THE JEWEL OF THE ALPS

Zermatt is a place I have visited for four decades and for me, it is the most magical place on earth.  The Matterhorn, or Mont Cervin standing 4,478 metres perhaps the most recognisable mountain in the world – which other mountain has a chocolate bar modelled after it?  To stand in the shadows of the Matterhorn, to listen to the wind and hear the ice crack as you spot a Marmot or mountain goat scurry away is captivating.  At night however, as the stars illuminate the north face of the mountain, so brightly one can reach upwards and feel they are within one’s grasp as the moon passes across the night sky, that is when Zermatt and the Matterhorn enchant the very core of your soul.

Skiers and langlaufers flock to this paradise every winter to enjoy unrivalled skiing and cross-country enhanced by the best mountain food available. Chez Vrony is perhaps one of the best and allows non-skiers the opportunity to trek up and join their skiing companions for lunch on a deck drenched in sunshine with mesmerising views of the Matterhorn. However, it is the food that sets Chez Vrony apart using its own organic products, made from animals nourished solely on Alpine grass; their cured meats, sausages and cheeses are all made to traditional recipes that have been passed down through the generations.  It is simply a place to enjoy heaven.

Heaven and the stars are key to spending a few nights at 3100 Kulm Gornergrat.  It is the highest hotel in the Swiss Alps and offers elegant accommodation but not luxurious.  The views over the Matterhorn, Monte Rosa and Briethorn all the way up to the Hörnli hut are beyond description.  You become part of the scenery, absorbed by the magnificence of all around you.  As a working observatory the night sky is indescribable, it is as close to the heavens as mortals can be.

Zermatt offers everyone the perfect destination. In winter it is a paradise of snow, mountains and blue skies yet in summer the pastures erupt into fields of wildflowers colouring the canvass of the lower slopes with their beauty and scent, it is a hikers delight.

Mark Peaker, 2022