Tag Archives: Swiss Alps

The Grand Hotel Zermatterhof

Posted on April 2, 2018 | Leave a comment

  

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 Zermatterhof, Zermatt Tourism, Valais, www.MySwitzerland.com, SWISS, Swiss 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.

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Switzerland, Zermatt: Hiking, Matterhorn & Gornergrat

Posted on March 30, 2018 | Leave a comment

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 Tourism, Valais, www.MySwitzerland.com, SWISS, Swiss 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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Switzerland, Graubünden: Skiing & Scenery (Days 3 & 4)

Posted on March 31, 2017 | Leave a comment

Skiing From Lenzerheide To Arosa

 

A Very Changing Weather

After an evening skiing until 11 pm, this morning the alarm clock is a beat too “harsh”! Back with my instructor on Lenzerheide‘s slopes in the direction of Arosa … if the weather allows us! I really like in Switzerland the bus stops at ski lifts scattered in nature! Everything is thought for skiing, the mountain is a real lifestyle!

I begin the crossing by the discovery of the T-bar tow! It is for two persons and you have to place a T-shaped bar under the buttocks. You don’t sit, but legs are slightly bent and skis must remain parallel. Pretty impressive, but very nice too! And you really can enjoy the beautiful scenery!

On arrival, we are in front of with this small structure (photo 1 below), where a friendly man checks our ski pass. Then we take this track surrounded by giant pines (2) which leads us to more difficult tracks. Later, we are supposed to take a cable car to cross the pass that allows to reach Arosa.

Too much wind, the cable car is temporarily closed: we have to wait in a restaurant of altitude (3) … in vain. The weather gets worse and we have to go down back to the foot of the slopes. We will have lunch with the rest of our small group! The issue, we are at the top of the slopes for experienced skiers (when I am a beginner!). Imagine the incline and worse, I’m tired! Finally (!) we arrive at the restaurant and I order a salad (4).

The hope: the weather improves and this time we go up with different cable cars to be sure to be able to cross the pass for Arosa. At the top, the weather changes again between blue skies, clouds and violent wind (photos above and below).

 

 

Arosa, Here We Are!

Awesome Views In Late Afternoon

I took the cable car with two British friends, to get down to the Arosa station. While the other three decided to arrive in ski and snowboard. Once all together, we head to the hotel, where our luggage (transported by taxi) await us. Great organization and  panoramic view from my room (the last two photos below).

On the picture montage: 1, selfie in the kitsch corridors of the Sunstar Alpine Hotel, before a very lively dinner where we laughed a lot! 2, the next morning, fantastic view of the Alps from Mount Weisshorn. 3, Mural painting of the Weisshorngipfelrestaurant. And 4. On the train to Zurich airport.

A Buure Z’Morga At Mount Weisshorn

Woke Up At Dawn

We take the first cable car at 8:20 am for a delicious Buure Z’Morga (huge “farmer breakfast”) in the panoramic restaurant Weisshorngipfelrestaurant at 2653 meters above sea level! We are the first customers in the nice minimalist interior design. The brunch is excellent with local specialties (including cheeses and breads). The view of the Alps at dawn is breathtaking (photos above and below)! 

  

 

Back To Zurich By Train

 

It snows

Yes it is, as every time I leave a ski resort (like a magical ritual, lol)! After a quick stop at the hotel to change us and retrieve our luggage, we take the famous red train from Arosa to Chur. Then another kind of trains from Chur to Zurich airport. The mood is contemplative, gorgeous landscapes! Bye bye intimate Graubünden, I will be back!

 

 

 

 

Photos & Vidéos : © Mademoiselle Le K – Tous droits réservés.

Informations  

Graubünden Ferien, Ferienregion Lenzerheide, Arosa Tourism, SWISS, Swiss Travel System (STS), Switzerland Tourism, Biathlon Arena Lenzerheide, SnowNights

Related posts : DESTINATIONS & HOTEL REVIEWS

Many thanks to the Graubünden Ferien, Lenzerhaide, Arosa, Switzerland Tourism, SWISS and Swiss Travel System (STS) for this beautiful invitation. As always, these are my opinions.

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