with slides and inflatables to keep them entertained. The nativity play on Boxing Day will also provide some entertainment if its an annual event. The Ycoor Ice Disco opened on the 28.12.13 and fancy dress was welcomed to the point where admission becomes free for those who took part. 31.12.13 New Year quite literally brings the traffic to a halt as it bans cars for the evening. A fireworks show and a more than adequate nightlife kicks off the New Year with food stands and a live band situated in the Rue Louis Antville. A gala concert takes place on the 01/01/14 at the Regents Hall sees a Mexican conductor, Alondra de la Parra, who conducts a 65 musician band through romantic classics meant to reflect the holiday season.
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