PlanetSKI Heads to Switzerland
13th December 2024 | James Cove, The Swiss Alps
We’re off for a pre-Xmas trip to Crans-Montana and Verbier. Blogging & updating as we go along. Posting about anything that takes our fancy. NEW
It has been a while since I have flown Swiss Air.
We left London Heathrow on a wet, grey and cold December morning.
Flying over the Jura mountains, coming into land at Geneva it was somewhat different.
And the hour or so in-between?
Lets just say Swiss Air remains what it is cracked up to be.
Even in economy there’s free chocolate and water offered.
Heading to Switzerland. Image © PlanetSKI
Plus, a chance that the seat next you will be empty.
Heading to Switzerland. Image © PlanetSKI
And the bonus is that skis travel free and, you don’t have to pay the extortionate prices charged by the so-called budget airlines, that hammer us skiers and snowboarders.
It’s now £74 return for your skis flying with easyJet.
WTF!
So, what’s in store on this Swiss trip?
First up Crans-Montana.
The skiing starts at 1,500m and goes u to 3,000m with some of the most stunning views of the Alps at the summit.
There are 24 lifts that give access to 140kms of slopes.
The lift company in the resort plus a few restaurants, ski hire shops and a ski school has just been taken over by the Americans.
Vail Resorts to be precise.
Vail Resorts has acquired an 84% stake in Remontées Mécaniques Crans Montana Aminona (CMA) SA.
CMA controls and operates all the resort’s lifts and supporting mountain operations, including four retail and rental locations.
Vail Resorts has also acquired 100% of SportLife AG, up from the 80% that was previously announced, which operates one of the ski schools at the resort.
Vail Resorts also acquired full ownership of 11 restaurants located on and around the mountain.
We’ll be looking at what this means and if it is a shape of things to come in the Alps.
Crans Montana – photo c/o Snow Camp
Vail Resorts is on the record as saying it is actively looking at buying into more resorts in Europe.
We’ll also be getting in some early season turns and looking at developments since our last visit back in 2018.
One development is a specific area set aside for ski touring.
There in a designated area where there are 15 uphill trails graded blue, red and black and you can either chose to come back down the piste, or ski down off piste.
There are four starting points allowing easy access to the different routes.
It caters for the growth in ski touring, something we at PlanetSKI are becoming rather keen on.
Ski touring for the first time. Image © PlanetSKI
In Crans-Montana the ski touring routes are not just in an area tucked away in a little know areas.
They are across the whole ski area and in a prominent position in the heart of the ski area.
Ski touring routes. Image c/o Crans-Montana
The PlanetSKI visit also coincides with the opening of a new flagship restaurant in the resort – La Ferme Saint-Amour.
It is own by 80-year-old Annie Famose who is something of a legend.
The French woman was a double Olympic medalist at the Grenoble Winter Olympics in 1968 and one of the founders of Avoriaz after she hung up her race big.
Oh, and she set up Ski Set too.
La Ferme Saint-Amour. Image © PlanetSKI
La Ferme Saint-Amour. Image © PlanetSKI
We plan to have an evening hike by lantern along a marked path in the town with dinner at Lantern Path Mayen.
We’ll also be looking ahead to the 2027 Alpine Ski World Championships, with the Olympic gold medalist, Didier Defago.
The billboards are already have the branding, and in the background is the finish area of some of the alpine events.
Crans-Montana, Switzerland. Image © PlanetSKI
In Crans Montana in the summer people play golf.
In the winter they go curling.
I’ll be chancing my arm at the sport where GB is a regular Olympic medal winner.
No post about heading to Crans-Montana or any Swiss resort in the area is complete with a mention of the train journey from Geneva airport to resort.
It is THE best way to arrive.
From the first class seating area.
Arriving in Switzerland. Image © PlanetSKI
To the views of Lake Geneva, or Lac Leman as it should correctly be called, from the carriage window.
Even on a cloudy and overcast days the views are stunning and the perfect way to build anticipation for what lies ahead.
Arriving in Switzerland. Image © PlanetSKI
Arriving in Switzerland. Image © PlanetSKI
Crans-Montana it’s been a while.
Crans-Montana, Switzerland. Image © PlanetSKI
Then early next week it’s round to Verbier.
More of that later, first it’s Crans-Montana, and here is what it currently look like up top.
Crans-Montana, Switzerland. Image © PlanetSKI
Bring it on…
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