Ski holidays in Crans-Montana, Switzerland

Crans-Montana is a sun-drenched ski resort on a high plateau at 1,500 metres in Valais, with panoramic views from the Matterhorn to Mont Blanc. The resort comprises the twin villages of Crans and Montana, which have grown together, and is just as well known for its golf course and international conferences as for its skiing. A ski holiday in Crans-Montana suits those looking for sunshine, varied terrain and a cosmopolitan atmosphere.

The ski area stretches from the village up to the Plaine Morte glacier at 2,927 metres, with 140 km of runs for all levels. The wide, sunny intermediate runs are the resort's great strength, perfect for relaxed cruising with the mountains as a backdrop. For more advanced skiers, there's the demanding World Cup run on Mont Lachaux, as well as off-piste opportunities around the glacier.

Crans-Montana is one of the sunniest resorts in the Alps, with over 300 days of sunshine a year, thanks to its south-facing location. The mountain sun terraces are legendary and invite long lunches with views over the Rhône Valley. The resort has a wide range of restaurants, both on the mountain and in the village, and in the evening there are bars and clubs for those wanting a night out.

In summer, Crans-Montana hosts the Omega European Masters, one of the golf tour's most prestigious tournaments, and the resort has an international, slightly 'resort-like' character that sets it apart from more traditional ski villages. For families and intermediate skiers, this is one of the best destinations in Valais.

5 tips about Crans-Montana

1. Cruising for intermediates The broad, sunny pistes around Cry d'Err (2,263 m) and Bellalui are the heart of the resort and are perfect for relaxed, fast-flowing skiing with views for miles.
2. Ensured snow on the glacier Head up to Plaine Morte at 2,927 metres for ensured snow even when it is warm down in the village at 1,500 metres.
3. A long run for adventurers Don't miss the descent of just over 12 km from the glacier down to Montana, one of the region's most epic pistes.
4. A challenge for experts The World Cup piste on Mont Lachaux is demanding and draws anyone keen to tackle the same slope as the elite racers.
5. Sunshine and lunch at altitude Treat yourself to a long lunch on one of the mountain's sun terraces in the middle of the day; the resort's southerly aspect means the sun is warm even in winter.

Pistes and lifts in Crans-Montana

The 140 km of runs stretch from the village up to the Plaine Morte glacier at 2,927 metres. The middle sections around Cry d'Err (2,263 m) and Bellalui are the heart of the resort, with wide, sunny blue and red runs. The World Cup downhill on Mont Lachaux is the most demanding run. The glacier area around Plaine Morte offers ensured snow and vast terrain. Beginners have their own areas near the village. The long run from the glacier down to Montana is over 12 km.

Piste map for Crans-Montana

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The map downloads as an image file. On your iPhone it lands in the Files app. Tap the icon at the bottom of the address bar to open the map straight away.On your iPad it lands in the Files app. Tap the icon at the top right of the address bar to open the map straight away.On your phone it lands in the Downloads folder. Tap the download notification that appears to open the map straight away.The file lands in the Downloads folder. You can also look for the icon at the top right of the screen and open the map from there.

Snow reliability in Crans-Montana

Crans-Montana is considered snow-sure thanks to the ski area's range between the village at 1,500 metres and the top of the Plaine Morte glacier at 2,927 metres. The high altitude at the glacier gives access to snow well into the season, whatever the conditions further down.

The 140 kilometres of pistes stretch across this range of altitudes, so you can head for the glacier sections for reliable snow, while the sunny mid-mountain slopes around 2,263 metres often serve up lovely conditions in mild weather.

Best time to travel to Crans-Montana

Thanks to its sunny location, Crans-Montana is especially appealing in March and April, when the days are long and the sun warms the terraces. For the best snow conditions, January and February are the safest bet. The glacier delivers reliable snow throughout the season. Avoid the February half-term weeks for shorter queues.

Will there be lift queues in Crans-Montana?

The lift system in Crans-Montana carries 33,680 people an hour across 24 lifts. 11 of the 24 lifts are gondolas or high-speed chairlifts and 5 are drag lifts, which take longer to get through when it is busy. The fastest lifts carry up to 3,000 people an hour, for example Nationale Express. Per kilometre of piste there is less lift capacity than at an average resort on this site, so a busy week is felt more clearly here. The queue you actually notice is almost always down in the valley between eight and half past nine. If you are on the lift before eight you avoid it.

When is Crans-Montana busiest?

How busy the slopes get is not decided by the English half term but by when the local families and the neighbouring countries are on holiday. These are the weeks that fill Crans-Montana in the 2026/2027 season.

• Switzerland: The Swiss Sportferien vary from canton to canton, and sometimes between municipalities in the same canton. They are spread from late January to early March, which makes the pressure more even than in the neighbouring countries.
• Germany: Germans are the largest foreign group in the Alps and their winter holidays are spread across early February.
  1 to 6 February: Berlin, Brandenburg, Saxony-Anhalt and Thuringia
  8 to 12 February: Bavaria and Saarland
  8 to 19 February: Saxony and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern
• England: The English February half term is 15 to 19 February 2027 for most councils, with a few areas breaking up a week earlier. The Easter holidays run from 26 March to 9 April.
  8 to 12 February: half term in a few council areas, for example Hull
  15 to 19 February: half term in most of England, including London, the Midlands and the North
  26 March to 9 April: Easter holidays for most English schools
• Easter holidays: Easter 2027 is early, on 28 March. Austria and Germany take their holidays around the weekend, while the French holidays fall after Easter, in April.
  20 to 29 March: the whole of Austria, all states at the same time
  22 March to 3 April: most German states, including Bavaria, Hesse and North Rhine-Westphalia
  3 April to 3 May: the French zones, which fall after Easter 2027 and only affect the highest resorts
• Long weekends: Long weekends fill the slopes with day visitors from the nearest cities, even when no schools are on holiday.
  26 December to 3 January: Christmas and New Year, the most expensive period of the year
  6 January: Epiphany, a public holiday in Austria, Italy and parts of Switzerland
  27 to 29 March: the Easter weekend. Easter Monday is a public holiday across the Alps, but Good Friday is a working day in Austria, Italy and France
  1 to 2 May: May Day, a public holiday across the Alps

Because the cantons spread their holidays out, the pressure is more even here than in the neighbouring countries. Mid-January and March are still the quietest weeks.

Major events in Crans-Montana

• ● Alpine World Championships, 1 to 14 February 2027. The whole region is on its toes for two weeks and the atmosphere is out of the ordinary. Expect closed pistes, fully booked accommodation and sharply higher prices at the same time. If you want to ski in peace, choose other weeks.

Snow right now. There is no snow cover in the valley or at the top right now. The figures are modelled by Open-Meteo, not measured by the lift company, and were fetched 15 October 2026 at 20:24.

How to get to Crans-Montana

Last-minute deals in Crans-Montana

Last-minute offers, that is late dates the operator still wants to fill, appear from January onwards. Once the season is under way we will show them here on this page.

Crans-Montana is suitable for

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Frequently asked questions about Crans-Montana