Crans-Montana. Sion to the chalet in about half an hour, on a sunny plateau facing the Matterhorn.
Crans-Montana sits at about 1,500 metres on a south-facing terrace high above the Rhône valley, looking across at the Matterhorn and the Weisshorn. Sion is roughly half an hour below it, which makes this one of the quickest Swiss resorts to reach once you are in the valley.
The place
Two villages on one terrace
Crans-Montana is in the Swiss canton of Valais, on the Haut-Plateau above the town of Sierre. It is really two villages that have grown into each other, Crans at the western end and Montana at the eastern, with Aminona further along the terrace. The plateau is broad and flat by alpine standards, so the resort spreads sideways rather than climbing a gorge, and driving between hotels and chalets is straightforward once you are up there.
The aspect is the point. Facing south across the Rhône valley, the plateau gets a great deal of sun and a long view of the Valais Alps, and the skiing runs up to the Plaine Morte glacier at around 3,000 metres. It is gentler, wider terrain than Verbier or Zermatt, which is why it suits families and mixed-ability groups, and why a good deal of the year's business happens here in the summer around the golf course rather than in the snow.
Getting onto the plateau is the only real logistics question, and there are two answers: the road up from Sierre, and the funicular that runs alongside it.
At a glance
What you need to know
- Resort altitudeAbout 1,500 mOn the Haut-Plateau above Sierre, canton of Valais, Switzerland. Skiing up to the Plaine Morte glacier.
- Closest airportSion (SIR)Roughly 30 to 45 minutes by road. A mountain airfield with its own weather limits and operating hours.
- Reliable alternativeGeneva (GVA)About 2 hours to 2 hours 30 by road, most of it motorway along the lake and the Rhône valley.
- The funicularSierre to Crans-MontanaAbout 4.2 km with a climb of some 927 metres, in roughly 13 minutes. Renewed in 2022.
Getting there
Airports and typical transfers
| Airport | By road | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Sion (SIR) | About 30 to 45 minutes | The closest airfield and the shortest onward leg. Alpine weather and limited handling hours mean we confirm it with the operator for your dates before it is offered. |
| Geneva (GVA) | About 2 hours to 2 hours 30 | The dependable choice. Motorway along Lake Geneva to Martigny and up the Rhône valley to Sierre, so only the final climb is mountain road. |
| Zurich (ZRH) | About 3 hours 30 | Sensible only if you are already in German-speaking Switzerland or the aircraft needs a larger airport. |
| Milan Linate | About 3 hours | By way of the Simplon. Worth considering if the trip starts in Italy, and weather on the pass road is checked first. |
Realistic ranges in normal winter conditions, not promises. The last stretch from Sierre is a hairpin climb that slows in snow. Outside London and Manchester our cars are arranged through operators we know, with winter tyres and chains.
The climb
The road, or the funicular
From Sierre on the valley floor the road climbs the plateau in a series of hairpins. It is a properly maintained Swiss road and it is cleared quickly, but it is still a climb of the best part of a thousand metres, and after a heavy fall it moves at the speed of the slowest car in front. A second approach from the Sion side through Lens exists and is sometimes quieter.
The funicular from Sierre station covers the same climb in about thirteen minutes, regardless of what the road is doing. For clients arriving at Sion in poor weather, or on a busy Saturday, we sometimes plan the car to Sierre station, the funicular up, and a second car waiting on the plateau. It is not the obvious answer, but it is reliably fast, and luggage handling is straightforward. We will tell you when it is worth doing rather than pretending the road is always the best option.
Local realities
What experienced visitors do
- Give us the chalet or hotel name and a pin. Crans and Montana are a few minutes apart and the plateau is bigger than it looks on a map
- Plan Sion with Geneva held behind it, and agree beforehand which way we will jump if the weather closes the smaller field
- Say how many sets of skis, boards and boot bags there are. It changes the aircraft and the number of vehicles
- For the golf week at the end of the summer, book cars and rooms in the spring. The plateau fills and the road up is busy all day
- Keep a car for the week if you are staying at one end of the plateau and eating at the other. Taxis on the Haut-Plateau thin out late in the evening
- Ask us about the funicular as a plan B in heavy snow, particularly if you are arriving in the middle of a Saturday
Around the trip
Related pages
Routes and airports
Request a quote
Tell us the week
Dates, numbers, where you are staying on the plateau and how much kit is coming. We reply with aircraft options, the Sion and Geneva plans side by side, and the funicular fallback if the weather looks difficult.
Prefer to talk? +44 2030 048300 or WhatsApp, at any hour.
Questions people ask
About Crans-Montana
Sion or Geneva?
Sion for the shortest journey, Geneva for certainty. Sion is an alpine airfield with weather limits and restricted hours, so we normally plan one and hold the other, and agree with you beforehand which way we will move.
How hard is the road up in winter?
It is a well-maintained hairpin climb of nearly a thousand metres and it is cleared promptly, but heavy snow and Saturday traffic both slow it. Cars are arranged with winter tyres and chains.
Is the funicular really practical with luggage?
Yes, and it is our usual suggestion when the road is slow. The car takes you to Sierre station, the climb takes about thirteen minutes and a second car meets you on the plateau.
Can we land closer than Sion?
Only by helicopter, and only in daylight and suitable conditions using landing sites the operator is approved for. Fixed-wing aircraft use Sion, Geneva or Zurich.
Do you have your own cars in Switzerland?
Our own cars and chauffeurs are in London and Manchester, and a trusted global network covers everywhere else. Swiss transfers are arranged through operators we know, and one contact at Odyssey holds the whole itinerary together.
When should we book?
For New Year, February half-term and the golf week at the end of the summer, several months ahead. For other weeks a few weeks is usually enough.
One contact, wherever you are