Tag Archives: Leisure

Switzerland: Skiing and Gastronomy in Saas-Fee

Stunning Landscapes

  

Ever Heard of the Alpin Metro?

After Zermatt, here I am in Saas-Fee, where I discover with wonder the slopes of the snowiest Swiss resort. A snow ocean under bright blue sky! What an amazing brightness! This morning, I follow my ski instructor of the Esquimos skiing school, in the Alpine Metro! I’ve never been before! On the slope, the stunning landscape and the quality of snow make me euphoric.

For lunch, we go to the Mittelallalin restaurant, the highest revolving restaurant in the world at 3’500 meters above sea level, with panoramic view of the glaciers (photos below:1, 2, 3, 4 and 5). Then we visit the Ice Pavilion to have a look at the 2000-year-old ice.

In practice, you go deep into the glacier. The air becomes scarce (missing oxygen, I think). So we move less and look at the impressive sculptures of ice (below: photos 6, 7 and 8). It is recommended not to stay more than 15 minutes. Moreover, the climb seems to me more difficult than the descent (photo below, 9).

     

Back To The Hotel

  

Gourmet Dinner

The afternoon is already well underway, when I bring back my rented ski equipment to the shop. I head to the spa of my hotel, the Fienart Resort. I swim a bit and then fell asleep on a deckchair, before dinner at the gourmet restaurant of the Hotel Schweizerhof, Le Hofsaal.

More than just a dinner, an experience. I recommend the “14 Gault Millau Points menu of the Schweizerhof“. I tested the 7-course version. The portions are small (photo montage below). And everything was delicious plus something new: my table facing the snow (above right photo)! Lol! 

Photos : © Mademoiselle Le K – Tous droits réservés.

Informations    

Eskimos Skiing School, Le Hofsaal restaurant, Saas-FeeValais, www.MySwitzerland.comSWISSSwiss Travel System (STS)

Related posts : DESTINATIONS & HOTEL REVIEWS

Many thanks to Saas Fee, Valais/Wallis promotion, Switzerland Tourism, SWISS and Swiss Travel System (STS) for this beautiful invitation. As always, these are my opinions.

The Grand Hotel Zermatterhof

  

A Suite With A View

By Night & Day

I like hotels with a history, the palaces that can reinvent themselves, while maintaining a charm of yesteryear. What a great pleasure to discover my Junior suite at the Grand Hotel Zermatterhof (1879), with wood panels in the entrance and separate dressing room! Photo-montage below: photos 1 and 2, well equipped entrance with coffee maker and mini bar. 

The hotel is located in the center of the village of Zermatt, a stone’s throw from the Matterhorn Museum – Zermatlantis and shopping streets. The first two photos of the article (above): the magnificent views (from my bed and living room) of the village and ubiquitous mountain. Another big crush: the chic contemporary bathroom! The rooms have been recently renovated. 

The lovely detail: the Pillow Menu to test my natural laziness (lol)! Unfortunately with my busy program, I will not have time to stop at the spa!

  

The Restaurants

Dinner At The Say Cheese!

A fondue with champagne and truffles at the Say Cheese! One of the three restaurants of the Grand Hotel Zermatterhof, specially dedicated to cheese. The dishes are delicious (photo above and photo montage below). The hot bread (which we cut by square) to dip in the fondue, is amazing!

The minimalist interior design made with stone and wood is warm. The service is perfect and the atmosphere is young. Definetly, THE address where to dine in Zermatt. 

La Brasserie Lusi

In the photo-montage below: 1, my favorite restaurant, the Say Cheese! 2 & 5. Another restaurant of the hotel, the Brasserie Lusi. After the cheese orgy of the day before, I had a tasty light dinner in a classic setting! 3 & 4. Light breakfasts (too) under the glass roof of the Brasserie Lusi. 6. The coat of arms of Zermatt: Prato Borni (is also the name of the gourmet restaurant of the Grand Hotel Zermatterhof).

Photos : © Mademoiselle Le K – Tous droits réservés

Informations  

Grand Hotel ZermatterhofZermatt TourismValais, www.MySwitzerland.comSWISSSwiss Travel System (STS)

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.

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.