The best après-ski bars and activities in Crans-Montana
The Swiss resort of Crans-Montana may have some of the most well-heeled visitors in the Valais, but it maintains a fun-loving atmosphere of laid-back luxury, with après-ski entertainment to match.
From sipping an Aperol spritz in the sun at Zerodix to sampling a white wine from the indigenous grape variety (petit arvine, grown in the resort) at Le Tirbouchon bar, your choice of après-ski tipples is varied. Why not stay at 2,200m for a session at Cry d’Er Club d’Altitude, before catching the Cry d’Er gondola back to the resort? For a less booze-soaked après activity, try tandem paragliding from 2,600m, find a mindful moment walking with yaks, or claim bragging rights by beating your friends at snowscooter racing.
For further Crans-Montana inspiration, see our guides to the resort's best accommodation and restaurants.
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Bars in Crans-Montana
Monk’is Bar
Attracting a younger, later crowd, this basement party bar sits in the centre of the resort and is open from 7pm to 2am, but doesn’t generally get busy until 10pm. It’s been here for 20 years and is a decent enough spot to let your hair down. There’s usually enough seating available to relax away from the dance floor, too.
Price: ££
Contact: monkisbar.ch
Zero Dix
Most ski days in Crans-Montana seem to end at the bottom of the Cry d’Er ski lift, which makes Zerodix the default après-ski venue. The large outside area here has tables aplenty and a circular bar that sends out a constant stream of beers, bottles of wine in ice buckets and cocktails to thirsty patrons. It’s easy to find a spot on the sheepskin-clad wooden benches that’s still bathed in the late afternoon sun and, at weekends, locals come here to unwind to the sounds of the live DJ; dancing on the wooden tables while dressed up to the nines is a thing here.
Price: ££
Contact: zerodix.ch/fr
Le Tirbouchon
Located on Station Avenue in Montana, Le Tirbouchon is a stylish wine bar with an après-ski twist, where the smart money congregates to savour an expertly curated wine list that changes weekly and features some of the best produced grapes in Valais’ high-altitude, sun-soaked vineyards.
There’s a reason why Swiss wine is rarely exported: it’s good enough to be entirely consumed by home-grown and visitor demand. South-facing Crans-Montana boasts 320 hectares of vineyards, with local grape varieties including the indigenous white grape pete arvine, and the late-ripening red cornalin, which can be sampled here along with fendant, heida (or païen), humagne blanche and rouge, syrah, pinot noir and diolinoir.
Price: ££
Contact: letirbouchon.ch
Cry d’Er Club d’Altitude
Crans-Montana is unusual in having a fully-fledged events and party venue at 2,200m. If you want to start your après ski early, hit the sun-drenched terrace and bar of Cry d’Er from 2-4pm, which delivers live music and high-altitude frolics. Sessions run every Saturday from Jan 11 to Feb 8, then every day from Feb 14 to March 2. Fortunately, you can catch the Cry d'Er gondola all the way back down to Crans afterwards – just don’t miss the last one at 4:50pm.
Price: £££
Contact: mycma.ch
EaSy by CaSay
A firm favourite with locals and seasonaires, this bar oozes continental style and is a friendly place to stop for a sparkling wine or house cocktail. Concoct a bespoke tipple with an Alpine twist or opt for a recommendation from the well-stocked wine cellar. It’s attached to the sister space, CaSay restaurant, and is a social hub that always seems to be busy, even on quieter weeks in the winter season.
Price: ££
Contact: en.casy-montana.ch
Ora Bar & Lounge by Six Senses
The high-end Six Senses hotel is a relative newcomer to Crans-Montana, but you can sample its blend of luxury and homely fire-side Alpine comfort on the fifth floor, in its Ora Bar & Lounge. The cocktail menu uses seasonal flavours, while the smokers’ lounge offers mountain views, a cigar menu and cognac list. The hotel’s ground-floor terrace also has an Alpine hut that serves as an outside bar, complete with DJ and live accompaniment from a saxophonist.
Price: ££
Contact: sixsenses-cransmontana.com
La Ferme Saint Amour
If you like the fizz of Champagne with your après ski, head to this well-presented nightspot with a restaurant, nightclub, live DJs and musicians, where head sommelier Romain Frega takes pride in keeping the wine cellar stocked with the some of the best vintages in the region, including Louis Roederer Cristal, Dom Pérignon, Belle Époque by Perrier-Jouët and Krug Clos du Mesnil. Signature cocktails and an elevated menu of bar snacks are offered alongside the dinner menu from the Michelin-starred chef Eric Frechon. It’s not the kind of place where you turn up in your ski gear, but it is good fun.
Price: £££
Contact: lafermesaintamour.com/crans-montana
Activities
Moonbiking
Still thirsty for adrenaline after your morning ski? Look to Crans-Montana’s E-Scootpark. Its snowscooters have a ski at the front and a track at the back to fire them round a go-cart-style course in the snow. After a five-minute briefing, you get to race your friends, but participants must be aged at least 18 and be able to reach the footrests and handlebar levers. The closed circuit is located at the bottom of the Arnouva cable car and open until 3:30pm, Wednesday to Sunday. Pre-booking is essential.
Price: ££
Contact: crans-montana.ch
Walking with yaks
Part-exercise and part-meditation, taking a stroll through the snow with a yak is one of the more contemplative après-ski experiences you’ll ever have, especially with the accompaniment of the slow clanging of Tibetan bells. Walking with these cold-weather natives will help you to decompress from the stress of modern living and get in sync with the natural rhythms of the mountains. It’s also the ideal opportunity to explore more of Crans-Montana, away from the pistes and bars.
Price: ££
Contact: terredecoeur.ch
Tandem paragliding
With its south-facing aspect, high altitude and large terraces, Crans-Montana is almost tailormade for blue-sky flying days – something that the local paragliding operation takes advantage of, even in winter. At 2,600m, the take-off point on Bella Lui is awe-inspiring and gliding through the crisp mountain air on a tandem paraglider is a jaw-dropping way to drink in views of the resort and the towering 4,000m peaks that surround it. You wear skis for takeoff and landing (although foot launches are still possible), and make sure you wear warm gloves, too, because the windchill can become intense.
Price: £££
Contact: crans-montana.ch/en/paragliding
How we choose
Every bar, venue or activity in this curated list has been expertly chosen by our ski expert, who has visited the resort to provide you with their insider perspective. We cover a range of budgets and styles, from casual pubs on the piste to exquisite cocktail bars – to best suit every type of skier – and consider the drinks, atmosphere and price in our recommendations. Non-ski activities are chosen to provide an alternative to traditional aprés, whether for families or adrenaline junkies looking to enjoy the mountains in winter away from the slopes. We update this list regularly to keep up with the latest openings and provide up to date recommendations.
