It is one of the places where the main ski competitions took place, frequented by VIPs for holidays. Crans is also remembered for the “health” stays of the poet Emily Dickinson and the writer Katherine Mansfield
We Italians link it to the exploits of the Italian skiers – the first world medal of Alberto Tomba and his last race, with victory, in his career; the successes of Max Blardone, Federica Brignone, Sofia Goggia e Marta Bassino —, ma Crans-Montana it has an image that goes beyond the sporting dimension.
First of all it’s one of the locations chosen by VIPs together with Zermatt, St. Moritz and Davos, the jet set quadrilateral. But the city in the Canton of Valais also has older roots and vocations: the dry air meant that numerous sanatoriums arose in the 19th century, a destination for patients from all over the world. And if Davos had the glory with The Magic Mountain, the novel by Thomas Mann set in a center where respiratory diseases were treated, Crans is remembered for the “health” stays of the poet Emily Dickinson and the writer Katherine Mansfield.
As for the “vippame”, the most famous resident was Roger Moorethird 007 agent after Sean Connery and George Lazenby, said that those who frequented the Valais holiday resort after the war included Good Voice, Alain Delon, Jackie Kennedy and the astronauts of the Apollo and Gemini programs, since the watch brand that sponsored them organizes the European Masters of golf every year. Despite over 140 km of ski slopes and countless climbing walls, in fact, this sport is itself a “must” in the area.
Extending over 590 hectares from the Rhone Valley to the Plaine Morte glacier, Crans-Montana has oriented itself towards turismo «premium»offering high-end hotels, many villas and the luxury of the Rue du Prado and its 120 businesses, including shops and boutiques. But in this scenario sport remains central.
The events took place here Mountain running world championships (2008), while, moving on to cycling, he won the Tour of Switzerland seven times, the Tour once (Laurent Fignon won) and once, in 2023, also the Giro d’Italia. In any case, skiing plays the lion’s share: the Mont Lachaux and Nationale slopes, temples of speed, usually host a stage of the Women’s World Cup. However, last year they hosted a men’s super-G (Dominik Paris third) and this year, for men and women, they will be the spotlight of the last event before the 2026 Games. Not only that: in 2027, 40 years after the 1987 edition, Crans will return to host the Alpine Skiing World Championships. And it is this link between future and past that leads us to talk about Alberto Tomba.
His myth was born on these snows. With a bit of luck. Yes, because if the Swiss Joel Gaspoz had not made a mistake at the end of the giant slalom race, Alberto would have finished fourth and not third in his first world championship. It’s a blessed snow for us Italians – Karl Trojer’s first podium, in 1979; Therefore three victories for Tombaone by Max Blardone, four by Federica Brignone (plus 5 other podiums), four by Sofia Goggia, one by Marta Bassino, without forgetting the aforementioned tthird place in Paris —, a snow that the great Alberto kissed on March 15, 1998 after winning in the slalom: a few weeks later he announced his retirement. That pagan rite, dedicated to “his” snow, closed an unrepeatable story.
