If you are considering going to Switzerland to ski Zermatt, you’re right on track. Known best as the location for the Matterhorn, Zermatt is a quiet town where nature is calling your name and the skiing is pristine.
The electrified town of Zermatt is a beautiful place that you only can get to by train. It is void of any gasoline powered vehicles so the air is clean, adding to the serenity that can only be found in the Swiss alps. Bring your appetite and your wallet to this place because the food is outstanding, and the prices are well, Swiss.
Situated on the border of Switzerland and Italy, skiers can enjoy pistes in both countries assuming the weather is clear, and the wind is low. If the wind is too high, the lift operators work quickly to remove the chairs and gondolas from the cables and store them in bunkers carved into the mountain side. I remember skiing down one particular slope and by the time that I had reached the bottom all the chairs had come off the cable from the chairlift that I had just rode up the hill on. It is unpredictable and happens quickly.
If you venture to Italy, do so cautiously and be prepared because you may get stuck there overnight and rumor has it that a taxi back could be 500 euros. Despite, this you invariably eat well and of course enjoy the apres ski or sometimes it just a long lunch slope-side. Where else can you eat fondue while taking a selfie with the Toblerone mountain (The Matterhorn) as the backdrop in almost all your pictures?
Zermatt is definitely a family oriented mountain and conditions can vary from the icy nature of Vermont to the powdery conditions of Utah. It all depends on the weather. What doesn’t change is the food and in particular the lamb knuckle served at the Hotel Julen. It’s fantastic and makes up for any unpleasant conditions on the mountain.
Things to Know
You can take the train straight from the Geneva or Zurich airports into Zermatt with just one connection. The ride is easy and the trains are comfortable with plenty of room for your luggage. If you are staying at a hotel, they will pick you up right at the train station, which is on the edge of town, but it’s a short walk if you are staying in a vacation rental, like we did.
