As we drive the car up to the hotel Alaia Lodge in Crans-Montana, then it really does feel like coming home again. Also on our previous trip to the ski and outdoor sports village in the Swiss canton of Valais-Wallis, we stayed at this hotel. A lovely, relaxing place. Very centrally located in the village, with a good breakfast, a quality Italian underneath (from the same owner) and space to store your bike safely and properly. Take to that the spacious rooms and the lovely view over Crans-Montana's famous panorama and you get the picture. I am completely at home. The language of communication is French but English is also well spoken. Nice to be able to land again anyway. I am assigned almost the same room and I plop down on the bed. Enjoying. We agree to explore the neighbourhood straight away.
text: Sander Kolsloot - photos: Dennis Knuist - Sander Kolsloot
Going up or going down
Crans-Montana is at an altitude of around 1,500 metres. Wonderful therefore with wide views, especially of the alpine peaks across the valley. Small point to note: so it is at an altitude of 1500 metres. That means two things:
- You have lovely fresh mountain air. It is not for nothing that there are several clinics for people with respiratory complaints. The air there is just better quality
- You will almost always end up with a climb. And not just any climb. The Col de Crans Montana. It's a monster, but more on that later
- okay, there is another option: the funicular that goes back up from Sierre-Siders. Definitely saves if you're completely broke.
- Or you're going to make the climb to Lac de Tseuzier on. Then you climb up and then down again.
Introduction
To get properly acquainted with Crans-Montana and to warm up the legs, you actually do something very simple. You give full throttle on a descent downhill. Then you turn around and bump neatly back up. That's exactly what Dennis (aka Cycling_dennis) and I do. We roll down the mountain, between typical Swiss houses, over fine tarmac with a beautiful hairpin curve here and there. The views sometimes distract from the road, but gosh how beautiful it remains here. Once down, we turn back up and actually ride the route back via Lens. Not the classic climb, but one you're going to feel. A great cycling route to discover Crans-Montana.
Warm-warmer-ready
That we are once again tussling with the heat seems logical. It's a nice summer day and down in the valley it's about 28 degrees. You do take that uphill, although it cools down a bit quickly. You ride partly on the main road here, but also on some smaller paths. In Lens, riding across the village square, we stop to grab some water. The attendants enjoying an ice cream look at us with admiration. Two crazy Dutchmen going up, you better have a nice scoop of strawberry.
Don't be surprised
The route is 28 kilometres in total, but this of course includes 12 kilometres of descending and about 12 kilometres of climbing. The way up is 900 metres in elevation gain and you can feel it. Parts of the route go at 11 to 12 per cent. You sometimes think: will I make progress? This is Swiss flat. Once at the top, that beautiful panorama awaits again. Wet as a flannel, we park the bike. We are home, but don't ask how yet. This is a great cycle route to discover Crans-Montana
