Sierre’s station houses the tourist office (July, Aug & Dec–April daily 8am–7pm; rest of year Mon–Fri 8am–noon & 2–6pm, Sat 8am–noon; 027/455 85 35, www.sierre-salgesch.ch). With Crans Montana close by, they have plenty of information about the skiing and hiking possibilities round and about, as well as on the Val d’Anniviers. Ask about their hotel deals, which offer three nights for the price of two in the low season. Opposite is the post office (CH-3960), while the station for Montana – base of the longest funicular in Switzerland (4.2km) – is two minutes’ walk away, left onto the main Avenue Général-Guisan outside the station. Rhône Rafting (027/455 87 55) operate pleasant, easygoing riverrafting on a 24km stretch to the west between Chippis and Riddes (May–Oct; Fr.80–100), as well as a tougher white-water 10km stretch upstream between Susten and Chippis (June–Aug; Fr.80).

There’s camping in the Forêt de Finges (027/455 02 84; April–Oct). Of the hotels, basic De La Poste, east of the station (027/455 10 03, fax 455 86 35; a), has a choice of en-suite and shared-bath rooms, while the unrenovated Terminus opposite the station (027/455 11 40, fax 455 23 14; b–c) is comfortable (ask for the quieter back rooms) and has a good restaurant and bistro attached. If you head behind the station and down to the small Lac de Géronde, on the way you’ll pass a handful of basic auberges, including the Promenade (027/456 34 04, fax 456 57 34; a), with spartan shared-bath rooms. On the lake itself is the pleasant La Grotte (027/455 46 46, fax 455 14 37), a terrace restaurant known only to the locals, serving spectacularly good fish (menus Fr.25), with a handful of comfortable, characterful rooms upstairs (a–b).