FAQs

Question

PACKING TIPS

Answer

Sunglasses are a must, as the sun can be very intense in the mountains. Grass-friendly heels for the wedding day, since the ceremony will be on the grass (weather permitting). A wrap or shawl to wear with your dress, in case it is chilly Lots of layers! It can be very warm (shorts & t-shirt weather), or so cold up in the mountains it is flurrying, even in August! Hiking boots or sturdy sneakers if you're planning to hike. Nail polish (or getting gel ahead of time), since professional manicures aren't really a thing in Switzerland. Some hotels, including Six Senses, offer manicures, but the prices are eye-watering!

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WEATHER IN CRANS

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Crans-Montana is known for its year-round sunny weather. August is typically quite warm during the day with highs in the upper 70s and cooler at night once the sun goes down. That said, it is the mountains, so weather can be unpredictable — in fact, it was flurrying in August a few years ago when we hiked to Chetzeron!

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THINGS TO DO WITH KIDS

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Crans is a kid's dream come true! Some fun activities include: the Fun Forest ropes course; paddle boating; Le Sporting swimming pool; wakeboarding and the water obstacle course at Etang Long; the climbing wall at the Sports Center; the final part of the Bis du Tsittoret hike. For more ideas, ask Pam and Dan, and check out the Explorer Card (your hotel or Airbnb should give you this card upon check-in) for free or discounted access to a ton of activities. Explorer Card info: https://www.crans-montana.ch/en/carte

Question

WELCOME PARTY ATTIRE

Answer

The welcome party dress code is cocktail — think summer dresses for women, and jackets (no ties necessary!) for men. Vibrant colors welcome and encouraged — perfect for the Moroccan henna ceremony. Have fun with it! If helpful, we've compiled some inspo here: https://bit.ly/dresscodeguidelines

Question

GETTING TO THE WELCOME PARTY

Answer

The welcome party is on the rooftop of the Six Senses Resort, which is easily walkable from all recommended hotels. (Hotel Royal also offers a complimentary shuttle for hotel guests; please coordinate directly with the hotel on the day if interested.) The walk is slightly uphill and partially across gravel, so block heels may be preferred (vs. regular heels).

Question

WEDDING DAY ATTIRE

Answer

The wedding dress code is formal. Think long / ankle dresses for women, and a tux or dark suit & tie for men. The ceremony will be on grass, so block heels (vs. regular heels) are recommended. There will also be a spot at Chetzeron to store a change of shoes, should you wish to wear something more comfortable for the walk to the gondola. We recommend bringing sunglasses and a wrap, since the weather can change quickly! If helpful, we've compiled some inspo here: https://bit.ly/dresscodeguidelines

Question

DEVICE-FREE CEREMONY

Answer

We are having a device-free ceremony and kindly request that you leave the photography to the professionals. We invite you to relax and enjoy the moment — we promise to share the full online album after!

Question

GETTING TO THE WEDDING

Answer

The wedding is at Chetzeron, a former gondola station turned hotel that sits in the mountains above the town. Guests will take the Cry d’Er Gondola (fully enclosed cabins) on a picturesque 10 minute ride up to Chetzeron. Staff members will be waiting for you at either end to guide you onto and off of the gondola. From there, you can either ride in Chetzeron’s 4x4s (3 mins) or walk downhill (15 mins) to the wedding venue.

Question

WHERE IS THE GONDOLA STATION?

Answer

The Cry d'Er gondola station is right in the town of Crans, easily walkable from all recommended hotels. It is at the same location as Wednesday’s welcome event, so we will point it out then. Search “Crans-Montana Route Télé” in Google Maps for the exact location: https://maps.app.goo.gl/t9JZNTjedn51a2x46 Guests staying at the HOTEL ROYAL have access to the hotel's free shuttle service; should you wish to use the shuttle to get to the gondola, please coordinate with the hotel directly.

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WHEN TO GET ON THE GONDOLA

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The ceremony starts at 5 pm, so we recommend getting on the gondola around 4 pm (but no later than 4:15!). This ensures you’ll arrive to Chetzeron with plenty of time to enjoy a welcome drink and take in the incredible views before the ceremony begins.

Question

LEAVING THE WEDDING

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Chetzeron’s Defender 4x4s will transport guests back down the mountain after the wedding, with drop-offs at all three recommended hotels. 4x4 transport will run from 11:30 pm – 3 am on a rolling basis. The ride is approx. 20 minutes and is super fun! If you’re staying at an Airbnb in town, the driver can drop you there as well. We've let Chetzeron know the locations of all Airbnbs, so they are already aware.

Question

FONDUE LUNCH ATTIRE

Answer

This will be a very relaxed and casual lunch at a rustic dairy farm. Pam and Dan will be hiking there and will be wearing hiking gear; please feel free to wear whatever you’re most comfortable in. Hiking boots or running sneakers recommended.

Question

GETTING TO THE FONDUE LUNCH

Answer

Alpage de Corbyre is accessible by hike. If hiking from town, a group of us (led by Dan!) will meet at the Cry d’Er gondola station at 11 am. Otherwise, we'll meet you at Corbyre! For directions, search “Alpage de Corbyre” in Google Maps. The location is also circled in red marker in the enclosed hiking map.

Question

PASSPORT REQUIREMENTS FOR SWITZERLAND

Answer

This will differ by nationality. US passports need to be valid for at least six months after your planned date of *departure from the Schengen area* (which includes Switzerland).

Question

ARE CHILDREN INVITED?

Answer

While we adore your little ones, we’ve chosen for the welcome party and the wedding day to be adult-only. However, they're more than welcome to join for the fondue lunch on Friday! Please let us know if this is the case, so we can account for them in the numbers : ) If your children are traveling with you, childcare services are available at certain hotels, and Crans-Montana also offers a nursery for visitors and babysitting services: https://www.crans-montana.ch/en/family/babysitting/

Question

DO I NEED TO RENT A CAR?

Answer

You do not! Crans-Montana is one of the few Swiss ski resorts where you don’t need a car -- you can just catch the train from any airport to Sierre and hop on the funicular. (See detailed train booking info below.) The entire resort is easily walkable from end to end, and there is also a network of free shuttle buses throughout the resort.

Question

TRAIN BOOKING TIPS

Answer

If you have any questions at all, please don't hesitate to ask Pam or Dan. We're more than happy to help you to plan your travel — we love talking about this stuff! #1: SBB is the Swiss rail network; the easiest way to book is via the SBB mobile app. (You can also book on the website or at the station itself. Note that tickets tend to be more expensive day-of.) #2: Choose *Montana Gare* as your destination; this is the top of the funicular station, which drops you off directly in the Crans-Montana resort. #3: For your origin station, be sure you choose correctly: Geneve (city station) vs. Geneve-Aeroport (airport) Zurich HB (city station) vs. Zurich Flughafen (airport) #4: For ease of travel, we recommend choosing the connection with the fewest transfers (indicated by the little dots on the app). #5: Book early for huge savings; prices start to increase ~3 months out. For total flexibility to take *any train time within the selected day*, choose the "Point-to-Point Ticket (Standard Ticket)" or the "Saver Day Pass" -- this is perfect if you're not sure what time your flight will get in. The "Super Saver Ticket" is great if you know that you will definitely take that train time. #6: Kids under 6 ride for free, and kids ages 6-16 ride for only 16 CHF with the Children Day Pass (see SBB website for details). #7: First vs. second class: 2nd class is still a very nice experience; depending on the day, it may just be a bit more crowded or noisier (travel groups, kids, etc). 1st class has slightly larger seats, significantly larger tables for laptops, and is generally very quiet. (For most situations, 2nd class will be totally fine!)