Spread out on the high, broad Valais plateau 3,000 feet above the floor of the Rhone valley, the town of Crans- Montana commands a panoramic view of some of the most storied peaks in Alpine lore: Matterhorn, Mont-Blanc, the Weisshorn, and the Dent-Blanche.

A little too large and too eclectic in its architecture to be called quaint, Crans-Montana is a modern luxury resort catering to the well-heeled, with more than 38 resort hotels and numerous boutiques sporting the haute couture of Paris and Milan. Visitors might well run into celebrity locals on the bustling shopping streets, such as former 007 Roger Moore, who has a residence slopeside.

Here is the interactive resort map.

Crans-Montana has a rich skiing history and sits in the shadow of world-class ski mountains. In 1993 the resort celebrated its 100th anniversary, and in 1987 it hosted the prestigious World Alpine Ski Championships, where the Swiss swept the medals. In 1950, the first Swiss ski championships were held here. The new racing runs and ski-lift improvements made for the World Championships resulted in one of the most accessible skiing areas in the world. In 1911 the founder of downhill racing Sir Arnold Lunn organized a mass race from the highest point on the Plaine Morte glacier down to Montana that eventually developed into today’s famous Kandahar race, now held each year. Crans-Montana continues this history during the 2007/08 season by hosting a leg of both the European Cup and the FIS World Cup.

Although the names are most often said in the same breath, Crans and Montana do have their differences. As mentioned, neither is a paragon of Alpine architecture. It's almost as if an architects’ convention was given free reign to erect as many kinds of buildings as possible. Unappealing square concrete boxes stand beside massive triangular Toblerone-box hotels, with a smattering of traditional chalets amidst the concrete and glass. Crans has the more concentrated city atmosphere. Not counting several fashion and souvenir shops and the occasional jewelry store, the shop signs in Montana read simply Cheese, Fondue, Real Estate, Restaurant. In Crans, the signs read Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Piaget and Cartier. Crans is chic and often crowded with furs. Montana is more for the family, where one is more at home in a ski outfit.

Be prepared to hike up and down hills, because both parts of the town climb the side of the mountain from their plateau above the Rhone. But this slope, although many curse it by day, provides many hotels with spectacular views of the Alps in the south.

Crans-Montana Tourism, CH-3963 Crans-Montana, Switzerland
Country code: 0041
Telephone prefix: 027
Telephone: 027-4850404 or 4850800
Fax: 027-4850460 or 4850810
Email: information@crans-montana.ch

Note: Central reservations for hotels and apartments are also located at the above address.
Telephone: 027-4850444
Fax: 027-4850461
Email: reservation@crans-montana.ch
Internet: www.crans-montana.ch

Note: All prices are in Euros unless otherwise noted.

For more information on skiing and staying in the country of Switzerland, click the map.