Mont Lachaux is the name given to the Crans-Montana women's World Cup speed ski course, opened in 1987 for the FIS Alpine World Ski Championships held here that year. The course drops from the mid-mountain terrain above Montana down through a fast, wide-open section that suits the clean, carving technique of modern speed events. The championship in 1987 was a significant moment for Swiss skiing — it brought global attention to a resort better known for its golf and luxury than its race heritage.
The course is used for training and recreational skiing the rest of the season — it is one of the wider, faster pistes on the mountain and popular with strong intermediate and advanced skiers who want sustained high-speed terrain. On race days in FIS calendar years it is closed to recreational skiers for the event window, but for most of the season it is simply an excellent long red run with good views across the Rhône Valley.