Switzerland, Zermatt: Hiking, Matterhorn & Gornergrat

The Arrival

Flight-Train-Bus-Train

Dear visitors of Mademoiselle Le K: Blog-Trotter, I missed you! I’m back in the blog and also in the beautiful Swiss Alps: my first time in the canton of Valais more exactly! On the way to Zermatt. The trip was a bit long, due to a technical problem of the express train taken at Zurich airport.

I got on the next train, without checking it was not an express train! Then, there was a bus section between two train stations, because of a significant snowfall. The landscapes are gorgeous and trains very comfortable.

Moreover, I recommend to take the Swiss Pass that allows unlimited train, coach and boat trips, valid for the duration of your stay. And perfect in case of unforeseen.

The Hiking

Breathtaking Views

We are in the highest ski area in the Alps. But I will not ski today. We leave the village for a winter hike through ski slopes and postcard hamlets.

First step: 40 minutes walk crossing the slopes from Sunnegga to Findeln (without any difficulty). We will have lunch at Findeln. Then we will continue until Zermatt: more and less one hour of slope with a good uneven and part in the woods and frozen snow.

The landscape beauty makes me super euphoric, even if I can feel my glute muscles work hard! I am convinced in hiking, walking down always requires more effort (lol)!

    

Feeding The Body And Mind

Panoramic Lunch

on the mountainside at the Findlerhof restaurant. We decided to stay out on the terrace to enjoy the 180 degree view. But the weather is changing.

Time to have my tuna sashimi with green salad (what an idea! Light meal after an evening of fondue orgy!). I’m freezing cold (photos below)! LOL!

  

Magic Gornergrat

An Ocean of Snow

If you like trains, you should definitely try the Gornergrat Bahn. The Gornergrat is the third largest glacier in the Alps.

When we take on the train, the weather is bad in Zermatt. I was afraid that it was also covered, once arrived at destination. But as the train goes up, the sky is more and more blue with a bright sun. 

  

The Famous Matterhorn

A Very Capricious Friend!

The Matterhorn is a real diva! In the early morning we reached the Rothorn to enjoy a direct view of the Matterhorn and the landscape stretching from the peak of the Dufourspitze (the highest peak of the Swiss Alps) to the Weisshorn.

But the clouds decided otherwise, not once I could admire the summit of the Matterhorn. Ditto this afternoon (photos above and below), this time from the Gornergrat to 3100 meters.

  

The Hinterdorf

 

A Walk In Past

I really enjoyed walking in the old Zermatt, the Hinterdorf, with granaries, barns and stables built between the 15th and 19th centuries. The set is quite small, but has a lot of character. 

And for those who need their dose of shopping, do not worry, you will find your happiness in Zermatt!

  

The Cultural Break

The Matterhorn Museum – Zermatlantis

Small museum in the center of the village, close to the Grand Hotel Zermatterhof (soon an article on the blog and last photo below).

I discovered many things about the Matterhorn and life of the Zermatt inhabitants in previous centuries, including the evolution of materials and technics. Very interesting, without being boring.

To be continued …

Photos : © Mademoiselle Le K – Tous droits réservés

Informations  

Zermatt TourismValais, www.MySwitzerland.comSWISSSwiss Travel System (STS)Grand Hotel Zermatterhof, Findlerhof, Matterhorn Museum – Zermatlantis

Related posts : DESTINATIONS & HOTEL REVIEWS

Many thanks to Zermatt Tourisme, Valais/Wallis promotion, Switzerland Tourism, SWISS et Swiss Travel System (STS) for this beautiful invitation. Thank you to the Grand Hotel Zermatterhof. As always, these are my opinions.

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