The major plus in recent years – for British skiers at least – is the introduction of a direct flight from London Heathrow to Sion every Saturday morning in the winter season. With rapid transfer from Sion direct to Crans, you can be on the slopes by lunchtime. Passes with/without access to the Plaine Morte glacier cost Fr.56/47 for a day, or Fr.161/129 for three days.

Access to the pistes, almost all of which are relatively straightforward blues and reds – if extremely scenic – is via five gondolas ranged along the base of the mountain. From west to east, these are Chetseron and Crans (both within Crans village), Grand Signal in Montana, Violettes near the Montana funicular station, and Aminona. The woods above Montana are crisscrossed by red runs winding between the trees, while Cry d’Err above Crans has a host of lifts serving blues galore down to the village. Violettes gives access to the Plaine Morte top station (3000m), with some exciting blues, and the start of a long meandering red back to the village.