recommended route
Stage 1
Valais Cycling Tour: Sion - Crans-Montana (stage 1)
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SionPhoto: Christian Pfammatter, Valais/Wallis Promotion
From beautiful hillside vineyards to forests and meadows basking in the sun. This first stage of the Valais Cycling Tour begins at Sion, the capital of Valais, and takes you through the mountain town of Anzère to the famous mountain resort of Crans-Montana.
difficult
Distance 59.1 km
4:00 h
2,419 m
1,372 m
1,542 m
485 m
In just a few pedal strokes, you are out of the city of Sion and into the vineyards along the Chemin du Vignoble. As you climb towards Mayens de la Zour, the landscape becomes more and more pristine. Take a moment to enjoy the view before diving into the village of Savièse. Throughout the descent and the climb to Arbaz and Anzère, let yourself be intoxicated by the smell of the mountain flowers and herbs, invaluable in the making of Ricola sweets. After this first stage, you will have accumulated 58.8km, with three ascensions totalling 2,300 metres of climbing.
Author’s recommendation
Are you scheduling this stage on a Friday? If yes, take the opportunity to discover the old city of Sion during its weekly market. Local produce, homemade confections and sunny café terraces await!
Difficulty
difficult
Technique
Stamina
Experience
Landscape
Highest point
Anzère, 1,542 m
Lowest point
Sion, 485 m
Best time of year
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Track types
Asphalt
53.8 km
Forested/wild trail
0.6 km
Path
0 km
Road
4.7 km
Safety information
Strictly respect the Swiss traffic rules. Please note that you are running the tour at your own risk and all liability is refused. Please be considerate to plants and animals. For your own safety, wear an helmet every time you ride a bike. Emergency numbers: 144 Ambulance / 117 Police / 1414 Helicopter Rescue (Rega).Tips and hints
More information:
Start
Sion, Rue de l'Industrie, 1950 Sion (490 m)
Coordinates:
SwissGrid
2'593'857E 1'119'570N
DD
46.227547, 7.359025
DMS
46°13'39.2"N 7°21'32.5"E
UTM
32T 373458 5120638
w3w
///secondly.edicts.grazes
Destination
Crans-Montana, place d'Ycoor, Route du Rawyl 56, 3963 Montana
Turn-by-turn directions
Follow the red bike route signs (72: Chemin du Vignoble) out of Sion towards Mont d’Orge where you pick up the Chemin du Vignoble (Vineyard Path). As you climb towards Mayens de la Zour, you will have the impression of being completely alone in the world. The brief descent into Savièse is on a beautiful road that takes you into the village of Grimisuat before the climb to Anzère (1,546m). After leaving the commune of Ayent, the last climb of the day takes you through the villages of Icogne and Lens before the final push to the famous resort of Crans-Montana. The statue of Christ the King, erected in 1935 at the top of Châtelard hill in Lens, will guide you to the top. After this first stage, you will have accumulated 58.8km, with three ascensions totalling 2,300 metres of climbing.
Note
all notes on protected areas
Public transport
CFF train and bus station at Sion.Getting there
From the A9 autoroute, take Sion exit 26 or 27 and follow signs to centre-ville.Parking
This tour is one stage of the Valais Cycling tour where the finish is not at the same place as the starting point. Therefore, we recommend arriving by public transport. Otherwise there are parkings in Sion, use the free parking called Potences.Coordinates
SwissGrid
2'593'857E 1'119'570N
DD
46.227547, 7.359025
DMS
46°13'39.2"N 7°21'32.5"E
UTM
32T 373458 5120638
w3w
///secondly.edicts.grazes
Arrival by train, car, foot or bike
Book recommendation by the author
Brochures:
Author’s map recommendations
Swiss Activity Map: National map with SwitzerlandMobility routes to scale 1:275'000
Equipment
We recommend: bike in excellent working order, helmet, gloves and bell, clothing suitable for the weather (always carry a waterproof), food and drink.Reviews
Difficulty
difficult
Distance
59.1 km
Duration
4:00 h
Ascent
2,419 m
Descent
1,372 m
Highest point
1,542 m
Lowest point
485 m
Statistics
2D
3D
Maps and trails
- 2 Waypoints
- 2 Waypoints
Distance
km
Duration
: h
Ascent
m
Descent
m
Highest point
m
Lowest point
m
Questions and answers
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Rating
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