Crans-Montana facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Crans-Montana
|
||
|---|---|---|
Aerial view of Crans-Montana
|
||
|
||
 Crans-Montana
Location in Switzerland
Crans-Montana
Location in Canton of Valais
|
||
| Country | Switzerland | |
| Canton | Valais | |
| District | Sierre | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 59.66 km2 (23.03 sq mi) | |
| Highest elevation
(Schneehorn)
|
3,177 m (10,423 ft) | |
| Population
(Dec 2020 )
|
||
| • Total | 10,218 | |
| • Density | 171.271/km2 (443.59/sq mi) | |
| Postal code |
3971 Chermignon & Ollon
3963 Crans-sur-Sierre & Montana 3974 Mollens 3975 Randogne |
|
| Surrounded by | Lens, Icogne, Sierre | |
Crans-Montana is a town in the Valais canton of Switzerland. It is located in the Sierre district. On January 1, 2017, several smaller towns joined together to create the new municipality of Crans-Montana. These towns were Chermignon, Mollens, Montana, and Randogne.
Crans-Montana is also a very popular ski resort. It was formed by combining the two main areas of Crans and Montana. Before the merger, parts of the resort belonged to six different towns.
Contents
History of Crans-Montana
Crans-Montana was formed when four smaller towns decided to become one. These towns were Chermignon, Mollens, Montana, and Randogne. They officially merged on January 1, 2017.
Chermignon's Past
Chermignon was first mentioned in old records around the year 1228. It became its own independent town in 1905. This happened when it separated from a nearby town called Lens.
Mollens Through Time
Mollens was first written about around 1250. It was also known by a German name, Molei, a long time ago. However, people do not use that name anymore.
Montana's Beginnings
Montana appeared in records starting in 1243. Like Chermignon, Montana also became an independent town in 1905. It separated from Lens to form its own municipality.
Randogne's Early Days
Randogne is the oldest of these towns in written history. It was first mentioned in records in the year 1224.
Skiing and Winter Sports
Crans-Montana is a famous ski resort located in the Swiss Alps. It is in the French-speaking part of the Valais canton. The resort sits on a high flat area, or plateau, above the town of Sierre. It is about 1,500 meters (4,900 feet) above sea level. This high spot gives amazing views of the Valais Alps and the Weisshorn mountain.
The ski area has about 140 kilometers (87 miles) of ski pistes, which are marked ski trails. It also includes the Plaine Morte Glacier. The highest point of the ski area is the Pointe de la Plaine Morte, which is 2,927 meters (9,603 feet) high.
Crans-Montana is well-known in the world of alpine ski racing. It hosted the 1987 World Championships. The resort is also often a stop on the FIS Alpine Ski World Cup schedule. This usually includes fast races for women skiers.
Other Fun Activities
Besides skiing, Crans-Montana offers many other exciting things to do.
Festivals and Golf
The area hosts a winter music festival called the Caprices Festival. It is a popular pop-rock event. Crans-Montana also holds a professional golf tournament every September. This event is part of the European Tour and is called the Omega European Masters.
Bicycle Racing
Crans-Montana is a popular spot for bicycle races. It has hosted stage finishes of the Tour de Suisse seven times. The Tour de Romandie has also finished stages here eight times. In 1984, the 20th stage of the famous 1984 Tour de France ended in Crans-Montana. Laurent Fignon won that stage and also the entire race that year.
Golf Courses
The Golf-Club Crans-sur-Sierre has four different golf courses. One of them was designed by the famous golfer Seve Ballesteros. Another course is named after Jack Nicklaus, another golf legend.
Learning Opportunities
The internationally recognized Les Roches International School of Hotel Management is located in Crans-Montana. This school teaches students how to manage hotels and other hospitality businesses.
Geography of Crans-Montana
Crans-Montana covers an area of about 59.66 square kilometers (23.03 square miles).
Population of Crans-Montana
The new town of Crans-Montana has a population of 10,931 people. This number was recorded in December 2015.
Important Historic Sites
Two places in Crans-Montana are listed as important Swiss heritage sites. These are the Roches des Fées and the Hotel Bella Lui. They are recognized for their national importance.
Climate in Crans-Montana
Crans-Montana has a climate called a warm summer humid continental climate. This means it has warm summers and cold, snowy winters. Between 1981 and 2010, Montana had about 101 days of rain or snow each year. It received about 692 millimeters (27.2 inches) of rain and snow. The precipitation is spread fairly evenly throughout the year. Because it is in the rain shadow of tall mountains, the total amount of rain and snow is quite low compared to other places in the Alps.
| Climate data for Montana (1981–2010) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 1.6 (34.9) |
2.2 (36.0) |
5.6 (42.1) |
9.2 (48.6) |
14.1 (57.4) |
17.7 (63.9) |
20.5 (68.9) |
19.8 (67.6) |
15.9 (60.6) |
11.6 (52.9) |
5.4 (41.7) |
2.3 (36.1) |
10.5 (50.9) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | −1.8 (28.8) |
−1.7 (28.9) |
1.0 (33.8) |
4.2 (39.6) |
8.9 (48.0) |
12.2 (54.0) |
14.7 (58.5) |
14.2 (57.6) |
10.8 (51.4) |
7.1 (44.8) |
1.8 (35.2) |
−0.9 (30.4) |
5.9 (42.6) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | −4.8 (23.4) |
−5 (23) |
−2.6 (27.3) |
0.3 (32.5) |
4.7 (40.5) |
7.6 (45.7) |
9.9 (49.8) |
9.8 (49.6) |
6.9 (44.4) |
3.8 (38.8) |
−1.1 (30.0) |
−3.8 (25.2) |
2.1 (35.9) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 64 (2.5) |
53 (2.1) |
47 (1.9) |
40 (1.6) |
58 (2.3) |
62 (2.4) |
63 (2.5) |
70 (2.8) |
48 (1.9) |
54 (2.1) |
57 (2.2) |
74 (2.9) |
692 (27.2) |
| Average snowfall cm (inches) | 106 (42) |
90 (35) |
58 (23) |
30 (12) |
4 (1.6) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
8 (3.1) |
40 (16) |
89 (35) |
425 (167) |
| Average snowy days (≥ 1.0 cm) | 9.3 | 8.1 | 7.1 | 4.5 | 0.6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.0 | 5.3 | 8.1 | 44.0 |
| Source: MeteoSwiss | |||||||||||||
Getting Around Crans-Montana
You can travel from Montana to Sierre using the Funiculaire Sierre–Montana–Crans. This is a special type of railway that goes up and down steep slopes. It stops right next to the Sierre/Siders railway station.
Famous People from Crans-Montana
Many interesting people have lived in or visited Crans-Montana.
- Elizabeth von Arnim (1866–1941) was a British writer born in Australia. She lived in Randogne for many years.
- Katherine Mansfield (1888–1923) was an author from New Zealand. She lived in Montana for about a year.
- Roger Moore (1927–2017) was a famous British actor, known for playing James Bond. He owned a home in Crans-Montana for a long time.
- Michel Roux (1941–2020) was a French chef and restaurant owner who worked in Britain. He lived in Crans-Montana starting in 2008.
- Several professional golfers have also lived in Crans-Montana, including Adam Scott, Sergio García, and the brothers Francesco and Edoardo Molinari.
- Vicky Safra is a billionaire and generous giver to charities. She is a member of the Safra family.
Images for kids
-
Aerial view of Crans-Montana in 1964
See also
In Spanish: Crans-Montana para niños
