Crans-Montana Positions Itself as Premier Alpine Cycling Destination for Summer 2026

Crans-Montana is dramatically expanding its summer cycling offerings for 2026, positioning the Swiss Alpine resort as one of Europe's most complete mountain biking destinations with new trails, upgraded infrastructure, and major international events. The Swiss resort unveils major trail expansions, new hotel, and sustainability initiatives as it transforms year-round appeal

The resort announced a comprehensive cycling strategy that spans mountain biking, e-biking, gravel, and road cycling, underpinned by significant trail development and a complete overhaul of signage set for spring 2026.

New Trails Target All Skill Levels

The centerpiece of the expansion is the Arnouva Flowtrail, a 2.5-kilometer beginner-focused trail with 180 meters of descent designed specifically for families and riders looking to improve. Developed in collaboration between the ski lifts, the Association of Municipalities of Crans-Montana, and Crans-Montana Tourism & Congress, the trail features smooth, banked turns and gentle gradients while remaining within the Bike Park environment.

The resort has also completely renovated the Crans-Montana–Sierre Flowtrail, a 9-kilometer descent with 905 meters of vertical drop that extends from the resort to the valley town of Sierre. The trail offers continuous descent with banked turns, accessible technical sections, and panoramic views over the Rhone Valley.

For advanced riders, the Plaine Morte Bike route provides a spectacular alpine experience starting at nearly 3,000 meters on the glacier, with approximately 3,000 meters of descent to Sierre through rocky ridges, alpine forests, and wild valleys. Some sections have hosted stages of the Enduro World Series.

Signage Overhaul and Long Season

A complete signage upgrade aligned with new SuisseMobile standards will launch in spring 2026, significantly improving navigation across the 139 kilometers of mountain bike routes and 360 kilometers of road cycling routes.

The resort's topographical diversity allows for an unusually long cycling season, with valley routes accessible from March to November, plateau routes from May to October, and high-altitude trails from early summer.

Major Gravel Event Coming

Crans-Montana will host GRAAALPS between July 14-19, 2026, an ultra-distance gravel race where the resort serves as the heart of the event. The 800-kilometer route starts in Mandelieu and finishes in Crans-Montana, while 500-kilometer and 300-kilometer routes loop from the resort.

New Luxury Hotel Opens December 2026

L'Uciole, a new 4-star boutique hotel, will open in the heart of Crans-Montana in December 2026, featuring 60 rooms, an Italian restaurant, The Spica speakeasy bar, a full-service spa, and fitness center. The establishment positions itself as a lifestyle hotel with strong culinary identity.

Gastronomy Event Debuts

On September 20, 2026, Crans-Montana will launch Déli'Cima, a new gastronomic event at the Orangerie in Ycoor Gardens featuring seven renowned local chefs presenting a collaborative menu inspired by mountain plants. The event will showcase food and wine pairings with local wines and regional produce.

Sustainability Initiatives Scale Up

The resort is implementing major sustainability projects centered on water management and energy transition:

Lake Chermignon has undergone two years of modernization, increasing capacity to 300,000 cubic meters to secure drinking water, snowmaking, and irrigation. The site incorporates a biotope and future walking areas.

Public lighting energy use has dropped 30% in four years through LED conversion. A wastewater turbine project will eventually generate nearly 1,900 MWh of renewable energy annually.

Summer Event Calendar

Wildstrubel by UTMB expects 8,000 participants for its 2026 edition. New for this year is the Wild Glacier Marathon—a 42-kilometer course with 2,700 meters of elevation gain starting from Lenk and finishing in Crans-Montana.

The OMEGA European Masters golf tournament returns September 3-6, 2026, to the Severiano Ballesteros championship course.

Am Stram Gram, a free family and cultural festival, will feature a Wild West theme in 2026, offering children a screen-free day of outdoor activities, shows, and workshops.

Preparing for 2027 World Championships

With less than a year until the 2027 FIS Alpine Skiing World Championships, Crans-Montana is in intensive preparation mode. Key 2026 milestones include opening ticket sales, recruiting 1,500 volunteers, and finalizing logistics for the event—forty years after the resort last hosted the World Championships in 1987.

Year-Round Mountain Destination

Set on a sunny plateau at 1,500 meters facing the Alps' highest peaks, Crans-Montana attracts 80,000 summer visitors annually compared to 300,000 in winter. The destination features over 320 kilometers of hiking trails, 10 mountain lakes, three golf courses including the renowned Severiano Ballesteros course, and 130 restaurants.

The resort's acquisition by Vail Resorts in 2023 and integration into the Epic Pass network marks a major milestone in its international positioning, alongside hosting the Mountain Bike World Championships in 2025 and a potential Olympic bid for 2038.