In the beautiful canton of Valais-Wallis, there is so much to choose from when it comes to cycling. How about a beautiful ride from should-have-been World Cup starting place Martigny and then up to Barrage d'Emosson, Grand Saint Bernard or one of those other insane climbs. You can also go from Brig to Moosalp, to the Furkapass, Nufenenpass, Simplonpass and so on. Among all that Alpine col violence, Crans-Montana can feel a bit left out. This is actually a shame, because almost nowhere in the world will you find a location with such great views. Crans-Montana is a cyclist's paradise. We have been there several times and we would prefer to go back again tomorrow!
Two-in-one
The villages of Crans-sur-Sierre and Montana make up the ski and summer village of Crans-Montana. This fashionable destination, east of Sion, at an altitude of over 1,400 metres, used to be a fancy affair. Originally, it was even a (fancy) spa, similar to Davos, where people with all kinds of problems came to get treated. Today, you can still see this with several private clinics dating back to earlier times.
The two villages of Crans and Montana have a mini-struggle with each other, with Crans liking to pretend to be just a bit fancier than Montana. In Crans you will find the fancy shopping street, the tourism office is located there and the golf club where the Omega Masters is played every year is also there. But outwardly it is one and the same and you actually get two for the price of one. For cyclists, it will make little difference because whether you stay in Crans or Montana, the views remain stunning and the hotels are similar. As are the road surfaces and the selection of cool climbs.
Col du Crans-Montana
As we prepare for our ride in the morning over breakfast, guide Alain with a nice story about the origins of the day's climb, the Col du Crans-Montana. The urban legend is that people wanted to have a col in the ski village too. Only, officially there was no climb. So they finally invented one and named it 'col du Crans-Montana'. In terms of originality, it could be better, but fine. No whining. There is a climb and that is already nice.
We take another look at the route and it all looks fine. A bit straight ahead, a bit up, then down again a bit and finally up again a bit. Piece of cake. We check out of the hotel as we drive towards Crans-Montana to spend the night. The gear is moved with us, which is nice.
On the road to Crans-Montana, we ride through the valley and climb a bit here and there. We catch a nice short climb towards Leuk (not funny), which has some nice hairpin turns in it. It goes up well there and it is perfect to get back into the swing of things. Although. It is quite a steep section up at 7% after all.
On to the Col
After a long stretch of descending and a bit of zigzagging, we finally arrive in Sierre. The town that lies at the foot of 'the col'. The top of the col is at about 1800 metres, Sierre is almost 1200 metres lower. We do have a climb ahead of us, as the climb itself is over 16 kilometres long.
The climb starts somewhere in the middle of Sierre, but pretty soon we are riding up between the vines. Don't be fooled by the view, as it is actually continuous scrambling up at 8%. After a few cool switchbacks, we stop to take some photos, as the view is magnificent. We see the vines and in the distance the valley and the already mentioned panorama of Crans Montana. More and more, I understand why families come back here year after year for ski and summer holidays.
Higher and higher
The climb itself is a hidden gem. As you ride among the vineyards for a long time, you sometimes forget that it is painfully fast uphill. As mentioned, it is 1200 altimeters in about 16 kilometres. There are a few flat sections in between so count your blessings. The most treacherous part of this climb is that you end up climbing not to the village itself (Crans Montana), but to a point above neighbouring Aminona.
The first half of the climb we ride up winding among the vineyards and then there is a somewhat longer straight section. Here we also slowly leave the vines behind us and the vegetation also starts to change. I actually feel quite heavy. That while it all doesn't seem so steep and painful, my tongue is almost on my front wheel.
Stubbornly I stomp on to the junction with the Route de Crans, which eventually leads to the village. However, we turn sharply right towards Aminona. For the co-writers. At the junction in Mollens, towards Aminona, you are at 1100 metres altitude. It is then another 7 kilometres to the summit at 1800 metres. That wasn't so clear on the route at breakfast in the morning.
Begging for mercy
That I am struggling also seems to have dawned on my two (well-trained, semi-pro) travelling companions. They are barely circling me and I am not getting any well-meaning nudges either, but the lyrics have changed. First it was: 'how beautiful it is here'; now: 'the next bit isn't that bad'. Friendly reminder.
When we arrive in Aminona, I meet them in the parking lot. They startle on their phones as they had not actually expected me yet. That's positive. Here I still have a choice and I decide for our little group: turn left, the quiet downhill towards the hotel. Turn right, another 2.5 kilometres at 10% to the final summit. Impossibly, we turn left. The competitive athlete in me is clear: turn right. Then puke at the top, but at the top we will. Best. decision. ever.
Toppie
Because no matter how much it hurt so far. I caught my schwung. Keep grinding and looking up. Then the countdown is on. It's still an advantage, such a bike computer (a Wahoo in my case). You can look at all the info for a bit and meanwhile you can see when the tough parts are coming or when it flattens out for a bit. This way, the end of this Valais torment is already in sight sooner than is normally humanly possible.
Reaching the summit is a bit of an anti-climax. The sign (see photo) almost falls away from the signage of the (otherwise fat) MTB trails nearby. The view at that point isn't thunderous either. But we made it to 1800 metres and I'm happy about that.
Relax and breathe
It is still a matter of getting to the hotel after that. We are staying in Hotel de la Forêt in Crans, which is still a few hundred metres lower. Descending blows. That's no mean feat. Because the road up was 10%, so down....also 10%. And the road is narrow and confusing. So you have to be really careful. It also rained the days before, which means the road is also a bit damp. That makes for extra caution. I am happy with the disc brakes on our loaner bike, though.
We meander down and eventually turn back onto the main road next to the Luzerner Höhen Klinik. Our hotel is then just a stone's throw away. After a quick change and a good pasta meal, our paths and Alain's separate.
Why Go?
Crans Montana is actually perfectly located for exploring the area. With its altitude at 1500 metres, it is also an excellent place for an altitude training. You can go in several directions from Crans, including taking in the neighbouring Sanetsch pass and from there make a big ride via Aigle - Martigny and back again.
Facilities in the village are of a high standard, also because it is a bustling ski village in winter, where guests still expect some luxury and quality.
We stayed in a specific 'Swiss Bike Hotel‘, Hotel de la Forêt. These are cycling hotels that have facilities specifically for the target group of cyclists:
- Locked storage/bicycle cellar
- Rinse-off spot
- Spanner set
- Local info
This is quite nice and you can find these hotels all over Switzerland. There are also 'Bike Friendly' hotels that are up against these facilities but do not have a repair kit, for example, but do have a basement and rinse-off facility. In most ski resorts, there is a lockable basement because that is where the skis are in winter.
Transport
Switzerland tops all lists in terms of transport. You can fly there (Geneva/Zurich) or take the train to Basel and then continue on the well-connected SBB network. Use a Swiss Travel Pass if you want to travel several days by train. Travelling by bike? Just make a reservation and there are dedicated bike spots.
