Zermatt, Switzerland

Here we bring guests staying in one of our luxury ski chalets in Zermatt some tip-top information on where to find the very best mountain restaurants, the most scenic runs and the coolest cocktail bars. Read on for the definitively chic guide to skiing and chilling out in one of Switzerland's top resorts.

• THE RESORT
• THE RUNS
• OFF PISTE
• MOUNTAIN RESTAURANTS
• APRÈS SKI
• DINING OUT
• NIGHT LIFE

The resort

Resort height: 1620
Highest skiable run: 3899m
Nearest airport: Geneva or Zurich
Transfer time: 3 hrs 30 mins from Geneva,
4 hrs 30 mins from Zurich

Zermatt is the ultimate alpine ski resort. It has everything: fabulous skiing, mountain restaurants to die for, great après ski, excellent evening haunts and, of course, the Matterhorn. This Toblerone-shaped triangular peak soars majestically over the resort and never fails to impress, whichever way you look at it. Zermatt, too, is car free and populated by ladies in floor-length fur coats being pulled round in horse-drawn sleighs. It’s magical and oldy-worldy.

The runs
Each area has its glories, and Zermatt specialists Mountain Exposure have various recommendations. On Rothorn, you have the Chamois (No. 16) and the Marmotte (No.17), with breath-taking or heart-stopping plunging views on the village far below. Much further down, don’t miss the Rio resort run (No. 20) if it’s open. The entry is hard to spot, off the left side of run No. 4 from Sunnegga to Patrullarve.

Beyond Hohtalli there are the legendary Triftji and Stockhorn. This entire mountain with its 1,200m of vertical is steep and challenging and mogulled. Runs No. 34, 33, 32, 31, 30 and 25. The Mittelritz (No. 30), is a real test of endurance but it is not usually open before late January.

On Schwarzsee, you have three glorious tree runs: the Hermetji (58), the Tiefbach (59) and the Mamatt (60). All three are deceptively easy to start with, but then get progressively tougher and steeper as they plunge among trees, down gulleys in-between cliffs. The author’s favourite run in the world is the Tiefbach on a good day.

Away-from-it-all runs, varying from red to just blue, include the number 15 Kumme, 9 Tuftern, 19 Fluhalp, 28 White Hare, 27 Balmbrunnen, 29 Kelle, 51 White Pearl, 52 Stafelalp, 69 Matterhornpiste and the number 7 Ventina (from Testa Grigia to Cervinia). ^

Off-piste

Everything yellow on the piste map offers fabulous off-piste. All the yellows (known as unprepared descent routes or itineraries) used to be black, before the resort became wary of legal bees. They are made avalanche safe but are otherwise left ungroomed and unpatrolled. This renders them all the more challenging, with the additional benefit that after a snowfall they become the perfect free-ride domain. Most of these runs only open from late January onward, when the snow cover builds up sufficiently. The prime ones would be Hohtalli/Stockhorn, whose entire face is skiable; the Schwarzsee area for tree skiing; the Rothorn face (again, the whole mountain is skiable and this is also one of the best places for spring corn) and the Garten back bowls. The smooth and gentle slopes beside the Matterhon run (No. 69) are ideal for beginner powder skiers.

Zermatt is also a leading centre for heli-skiing, with Air Zermatt being Europe’s biggest heli-ski operation. The drop on the Monte-Rosa is an unforgettable experience. Neighbouring Cervinia, on the other side of the Matterhorn, also has a helicopter operation which is allowed to land on an even larger number of peaks, with glacier routes back to Zermatt. The Alpine Centre in the main street of the resort will book a mountain guide for you, who in turn will arrange all the details. ^

Mountain restaurants
Zermatt is probably the best resort in the Alps for excellent on-mountain eating. A collection of restaurants has sprung up in the tiny hamlet of Findeln which produce the most stunning food, despite the altitude and out-of-the-wayness. Chez Vrony is possibly the best: stunning views of the Matterhorn from its terrace, gorgeous branded blankets to wrap yourself in if you get chilly, and delicious mountain fare such as local cheeses and cold meats and steaming hot soups. Check out, too, the cramped but cosy Findlerhof, also known as Franz & Heidi’s, while Restaurant Zum See in the teeny-tiny slope-side hamlet of Zum See is another hard-to-find spot serving up fabulous nosh. Then there is Fluhalp (serving scallops with fresh asparagus, osso bucco, and a great Irish band creating a party atmosphere); Al Bosco at Riffelalp (a chic 5 star terrace with tablecloths and linen napkins); as well as Blatten (a rustic hut with excellent food, ranging from risotto with crayfish to cep soup en croute). The Stafelalp, right under the Matterhorn, also has a breathtaking location and is famous for its bison steak.

Book the Gourmet Ski Guide for a fabulous mountain restaurant service: they will advise on restaurant choice, book tables and make sure you find your hidden gem on time. They’ll even alert you with a weather report each morning and will tailor your dining itinerary to fit. ^

AprÈs ski
For a relaxed and stylish après spot, recline on one of the deer skin-covered benches outside the chic Champagne Bar on the narrow home-run down from Sunnegga. Just don’t ski too fast or you will miss it. The slinky new Cervo Hotel just further down the run is also a fabulous spot with a sun-drenched terrace that has a live band every day. Alternatively, head for Olympia Stubli and have a hot chocolate with rum while listening to live music on the sun deck. For a raucous tea-time bop, head for the Hennu Stall, where there is plenty of dancing to live music on its large terrace (and people often feel inclined to undress, for some reason). The designer Blue Lounge at Blauherd is also new for the 2011 season and is fast becoming a favoured stylish après joint for beautiful people.

For a pre-prandial post-ski drink in town, head to The Papperla Pub where a live band plays everything you want to hear. This is the main après-ski party bar in town and between 5pm-7pm you will find lively crowds spilling out onto the street. Or alternatively check out Elsie’s Bar in Church Square, a lively oysters-and-caviar spot near the Hotel Monte Rosa. It is a quaint, tiny old chalet which has been converted into a bar and restaurant and offers everything from oysters to 100 year old brandy. The Snowboat is also a new, cool hang-out in town, a designer boat house with a large rooftop deck by the river designed by hot Zermatt architect Heinz Julen. Good for late night drinks too. ^

Dining out
For your chalet chef’s night off, you might try The Hotel Post's Spaghetti Factory, where you can build your own pizza, or the Schafferstubli in the Hotel Julen, which offers legendary lamb and fondues. Other top eateries include Chez Heini (grilled local lamb, Dan the owner sings his own songs), the Heimberg, (postmodern Alpine decor, surprise menus, huge wine list), Le Gitan, (grilled prawns and meats), the Japanese Myoko, (set in a charming old chalet, sushi and teppanyaki), or the Corbeau d'Or (serious French gourmet cooking). ^

Night life
Hang out with the ice-cool crowd at Vernissage, the bar-cum-gallery-cum cinema, opposite the ice rink. The Alex Lounge is also good for the mellow set. Or you could have a cocktail at the swish Scottish-themed Edward's Bar, in the historic Hotel Monte Rosa, the hotel from where Edward Whymper set off in 1865 to become the first to climb the Matterhorn. For a bit more life, the Hotel Post is the place to head for. It incorporates several bars (and thus something for everyone) from The Pink, an atmospheric R&B live music bar to the Brown Cow Pub, the Broken Bar Disco, the Loft Club Lounge and Papa Ceasar’s Lounge Bar. The Snowboat is also good for late night cocktail quaffing, while the Heimberg behind the Monte Rosa hotel has the most beautiful post-modern alpine décor and has a really slinky bar.

The fab five

luxury hot chocolate Hot chocolate
Boite au Chocolat
(on the high street)

blue run skiing Cruisey blue
No. 6 Easy
run from Sunnegga to Findeln

scenic ski run: matterhorn Terrace
with a view
Chez Vrony

scenic ski run Scenic run
No. 5
Eisfluh from Sunnegga

mountain restaurant lunch Lazy lunch
Fluhalp

10 resort facts

1 Highest skiable runGobba di Rollin 3899m
2 Highest lift New panoramic lift on Matterhorn glacier paradise 3883m
3 Lowest lift Zermatt-Sunnegga valley station 1599m
4 Vertical drop 2299m
5 Number of lifts 60
6 Patrolled piste 350 km (incl Cervinia)
7 Longest pisted run Matterhorn glacier paradise to Zermatt 22km
8 Longest itinerary run10.1km
9 Type of runs
blue 22%
red 60%
black 6%
yellow freeride 12%
10 Cost of a week’s lift pass CHF371 (approx) for adult 6 day ski pass

the chic
chalet guide collection of luxury chalets
in zermatt

For anyone wanting to book one of our luxury ski chalets in Zermatt for their winter holiday, here is our exclusive collection:

• Chalet Les Anges
• Chalet Gemini
• Chalet Heidi
• Heinz Julen Penthouse
• The Lodge
• The Loft
• Chalet Maurice
• Chalet Zanana
• Chalet Zen

See summary details for all our Zermatt chalets to quickly get essential chalet information and easily compare the chalets to each other.

Read our guide to Summer in the Alps and see which of our luxury Zermatt chalets stay open for the summer season.

If you would like to
make an enquiry or
a booking, please
email enquiries at chicchaletguide.co.uk,
or telephone
+44 (0)7772 853996. ^

ESSENTIALS

• cool tips
• Ski school and mountain guides
• How to get there
• children
• Non-skiers
• zermatt chic chalets
• maps, passes, weather & webcams
• zermatt directory and contacts

The Chic Chalet Guide cool tips

Two words: Chez Vrony. Very probably our all-time favourite mountain restaurant. Anywhere. Don’t miss it.

If you like hot chocolate, go to Bontadini. It is actually in Italy but is skiable from Zermatt, only one lift away in Cervinia. It is famous for very thick, stand-your-spoon-up-in dark chocolate.

Don’t forget Cervinia, the Italian side of the resort. No. 4 run is amazing, especially early in the morning in spring, and there are always fewer people on it than back over in Zermatt.

Restaurant Moos has a fantastic Matterhorn view, the best Jager tea around, and is on the way up to/down from Furi, in the middle of real true-life Zermatt farms.

No. 62 Furgg-Furi is one of the few blacks, but only really classed as a black as it is one of only two ways to ski down from Klein Matterhorn at the end of the day. Stay up at the Testa Grigia refuge drinking hot bombardinos and watching the sun set, then ski the longest run down in Europe (3480m down to 1670m).

If you want to experience an ancient, wooden cable car, try the one up the No.33 Triftji run. It takes you across the mountains from Hohtälli to Rote Nase and is pretty special.

Sample some marmotte at Les Marmottes, high above Furi. You can ski to it or walk from Furi lift station and, oh yes, it serves real, furry marmotte. It has a really nice terrace too, and you can also hire the old gondola from Zermatt to Furi to take you up in the evening and then sledge down. ^

Ski school & mountain guides
Stoked has the best VIP ski guides. European Snowsports (ES) are also good and look very smart in their black and red uniforms, while Summit come highly recommended by our chalets too. Minttu Viitanen, the Finnish junior racing champion, now turned freeride expert, has lived in Zermatt for years and is also popular. ^

How to get there
There is not much in it, but Geneva sneaks in ahead of Zurich as the nearest airport. The tourist board recommends allowing four hours for train transfers from Geneva, and five hours from Zurich; or 3.5 hours drive from Geneva and 4.5 hours drive from Zurich. The best way up to resort is definitely using the ever-punctual Swiss trains. From Geneva airport there’s a number of different options. Usually you’ll need to change trains once, but the quickest route is often to change twice (journey times vary from 3hr38min to 4hr07min). The best value ticket for a return journey, which can be pre booked, is a Swiss Transfer Ticket.

Alphubel have the best cars and the smartest drivers, and are the most reliable but are slightly more expensive than the others. Zermatt is hard to get permission to fly into and Air Zermatt has it pretty sewn up, but Whitetracks also run heli transfers. ^

Children
Zermatt is surprisingly child-friendly. A ride on the Gornergrat Railway, a real rack railway that winds its way slowly up the Riffelberg, is a great experience for children. Then there is the Glacier Palace, hidden within the mountain and the highest glacier palace in the world, at 3883m (after a ride to the highest cable car station in Europe). Or you could check out Zermatlantis, at the Matterhorn Museum where you can actually see the rope that cost the lives of four men on the first ascent of the famous peak. ^

Non-skiers
Zermatt has plenty of fabulous shops to explore. There is also an excellent day spa in town at the Mont Cervin hotel. The Zermatt museum sited under the glass dome of the former casino is also worth a visit, taking you back in history through state-of-the-art presentations so you can experience the old world of Zermatt including the terrifying first ascent of the Matterhorn. Lunch in one of the many fabulous mountain restaurants is also a must, and many are accessible via the lift system. Paragliding, snow-shoeing and ice skating are also all on offer, as well as heli-trips with Air Zermatt to get a bird’s eye view of the resort, and a ride in a horse-drawn coach.

An independent guide to luxury ski chalets

Zermatt, Switzerland

The fab five

10 resort facts

ESSENTIALS

The Chic Chalet Guide cool tips