Switzerland
3) Crans Montana
Crans Montana is a ski resort in the heart of the Swiss Alps made famous by James Bond in the movie "For Your Eyes Only". Roger Moore was so struck by the area that he bought a property after filming in the resort.
The resort is an amalgamation of the 2 separate villages of Crans and Montana. Along with Verbier and St Moritz, it is one of Switzerland's glitziest resorts, and perhaps best known for hosting the European Masters golf on an incredibly scenic and tough course.
Nearest airport: Geneva (approx 2 hrs).
What does Crams Montana have to offer?
| Cross Country |
Beginner & Intermediate |
| Downhill | Intermediate & Advanced |
| Freeride | Intermediate |
| Cable Car |
- |
| Gondola | YES |
| Chairlift | - |
| Connected to | - |
Crans has a bit of everything, some classic singletrack marked out Cross County tour, some real quality Downhill trails and a great little bikepark with northshore. Whether it has enough to sustain more than a week's riding is debatable, but as a shorter destination or part of a tour it is a must.
DOWNHILL
With
2 purpose built Downhills and a further 35 km of Downhill trails that
are shared with 'other users', there is some good riding for the gravity
set in Crans Montana. The main
Downhill runs are pretty sweet and great for intermediate to advanced
riders as they are laced with steep wooded switchback sections, plenty
of roots, fly off jumps and a great rocky gullied section.
FREERIDE
Though
Crans Montana say they have a bikepark in reality it is like many
European resorts in that it is a small area set aside from the trails
for the more freeride aspects of the sport.
In Crans Montana they have focused on the northshore area of freeride
with a trail built up in the trees with multiple lines and including
skinnies, drops, berms and a see-saw. Great fun for northshore and
well built, but there is not much to do once you have nailed the lines.
CROSS-COUNTRY
There are a number of marked Cross Country routes, and they are graded from easy through to very difficult.
There is a chance to ride the first ever mountain bike world
championship course, held in Crans Montana in 1988, and this is a more
physical route.
| Summer Lifts Open |
7th July until 22nd September |
| Lift Opening Times | 08.30 - 16.45 (always check) |
| Lift Prices | Day pass 30 CHF // Season pass 160 CHF |
DIRECTORY:
Tourist Office: T+41 27 485 0404
Website: crans-montana.ch