Crans-Montana, the pearl of the Swiss jet set scarred by the New Year's Eve massacre
The town has retained its mundane vocation, but always under the banner of understatement, of selected tourism, in one of the area's most picturesque settings with views including Mont Blanc and the Matterhorn
Crans-Montana, theatre of the New Year's Eve massacre, is a municipality in the canton of Valais, in the district of Sierre, of about11,000 inhabitants. It has always been a destination for the international jet set and is one of the best-known ski resorts in the Swiss Alps.
The town has retained its worldly vocation, but always under the banner of understatement, of selected tourism, in one of themost picturesque settings in the area with views including Mont Blanc and the Matterhorn.
The centre was 'born' out of the passion of two friends, Louis Antille et Michel Zufferey, who were thunderstruck by the beauty of the plateau and in 1893 inaugurated the first hotel, the Parc, which marked the beginning of the 'Cra' as a reference point for tourists.
Air quality and atmospheric conditions favouredthe establishment of many sanatoriums as early as 1899.
In the post-war period, the resort experienced a boom thanks to the expansion of access roads and the construction of infrastructure. The town also became a destination for lovers of high altitude golf. Hotels, chalets, historic shops, signs that have remained the same over the years, but in the streets of the centre there is also room for the big luxury brands.
