A Swiss Summer That Works for the Whole Family — Crans-Montana with Powder Byrne

There is a particular kind of family holiday that parents talk about for years afterwards. Not because everything went smoothly, but because everyone had the holiday they needed. The children came home with new friendships and a confidence that wasn't there before. The parents came home rested. That is the promise of a Powder Byrne summer in Crans-Montana, and it is one this operator has been delivering for 40 years.

Set on a sunny plateau at 1,500 metres, Crans-Montana sits above the Rhône Valley in the heart of the Swiss Valais, ringed by forests, mountain lakes and the jagged white peaks of the Alps. In summer, when the ski slopes have given way to wildflower meadows and open hiking trails, it becomes one of Switzerland's finest mountain escapes — and a much quieter, cooler alternative to the crowded coastline.

Crans-Montana: A destination worth choosing

Crans-Montana's plateau is laced with hiking and cycling trails for every level, mountain lakes invite swimming and watersports on warm afternoons, and the village itself — with its terraced restaurants, boutiques and easy alpine pace — makes for effortless evenings. The Valais Alps have a way of making even a simple walk feel like an achievement.

The base for this experience is the Crans Ambassador Hotel. Accommodation is in two interconnecting Alpina Deluxe rooms — generous, comfortable and arranged with travelling families in mind — on a bed and breakfast basis.

Powder Byrne's children's programmes: their holiday, not just yours

What sets a Powder Byrne summer apart is what happens between breakfast and dinner. Rather than supervised childcare, Powder Byrne runs age-specific programmes that give children their own adventure — completely parallel to the family holiday, and often the highlight of it.

The Scallywags programme (4-8 years old) fills the days with gentle nature walks, mountain biking, woodland treasure hunts, swimming at lakeside beach and art and crafts, run by Powder Byrne's experienced staff in the mountain surroundings. For older children The Zone (8-11 years old), the focus shifts, depending on the resort, children can enjoy activities including downhill mountain biking, hiking, rock climbing, canyoning and sailing on alpine lakes. For teenagers, the Adventure Academy have their own dedicated experience, built around independence, social connection and the kind of memories that don't come from following a family itinerary.

Children arrive each morning eager to rejoin their groups. By the end of the week, they leave with new friendships, new skills and stories that tend to take over dinner.

Programmes run for children from 4 months to teens. A private nanny is available on request for families who need additional support, particularly for the youngest guests.

For parents: the mountain is yours

With the children genuinely engaged from morning onwards, the day belongs to you — and Crans-Montana gives you real options. The resort's hiking network ranges from panoramic ridge walks to gentle forest paths; mountain bikes can be hired for longer exploration. Watersports on the mountain lakes, guided excursions into the Valais, or a spa afternoon at the hotel: the rhythm of the day is yours to set.

Evenings are when the holiday settles into its best shape. Families come together over dinner, children animatedly recounting the day's adventures, parents properly refreshed for the first time in as long as they can remember. These are the moments that define a great family holiday — and they are surprisingly easy to find here.

The Powder Byrne Crans-Montana package

From €13,915 for a family of four

4 nights at Crans Ambassador Hotel from 1–8 August, 2026.

Includes: two interconnecting Alpina Deluxe rooms (bed and breakfast basis), Powder Byrne resort services, and two places in the Scallywags programme.

Powder Byrne's resort services are included in the package, ensuring that the logistics — transfers, local knowledge, seamless coordination between the children's programmes and family time — are handled without fuss.

Private nanny available on request.

Places are limited. Enquire now to check availability and secure your family's summer.

Powder Byrne is a British luxury travel company that has spent more than 40 years mastering one thing: family holidays in the Alps that work brilliantly for everyone. Their hallmark is a suite of expert children's programmes — catering from babies to teens — that run in parallel to the adult experience, so parents can actually enjoy the destination they came for. Think of it as the white-glove version of a family ski or summer holiday, where the logistics, the childcare and the experiences are all handled by people who genuinely know what families need.