At more than 4,000 feet above sea level, the French-speaking resort of Crans-Montana commands a broad view across the Rhône Valley to the peaks of the Valaisan Alps, and its grassy and wooded plateau gets the benefit of the area's sunshine and fresh air. Said to have air “lighter than Champagne”, Crans-Montana was put on the map by Dr. Théodore Stéphani who, after his visit in 1896, recommended it to all his tuberculosis patients. The scene has changed since then—the sick patients replaced by a young, international jet-set crowd and the architecture squarely in the modern arena. An excellent snowfall and year-round sunshine ensure that the Crans-Montana hotel scene is never drab. The Caprices music festival with an eclectic international lineup is not to be missed in April. Behind the towns, the Rohrbachstein (9,686 feet), the Gletscherhorn (9,653 feet), and the Wildstrubel (10,637 feet) combine to create a complex of challenging ski slopes—access to which is easily gained through any of the Crans-Montana hotels. Below find a list of our selection of boutique and luxury hotels in Crans-Montana.