Freewheeling across the High Plateau

Some ski resorts dabble in biking… and then there’s Crans-Montana. Set against the finest Alpine peaks, the station is an established benchmark for mountain biking, with the 2025 UCI Mountain Bike World Championships as proof. Here, a vast panoramic domain awaits, bringing life to the High Plateau all summer long.

Enjoy the wind in your face across 22 marked enduro and cross-country routes (totalling 131 km of discovery), three downhill tracks accessible by lift, and a cumulative elevation gain of 2,350 m between the wild shores of the Plaine Morte Glacier and the sunlit vineyards of the Rhône Valley… The numbers say much about the quality of Crans-Montana’s bike domain, yet they can’t express the most essential part: the scale and the endlessly unobstructed views, which shape sensations at every turn.

One of the most loved routes is the 26-km Stage 1 of the Valais Alpine Bike (367 km total), linking Crans-Montana to the wine village of Varen then on to Leukerbad (with a dip at the finish) via the charming Alp Merdechon pasture and the Tièche valley. Nothing exhausting, but thrills include a ford, rocky terrain and a few ramps. Or for something more mineral and demanding, try the challenging AlpRide in the solitude of high altitude.

UCI’s stamp of approval
The boost in popularity of these vertical journeys comes in the wake of the recent UCI World Championships, which, from late August to mid-September 2025, brought all seven MTB disciplines together for the first time in a single region (Valais). No fewer than 27 World Champion titles were awarded, in front of 110,000 spectators who made the journey (in addition to 57.3 million who watched from home on a screen)!

Crans-Montana hosted the Championships’ premier event: the Cross-country Olympic (XCO), held on an unforgettable and widely acclaimed course, which stretched between the heart of Crans-Montana and Lac de Chermignon. It featured an explosive mix of highly technical forest descents, sweeping panoramas and punchy climbs! It also marked the penultimate international race of Swiss ten-time cross-country World Champion Nino Schurter — a prelude to an emotional farewell.

A legacy worth preserving
Crans-Montana saw a spike in recognition during the World Championships, which in turn helped fortify the ski resort’s bike domain for summer 2026. The highlight: the opening of the Flowtrail Arnouva, accessible from the Bike Park but distinct from the three existing downhill tracks. With vistas, a moderate gradient, banked yet flowing turns and a playful layout, this route is primarily destined for younger riders and those keen to discover the discipline. The cherry on top (of the mountain): the more demanding 9-km Flowtrail Crans-Montana—Sierre has been completely renovated, offering 905 m of descent to devour all the way down to the valley from the heart of Crans-Montana. To get back up, simply take the funicular… and (why not) go again!

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