Zermatt Times – Issue 1, Winter 2012/13

Issue 1 : Winter 2012

Into the Wild BACKCOuNTRy ADVENTuRES

Through the Keyhole LuXuRy CHALETS FOR DISCERNING FAMILIES

Valais Secret Vintages LOCAL VINTAGES TO EXPLORE

INSIDE: APRÉS SKI | FACES OF ZERMATT | FOOD & WINE | WISH LIST | EVENTS | PHOTOGRAPHy

CONTENTS

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Fresh Pow

News from around the village

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ABS and Snowpulse

Into the Wild

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Adventures that open up the Backcountry

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Avalanche protection systems

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that might just save your life

Etiquette on the Piste

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Our guide to being considerate on the ski slopes

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Probably the Longest Après Ski Run in the World

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Where to go as the ski day draws to a close

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Featured Photographer

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Zermatt legend Chris Patient

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tells us a little bit about himself

Through the Keyhole

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Family chalet holidays in style

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A Rare Interview with Wolli

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Learn about the life of Zermatt’s favourite sheep

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The Matterhorn Guardian

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We talk with Kurt Lauber about life up the Hörnli hut

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Valais Secret Vintages

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Exploring some of the delectable local wines

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Lunch Logistics

The amazing achievement of transporting

your lunch up to the mountain restaurants.

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Fresh Tracks Bars and Restaurants

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Latest offerings from establishments in

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town and on the mountain.

The Bucket List

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Some unusual activities we recommend you try

2

Wish List

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Products we love

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The sign

of a good day!

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I

t’s hard to pinpoint what exactly about Zermatt captivates travellers and continues to call them back year after year. Perhaps it is the superb skiing and unparalleled gastronomy on the piste. Perhaps it is the range of upscale hotels, spas and chalets. Could it be the pure high altitude mountain air kept pristine due to the village being car free? Perhaps it is the youthful energy that the village seems to generate. Or quite possibly, it’s the most photographed mountain in the world, towering above the village, the Matterhorn. One thing is for sure: Zermatt is the kind of place you can always spend a little more time.

The 300 days of sunshine a year creates perfect conditions to view the herculean landscape. This includes a third of the total 4000m peaks in the Alps, all surrounding this small village. Thirty eight of them in total. A mecca for mountaineers since the 19th century, Zermatt draws sports enthusiasts from all over the world. Be prepared to see adrenaline junkies at every turn. Skiers and snowboarders play in the fresh powder while others enjoy the fabulous gastronomy, in our humble opinion the best in the world. Whatever category you find yourself in, it is safe to say no other holiday will compare with the breathtaking serenity found here.

Over a million tourists flock to Zermatt each year. A pretty chocolate box town with narrow streets and houses dating back to the 18th century. Patios spill onto the pedestrian streets, with people wielding skis and snowboards in the day, usually laying them outside one of the many bars in the early evening for an après session.

And at night, the four clubs keep partygoers carousing until the wee hours.

The Zermatt Times is your new source of information for all things Zermatt.

We cover a range of fascinating topics from extreme skiing to the myths and history of this special town.

In this issue we take you into the Wild, exploring the possibilities for adventure beyond the piste. We offer a glimpse of the interiors of some of the beautiful chalets where you can enjoy an all inclusive family holiday. Kurt Lauber, who has looked after the Hörnli Hut for the past eighteen years, tells us about life right under the summit of the Matterhorn. You can learn about the wine varieties that are specific to the Valais in our Secret Vintages feature. And much more.

Our Fresh Pow and Fresh Tracks news will keep you up to date with the latest events and happenings around town and on the mountain.

And don’t miss the interview with Wolli… Zermatt’s favourite sheep!

Eat, cheer and be merry in Zermatt!

Many happy returns,

Amanda Wilson and Sara Randell Editors

www.zermatttimes.com

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impressum 2

Administration and Conception: email: info@zermatttimes.com

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Editorial: Amanda Wilson amanda@zermatttimes.com Sara Randell sara@zermatttimes.com

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Special thanks to all our Contributors: Front cover: Chris Patient: Ski Photographer Kurt Lauber: Matterhorn Guardian Dan Daniell: Wolli Interview Chris Banford: Artist

Read this magazine online at zermatttimes.com

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Into the

Wild

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Z

ermatt is one of the top ski destinations in the world, a temporary home to over three million visitors each year. The village itself buzzes with activity. Just beyond the village, however, is that vast expanse of forest, rocks and snow. And while the efficiency of the lift system means it is rare to find a queue and the huge ski area allows skiers to spread across the mountain keeping pistes crowd free, sometimes you simply want to get even further away from it all. Whether it’s for the adrenaline rush of deep powder, or for the absolute tranquility of a place away from mechanized transportation, if you look a little further, if you know where to go, you can find both. In buckets.

Not far from the resort there lies a mass of untouched backcountry. Quickly you can find yourself a world away from the piste. The space is vast, fresh tracks through the powder are there to be drawn, and the only sound you hear is time slowing down. It is a true wild land, where the sheer size of it makes you feel very very small.

We are in the high mountains, much of the landscape is glacial and the reality of life or death situations does exist. It can be an inhospitable place. But in Zermatt we have a strong team of thoroughly trained Mountain Guides (see Alpine Center below) who know this wilderness like the backs of their own hands. Making use of their expertise will help ensure that you come home safely. Those that do venture out into the pristine wilderness properly prepared will return not only with huge smiles, but also with a sense of deep fulfillment and appreciation of nature.

There are many ways to explore the backcountry, the main distinction being with a helicopter or without. But whatever your budget and schedule, you will find an activity that suits your needs. Each method has its pros and cons, but either will give you the means to enjoy areas that a very small number of visitors will ever experience.

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vast

‘The space is VAST,

fresh tracks through the powder are there to be drawn, and the only sound you hear is time slowing down.’

Helicopter Adventures For sure, helicopters are expensive. However, on the cost versus time balance, they provide a great way to cover a lot of ground in a short amount of time. And at the same time as being the fastest way to get from the valley to the peak, the views from the air will probably be some of the most inspirational sights you ever see. Once you are deposited by the helicopter with your Guide towards the summit of an awe inspiring mountain, ahead of you lie a few good hours of riding high altitude fresh tracks all the way home to the village.

This is not only for experts. If you are an intermediate skier with fat skies, a good level of fitness and some experience of off-piste, it’s more than possible. A favourite excursion takes you high up the Monte Rosa glacier, where your Guide will lead you through outstanding scenery, across ice bridges, over seracs, and find magnificent descents of pristine powder (be sure to follow instructions to keep exactly to the areas specified by your Guide and make turns where you are instructed – there be man-eating crevasses up there!).

After a few hours of heaven, you pause for a 2810m refreshment at the remarkable Monte Rosa Hutte, before continuing your descent to the stunningly beautiful push across the glacier and eventually rejoin civilization just above Furi.

If this high mountain adventure of serene deep snow skiing sandwiched between heart pumping drop-offs and pick-ups throughout an idyllic heli-ski day sounds like your idea of heaven, then perhaps this is the season to take your skis to the skies. From www.zermatttimes.com

360,-chf per person Air-Zermatt turns dreams of untracked powder into reality. Bargain!

Without the Heli There are other means to access the wilderness beyond the piste that don’t require the expense of the helicopter. They do, as a consequence, demand more time. But the benefits are multiple. Not only do you escape to areas where nature rules, you experience the deep satisfaction (and get the exercise!) that comes from reaching them under your own steam.

Nature lovers who have the time and patience to see the terrain by non-motorised travel will be rewarded with an experience that transports you far away from 21st century distractions. Out here, your mind is free from clutter and your senses set free. Some may come to the backcountry as an escape from civilization, but maybe it is better to think of it as a return to your roots and a way to nurture your natural side.

And, crucially, non-motorised transportation opens up still more terrain. In an effort to preserve the natural beauty and wildlife for future generations, there are many areas where helicopters are prohibited from landing. Choosing to travel by foot will give you access to an unspoiled wilderness.

For the real deal backcountry experience without a heli, take a ski tour. The area around Zermatt opens up its treasures to those with a set of touring skis (these can be hired from Dorsaz) and a spirit for 9

exploration (and a good level of fitness). Far from civilization, the terrain can be intimidating, so for your peace of mind and safety a Mountain Guide is a must. Weaving through a massive glacier with its wonderful ice formations and frozen rivers to reach swathes of untouched powder, your Guide will take you on a journey you will never forget. Or take the challenge and tour up the Breithorn, your first fourthousander, then ski down the awesome Schwarztor to Furi, in half a day.

Yet another way to remove yourself from civilization is to follow the white magic of a snowshoe trail. Snowshoeing was a mode of getting around that was developed by our ancestors (though modern versions of the equipment are satisfyingly high-tech) and it opens up unspoiled winter wonderlands far from the pistes. If you can walk you can go snowshoeing.

Here you can venture off the beaten track without the need of a guide (there are 4 trails that are marked but where you don’t need a Guide, for more information go to zermatt.ch and click on Zermatt Experience then Winter Activities). Just the sound of your breath and the crunch of snow beneath your feet. For another scenic, easy hike I recommend Rotenboden to Riffelalp. Here the snow is packed and easy to walk on.

For something a little more adventurous Furi to Schwarzsee via Hermitji. You will deserve a few drinks at the top and take some time to enjoy the live band up in the Schwarzsee restaurant, before taking the bubble down, or vice versa!

If you’re really keen, you can stay over night at Schwarzsee and explore the area some more the next day.

With the Ski Lifts You don’t need the expense of a helicopter or even a Mountain Guide, or the time required by a ski tour, to have a good bash at skiing or boarding un-prepared snow in areas that are always less populated than the regular pistes. Just seek out the Yellow trails on the ski map.

Regular visitors to Zermatt will already know that these indicate slopes that are designated as ski runs but are ungroomed and not checked at the end of the skiing day.

Many were formally marked as Black Runs but in these days where the art of piste preparation has become increasingly widespread, another category was needed to distinguish those areas where the snow is allowed to be just, well, snow. After a new fall they are the first place to head to play in glistening soft powder. A few days later they are skied into chopped up challenging descents that then morph into exciting moguls which get bigger and bigger until… the next fall of fresh powder. Woo hoo!

If you follow their yellow posts you don’t risk getting lost or tumbling into a crevasse. And if you ski them only when officially open you decrease considerably your chances of encountering the life threatening danger of an avalanche.

Into the sky Look at them up there, swinging and dancing in the sky.

Paragliders! It just makes you want to try it, with a mix of fascination and fear. It's well worth the 200,-chf to fly through the air, driven by the wind, up up high where the eagles fly. Just you and your pilot enjoying the silence and the magnificent snow covered landscape. A 10

Zermatt Times

Whether it's for the adrenaline rush of deep powder, or for the absolute tranquility of a place away from mechanised transportation, if you look a little further, if you know where to go, you can find both. In buckets. truly empowering experience. Don't worry about the take off, it’s really much easier than you think.

Or if you want to impress your buddies, for only 150,-chf you can fly down to Fluhalp or Vronys restaurants for the most daring of entrances. There are two flight offices here, Alpine Adventures +41 (0)79 643 68 08 Paragliding Zermatt +41 (0) 027 967 67 44 Regardless of the sport you choose to enjoy in the backcountry your mind will appreciate the chance to be liberated from the distractions of every day life. Your Zermatt experience is enhanced when you venture into this world that is nearby at the same time as free from the trappings, often including cell phone reception, of your world back home.

You will see the mountains in their untouched state and feel the incredible peace and serenity of this wild landscape. If you do decide to go beyond the pistes there is some equipment you need to take with you. We will be doing a feature on this in the forthcoming edition of Zermatt Times.

To hire an experienced guide contact the Alpine Center.

They will also advise you on everything you need to know and recommend suitable trips for your ability. You may also consider taking an Avalanche Course to increase your own knowledge of the mountains and the dangers they hold. But be warned – you don’t come away from one of these courses full of bravado. On the contrary, they are a truly humbling experience about the power of nature. Highly recommended!

The Alpine Center will also be able to organize Heli skiing too. Tel: 027 966 24 60. www.zermatttimes.com

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New ski train to Zermatt A new Swiss Alps Ski Train that directly links London St Pancreas with Zermatt is on the rail this Winter. It will operate every Saturday throughout the season.

Passengers need change trains only twice. Once in Lille and then in Visp for the final ascent to Zermatt. In Lille, a simple walk over a platform transfers you onto a high speed TGV train that whisks you directly to Visp. Although Zermatt has previously been accessible by train, travellers had to leave the Eurostar at the Gare du Nord and travel across Paris to the TGV from the Gare de Lyon. The new service exchanges this hassle for a short haul of skis and snowboards across one platform in Lille. Another plus is that children under four years old don’t pay. They won’t have a reserved seat but they can sit on your lap and you can hope the train is not full!

The journey is as follows Depart London St Pancras 06:57 Arrive Lille 09:26 Depart Lille 10.02 Arrive Visp 16.57 Depart Visp 17:10 Arriving Zermatt 18:13 Return price person £189.The service runs every Saturday from 22 December to 13 April. The entire journey takes eleven hours but there is a buffet car on board. you can sit back, read a book and relax. Like the views of the landscape the time will fly by.

also stock fresh fish. They have an extensive selection of produce from local suppliers. The local Zermatt cheese maker, ‘Horu-Käserei’, sells delicious hard and soft cheeses here too, well worth a try. Horu-Käserei also make their own yoghurt, which any yoghurt lover might find surpasses anything they have tried before.

The Matterhorn Fleisch butcher also makes his own dried meats, salamis, smoked hams and bacon, in the traditional Walliser fashion. And to top it all off nicely they have a selection of fine Walliser wines, spirits and jams.

Asking for a cut of meat in a foreign language can be daunting but they are a friendly bunch and will answer any of your questions willingly.

Air Zermatt’s new helicopter A i r Ze r m at t h a s expanded its fleet.

From mid-September, a helicopter Type Bell 429 will fly for Zermatt’s mountain rescue team. This Swiss manufacturer is known for helicopters that are fast, reliable and driven by the quietest motors engineering can achieve. At the moment it is Europe's most modern helicopter. The Air Zermatt specialists will use it to rescue casualties from the mountains and out of crevasses as well as performing transport assignments and tourist flights.

The combined cabin volume is 5.78 m³ with a 3.68 m³ passenger cabin and 2 m³ baggage area. There is a flat floor and a set of rear clamshell doors under the tail boom for easier patient loading.

The helicopter, registered as HB-ZSu, is endowed with all the best in modern technology. This includes especially built-in, highly-efficient SX5 searchlights, a Max Viz infrared camera, a night vision system, and a 90-metre-long winch. All this makes a huge difference to those most dangerous of mountain rescues, in the most extreme conditions, even at night.

Butcher with fresh fish on Thursday and Friday

Lumorama

Zermatt has a new butcher. you'll find it next door to the supermarket Migros opposite the ice skating rink.

‘Matterhorn Fleisch’ supplies many of the hotels in Zermatt. Now we too can purchase their selection of fine meats over the counter. On a Thursday and Friday they

Would you believe it if I told you that I can change the colour of the three searchlights that shine from the top of the mountains surrounding Zermatt? It’s so bizarre that you probably would. you can! All you need is a telephone.

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This novel idea has come from the yeti-Club Zermatt celebrating its 20-year jubilee.

Each call will cost you CHF 2.00 per minute and the proceeds go to the families of mountain guides who have been left in difficult financial straits subsequent to accidents that have resulted in invalidity or death.

So next time you want to surprise your kids with your amazing powers call: 0901 3920 11 Schwarzsee 22 Trockener Steg 33 Rothorn then dial for the different colours: 1 = Red, 2 = Orange, 3 = Yellow, 4 = Green, 5 = Blue, 6 = Indigo, 7 = Purple

Forest fun park open this winter

run directly under the Furggengrat ending at Furi. It will have a 65 degree pitch in one section. Not for the faint hearted. But you can always get yourself psyched up for the descent with a good strong coffee at the Schwarzsee restaurant before you set off.

VIP GONDOLA Travel up the mountain in your own reserved gondola for four people with a bottle of champagne. The specially pimped bubble is complete with bucket seats and a table with bottle of champagne, ice bucket and glasses. Not only is it a good start to the day, a fab place to have a Champagne brekkie on the way up (bring your own croissants), but you can even begin Après Ski in style and avoid the last run to the village while enjoying a glass of bubbly.

Zermatt to Trockener Steg 100,-chf per gondola Zermatt Trockener Steg return 200,-chf per gondola For reservations: +41 (0) 27 966 01 01

Kids for free!

At the Wollipark on Sunegga, kids up to the age of nine ski for free. On Saturdays, children up to the age of 16 can go free as well.

Swatch Skiers Cup For the first time the Fun Park is set to be open in the Winter! The tree to tree adventure park is great for kids and adults. There is a special Kids trail for children from the age of four to seven. Or for the more adventurous, a 200 meter zip line that's 30 meters from the ground!

Don't be scared, you are secured all the way around by a continuing belay system.

Great as a bad weather day activity!

A new black run A new, steep black piste will open this season. Run 59 on the map starts from the top of the Schwarzsee and will

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Freeriding is probably the most exciting snowsport competition of the 21st century. From the 10th to the 15th of February, some of the best freeriders in the world will be in town to compete for the Swatch Skiers Cup beneath the shade of the mighty Matterhorn. The competition takes all the thrills of freeride – big jumps, high speed full on attack as riders find impossible lines through cornices, cliff faces and couloirs – and pits Team Americas against Team Europe in a series of spectacular man-to-man show-downs. Captain Europe, Kaj Zackrisson, will fight to wrest the trophy from Team Americas, captained by Cody Townsend.

An amazing chance to see these top riders in action.

We can’t wait!

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ABS or Snowpulse airbags?

A study published by the Swiss Federal Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research revealed that 53% of people buried in an avalanche die, whereas the death rate among those not buried was only 4%. Staying near the surface during an avalanche is an important key to survival. The good news is that there are now a number of backpack airbag devices to keep you nearer the surface if you happen to get caught in an avalanche.

T

he idea of a flotation device to help prevent burial in the case of avalanche was hit on first by a German forest ranger in the 1970s. His concept went on to become the company ABS, the first production range of backpack airbag devices. They were followed by Snowpulse, recently acquired by Swiss Mountaineering Products Company Mammut. These two are being joined on the market by some new manufacturers, such as Back Country Access, but it is taking time for some of these to get their licenses for Europe so we will focus here on ABS and Snowpulse/Mammut.

Which you choose essentially comes down to individual preferences about the features of each. So, to help, here we review for you the main differences between the products of the two companies.

It is important to remember, however, that burial is not the only cause of death among victims of avalanche. Injury from rocks and trees or even the sheer weight of snow and ice blocks is often fatal. However, considering that, if you are alive, the speed with which you get out of the snow is the absolute key to survival, this product should be towards the top of the wish list for any off piste skier or boarder.

ABS and Snowpulse basics All backpack airbag systems have a few things in common, including the following: • The backpack has a handle attached to one of the shoulder straps for activating the airbags.

• Pulling the handle activates the pack to inflate the bags.

• Spent canisters are either refilled or replaced.

• Both hip and crotch/leg belts have strong metal buckles to prevent the pack from being torn off during an avalanche.

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Differences in inflation methods and refills The biggest difference between ABS and Snowpulse is what's inside the pack to inflate the bags and how the inflation devices are replaced. Here are the key differences: • ABS packs use gas cartridges filled with compressed liquid nitrogen.

• Snowpulse packs (along with new manufacturers like Backcountry Access and Mystery Ranch) use cylinders filled with dry compressed air.

• ABS packs come with two cartridges.

You send a spent cartridge back to the company for refilling, for a charge, or just buy a new cartridge.

• Snowpulse compressed air cylinders are slightly lighter than the ABS gas cartridges.

Differences in trauma protection Another major difference that some people feel strongly about is trauma protection.

ABS is the only system that comprises dual airbags. This creates more surface area, ostensibly to enhance the system’s ability to keep you on top of the snow. (As a bonus, having two bags could be a back up in case one of the bags or valves is damaged). They claim that the two-bag system keeps the victim in a horizontal position, less exposed to the dynamic impact of the avalanche.

The Snowpulse Lifebag system is unique from the others in that the air bag comes out of the shoulder straps and top of the pack, wrapping around your head and chest. This is intended to protect your head and vital organs as well as perhaps help create an air pocket if you are indeed buried.

There are some concerns that this means that your visibility is impaired if it is inflated while you are still upright and on your skis, making it difficult to ski out of a slide (a challenge, but it does happen). Tests that we have read about suggest that we can dispel

this myth – it’s absolutely fine to ski and see with the bag inflated. We can also add that we have witnessed the ABS system being skied from Testa Grigia all the way to Furi (don’t ask us why it was inflated, we’re not telling!) and the skier managed perfectly proficiently.

Differences in activation There are some basic differences in the activation systems of the two brands, and it would be difficult to class one as better than the other. It probably comes down to what you have tried before and can carry out in a traumatic situation. It’s a good idea to follow the safety instructions that come with both and do a home trial before venturing out.

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The ABS activation handle is stored out of the way in a pocket on the hipbelt. When you are preparing for avalanche prone terrain, you attach it to the shoulder. We hear that this can sometimes stick especially if full of snow, so double check it is really in. Once it is in place, the handle has a velcro strap which can be secured over it to keep it from being accidentally pulled. The handle is easy to operate, even with heavy gloves.

On the new Snowpulse Lifebag, the activation handle tucks neatly and conveniently into a zippered pouch. It has a plastic handle that flips open and is very easy to stow or deploy.

An important development in ABS systems is the addition of wireless activation devices. This means that when skiing in a group, people can activate each other's airbags in a variety of configurations.

Everyone can always activate their own airbag with the handle.

Other differences

protection of the Lifebag line. It can be taken out of the backpack for use in summer or non avalanche hazard days.

Another question to ask when looking to purchase includes the carrying capacities for such things as shovels and skis – some have A-frame ski carrying straps and others don’t.

Range of movement can be an issue with the bigger bags, especially with the sideways stance on a snowboard. Some pro snowboarders say that the Snowpulse pack inhibits the position of your head, and they prefer instead the ABS configuration.

tool that you deploy when all else has gone wrong. The first safety tool is your (or of course your Mountain Guide’s) knowledge of mountains and conditions that enable you to make a good and well informed decision about whether to ride that slope or not.

If in doubt – don’t! Air bag or no air bag.

As Martin Rutishauser from AER ski and snowboard school tells us: “If you spend this money on an airbag you’re not invincible.

Don't change your off-piste attitude.”

That being said, if you are a backcountry rider you really should start saving up for one of these. Avalanche airbags are still relatively new products in many ways, and each year brings new models with various improvements. In the end, the final decision on which company's product you should buy is made by the most important person in the equation.

For the ABS contact Martin at AER. Not only can you purchase it from them but they have a wealth of knowledge and can give you a lesson on the snow in ABS technique.

Tel: + 41 27 967 70 67 For the Snowpulse go to the Yosemite shop Tel: +41 27 968 17 77

Asphyxiation If you end up buried in an avalanche (nothing, after all, is foolproof), Snowpulse bags deflate slowly, freeing up breathing space and providing an air supply that could prevent asphyxiation, which is the most common cause of death in an avalanche.

The over the shoulder configuration is also claimed to help create an air pocket if you are indeed buried.

Weight and Size

Both brands are marketing variations that offer different weight, length and volume options. Your decision here is about how much extra kit you need to carry and your own size and weight (you’ll see your Mountain Guide with the biggest so they can stack away all that kit).

With the aim of developing more lightweight air bags, both companies are bringing out models that allow you to transfer the system between different backpacks. The ABS Vario and Powder lines use the same system as their older Escape model. Mammut has come out with the superlight RAS (Removable Airbag System).

These packs use a behind-the-head ‘pillow’ single airbag, which doesn’t have the trauma www.zermatttimes.com

Reading product reviews, customer comments and lively debates on the Internet will introduce you to a world of opinions about which systems best accommodate the still-needed avalanche shovel, which ones have the most comfortable straps, which offer the greatest amount of back support and tips for travelling with airbag systems since metal cylinders of any type are alarming to airport staff.

Conclusion Avalanche airbags are a fantastic new product that, if you venture into the back country, you should consider adding to your kit. It must be remembered that they are a safety tool and will be, in fact, the last safety 15

Home Truths Using these rather than passing people by might just make you a traveller and not a tourist. However, there is a catch. Which greeting is appropriate for the time shown by the hands of the clock might not be shared by everyone. For the old Zermatter who got up at 5am to clear the snow from the steps, 10.30am might not feel at all like morning any more.

Sound of a Great Day In some places of the world, being awoken by exploding bomb shells is an unfortunate sad reality. In the peaceful and luxurious lifestyle found in Zermatt, however, thunderous explosions echo throughout the valley regularly during the ski season.

These predawn eruptions, known as blasting, signal the overnight arrival of fresh snow.

Zermatt’s Ski Patrol sets off the bombs to trigger avalanches intentionally prior to the opening of the ski hill as a way to decrease the risk of accidental slides. Proactive mountain measures like these help keep everyone safe. The bombs are also like an alarm bell for all the powder hounds, morning motivators to our lovers of deep snow. They are signs of potential powder on the ski slopes. So the next time you hear those menacing morning blasts, don’t sleep in. It’s pow time.

when they have tantrums in the supermarket. The most interesting aspect of this tradition, however, is that Samichlaus doesn't come alone.

Samichlaus is always accompanied by his creepy sidekick, Schmutzli.

Schmutzli wears a long black robe that, when done wrong, makes him look like a grumpy Bob Marley, but when done right merely looks intimidating. These days he just helps Samichlaus distribute the treats and doesn't say much, but Samichlaus he used to play a much more and Schmutzli important role.

Schmutzli was the enforcer who Every year on December 6, the punished the bad. He used to carry Swiss St Nick or “Samichlaus” and a whip and when the large sack of his companion “Schmutzli” emerge goodies was empty, Schmutzli used from their cottage in the woods to it to stuff naughty children into and visit children in their homes. They do then kidnap them. not fly on a reindeer-pulled sleigh, as I think this tradition could be our English Father Christmas prefers introduced to every home where on the night of December 24th, good intentioned parents spoil but rather shuffle through the snow their greedy little offspring. The only sometimes with a donkey. remnant of Schmutzli in our culture is Samichlaus shows up almost three a harmless little lump of coal in the weeks earlier than our jolly old St. Nick stocking and that is simply not good and brings a bag of edible treats for enough to deter bad behaviour. children who've been good all year.

Who knows? Maybe if Schmutzli It's not he but the Christ-kind, or baby came and scared the naughty kids Jesus, who brings toys in secret and just a little on December 6th, they'd leaves them under the Tannenbaum be behaving by December 25th. on Christmas Eve. And if that is successful, maybe the Before handing over the treats, parents of the world can arrange he tells kids that he's proud of them for Schmutzli to show up in July or for behaving, but also lets them at other points of the year to know that it pisses their parents off help out.

Local Lingo In Switzerland it is customary to greet someone if you pass them on the street and especially on a mountain path. Here in Wallis there are particular greetings depending on the time of day.

In the morning it’s Guten Morgen In the day it’s Guten Tag In the evening it’s Guten Abend

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Etiquette on the piste

Y

ou love the mountains, you’re on the slopes enjoying this great activity that involves sliding over snow. The chances are that you’re naturally considerate and don’t need to be preached to about rules and regulations.

HOWEVER, there are far too many instances of people behaving inconsiderately on the piste. So, although here at ZT we would never want to be prissy or dictatorial, we do believe that it’s really important, for everyone’s fun as well as for safety, to be aware of what makes for good behaviour on the mountain. There’s also a generation of kids growing up pretty well as experts before they’ve even started school.

They need to know that it’s so much cooler not be a total piste prat.

So here’s our take on what we regard as the essential elements from all those Lists of Dos and Don’ts.

SPEED Here in the Swiss Alps we hear stories from the Other Side of The Pond about speed traps on the slopes. It sounds like the North Circular or the Périphérique. But while we have reservations about setting speed limits, there are far too many instances of people skiing or boarding just too fast.

What counts for Too Fast can’t be pinned down exactly. It’s a variable.

Ultimately, you have to be able to avoid anything that appears in front of you, before you hit it or fall into it. So it's hugely dependent on snow and weather conditions. In poor visibility you can’t see far ahead of you.

If the slope is icy your stopping distance can be a lot further than you think. So slow down.

Experience and ability are relevant obviously, and they also vary with the conditions. It is so not-cool, in fact dangerous, to be travelling at a pace at which you are obviously out of control.

The other factor is people. If the slope is busy, it is vital to slow down.

You have to assume that at any moment the person in front of you might swerve in a direction you don’t expect. Or fall over. If you can’t take evasive action, disaster is likely to ensue.

Which brings us to the next on our list…

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RIGHTS OF WAY All the skiers’ codes specify that the person in front has right of way over the skier (or boarder) behind them. Basically, what that means is that the skier in the front can do anything and the skier behind has to avoid collision. If they don’t it’s their fault.

What it also means, is that there is no point shouting obscenities at some beginner who does something stupid in front of you.

They have a right to fall over! We were all beginners once.

But there is a corollary to this that is about good manners, as well as fun for everyone.

If you are the slower skier you are probably aware that there are times when there’s a traffic jam forming behind you. Keep to the side to allow people to pass safely. Maintain a consistent line, if you can, avoiding taking huge zig-zags that use the whole width of the piste or the path. It will do your own technique lots of good as well as showing thoughtfulness.

If you are overtaking a snowboarder, do remember that they have a blind side.

Snowboarders – remember your blind side.

Take care!

Where pistes merge (here in Zermatt this is clearly marked with crossroads signs) always slow down and check there is no one zooming down the other slope having failed to look to check that their way is clear – it happens, all too often. Similarly, if you are off piste and are about about rejoin, there’s no need to do so in a blaze of glory, airborn. Stop first and check who might be in the way.

STOPPING Think about where you stop, whether it’s to rest, take a picture or wait for your mates.

If you are stood in the middle of the piste it’s very annoying to people behind, so pull into the side. If you are waiting under the crest of a hill or just round a blind corner, you risk being the cause of a collision. At best embarrassing, at worst very painful for others as well as for yourself.

CLOSED RUNS The Piste Controllers don’t tend to close runs for fun. It might be there’s no snow.

More likely, there is danger from an overhanging avalanche or they are setting off avalanches while the slope is closed so that it’s safe for the morrow. It’s best not to get in the way!

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POWDER Don’t give yourself away as a total powder newbie. It’s courteous to offer other skiers to cut the first set of fresh tracks, especially if they have put in the effort to break the trail. Then, when it’s your turn, do be aware of those behind you. Make an effort not to make huge turns that leave no untracked descents for your buddies.

If you are the powder newbie, don’t be surprised if some of your mates seem to disappear on a powder morning. Unless they specifically invite you to go with, don’t follow. Meet them later. And if you do invite your newbie mate on a powder morning, then stick by, pick them and their kit up when it’s all over the slope even if it means missing fresh tracks down the next bowl. You invited them, you wait.

NATURE It should be second nature not to drop litter when you are on the mountain. You wouldn’t dream of sullying the beauty of the landscape and the health of the wildlife

This is Zermatt, there aren’t often many queues, but there are a few places at certain times of day or of year that can generate bottlenecks.

One message – be patient.

Zermatt Times

with polystyrene coffee cups or tin foil sandwich wrappers. But it’s astonishing how cigarette butts don’t seem to fall into this category. Instead they fall from chair lifts, from gondolas, even from the edge of the piste. They do not disintegrate into harmless nothing as they hit the snow. In fact, they are there in all their chemical glory underneath the chairlift corridors as the snow melts at the end of the season. We don’t believe that the marmottes are appreciative of these gifts.

The woods are the most glorious place to play when there is a fall of new snow. But do be respectful. This is also untouched ground where seeds take the opportunity to bury into the earth, germinate and grow into new plants and trees. If you ride the same bit over and over again you can cause damage to the new little saplings that are striving to make life and grow in this already challenging environment. They can take many years to become trees, try not to destroy too many before they have half a chance. There are also the beautiful white snow grouse, almost invisible to passing riders, and terrified deer who can get horribly distressed. So take notice of the green fences and keep out – the wildlife needs an area to escape to without us interfering with their peaceful lives.

If the most important thing in your world at that moment is to shave a few seconds off your queuing time by pushing and shoving and maneuvering yourself to the front, you are in a very sad place. And if some moron does that to you, well, they are a moron and probably won’t be helped if you start a fight with them (we have seen it happen).

It doesn’t help if people are leaving empty seats on chairs or in gondolas, of course. If you really want to make sure that your whole family is seated together then it’s cool to let other singletons pass in front of you to fill the places. It’s plain old common sense.

As a side comment, once you’re on the chair or in the gondola with a bunch of strangers, you can be friendly. Zermatt is a polyglot resort, don’t assume that a foreigner won’t understand you, don’t be rude!! It’s against the official rules but you do see people lighting up in this situation – don’t. The air is too good. And if you happen to be passing a hip flask around your friends, it’s only polite to offer it to others too!

CONCLUSION In essence, it’s all about being safe at the same time as having fun in the mountains.

It’s not about rules, it’s as simple as – • be aware of what’s going on around you • treat other people with consideration • leave your ego behind you.

You are enjoying the peace, beauty and excitement of being in the mountains, on your well-earned holiday. Do yourself a favour, stay calm, happy, smile and wave, share your happiness. If someone offers you a high five with a great big grin all over their face, respond and be joyful.

Helpful Hints Remember your ABC’s A for Airway, is there a clear passage to the lungs?

B for Breathing, are they?

C for Circulation, is their heart beating or are they bleeding?

ACCIDENTS Unless it’s clear that someone else has already taken charge then stop. Whether it’s offering sympathy and picking up bits of lost kit, or whether it’s calling the emergency services, your help might be needed. So, to be of effective help, make sure you have the telephone number for the Zermatt Emergency Services stored in your phone. 144.

KIT CARRYING Particularly for skiers, carrying your skis on your shoulder properly, tails up and tips down, makes sense. Don’t turn round suddenly to chat to your mate as the chances are that you’ll thwack some unsuspecting victim in the head. Also, do check if there’s anyone too close as you swing those planks off your shoulder.

LIFT QUEUES This is Zermatt, there aren’t often many queues, but there are a few places at certain times of day or of year that can generate bottlenecks. One message – be patient. www.zermatttimes.com

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the Longest Après Ski Run in the World How do you measure the length of an après ski run? When does it start? With a post lunch espresso? When does it end? A good question to ask the guy in ski boots on the Barrel in the Broken Bar as the lights come on. Or is it the distance between the first refreshment stop that can be legitimately described as après and the last before heading home for a hot bath?

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hese are imponderables we’re not going to try to resolve just now. But we are going to show you how you can experience an unrivalled après ski run, in a range of locations, right here in Zermatt. What characterises each and every hostellerie is the warmth of the welcome. You might find it hard to move on.

Après can only really begin when you have decided that you are on the home run.

Where better than after a great lunch at FLUHALP, the band has finished their last set, your espresso cup is empty and you decide it’s time to head home. Technically you do have to take the gondola back up from Gant to Blauherd but a little poetic license is allowed. At Patrullarve, weary legs suggest that catching the chair lift up again is unwise.

The gentle blue run winds through the woods to a clearing where Othmar’s Chalet awaits. The terrace is bathed in warm light, a peaceful spot to start a pleasant session of Après. Being wise, you decide that a snack is in order and this is the perfect place. Each summer, Werner and Irene, the owners of OTHMAR’S, exchange snow for the waters of Alaska and return with a prodigious catch – Alaskan salmon, crabs and much much more. Today, their delicious salmon tartare provides the ideal foil for the possibility of imbibing a little more than you should.

Just below Othmar’s, RESTAURANT RIED nestles by the path. A popular meeting place for locals, it’s a great stop if you’re looking for something sweeter. Patrick makes the most amazing cakes, as well as his special homemade schnapps to help warm you up.

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Zermatt Times

Now it’s path all the way to the village, but that doesn’t mean you’re going straight home! The Tee Haus Flora was originally one of the stopping places for the wealthy visitors of the Victorian era who brought with them the ritual of taking tea in the afternoon. Now it is THE CHAMPAGNE BAR. Somewhat incongruously but delightfully managed by the effervescent Timey from Cuba, the old teahouse has a wooden terrace with loungers where you can sprawl on reindeer skin rugs and admire the view.

Round another couple of bends the path reaches OLYMPIA, a Zermatt classic. The terrace offers a spectacular view of the village below and on a sunny afternoon it is filled with merry après ski makers of all ages. Mitch and Sean are strumming guitars and filling the air with harmonies. Bernie the proprietor is standing behind the outside bar, so you quickly find yourself with a drink in hand. Beware the tempting glasses lined up at the bar in which pears bathe in syrupy clear liquid. Beguilingly delicious and perfectly lethal! It’s tempting to linger on the terrace as the sun goes down and the air starts to chill then move inside, take over a wooden table and let time slip away.

But if you are continuing with your mission, you have almost reached the village. Soon it’s time to clip out of your skis or your board. There is, however, one opportunity to delay the descent in the lift to street level, especially if you are a lover of fine cigars.

For a quirky take on Après Ski divert into THE HOTEL CERVO and investigate the well-stocked Fumoir.

When eventually you emerge from the Sunegga Express tunnel a choice awaits. Walk the short distance along the river and join the fun at THE SNOWBOAT. Or, if time allows, grab a taxi, take a lift upwards again and face the mayhem of the Hennu Stall.

Not two minutes stroll from the lift station, you can’t miss The Snowboat. It’s beside the river and looks like a boat.

Captain Gee is at the helm. Inside, the crazy pianist provides a welcome change to the usual guitars or DJ’s. It’s lively and the bar is busy with a sophisticated crowd.

This is Après with attitude, where class meets fun. First Mate Bart has an amazing repertoire of cocktails – try the elegant Expresso Martini or warm up from the inside with an Uber Glühwein.

It might be time to head towards that hot bath after the Boat, or maybe you’re going to hit the finish running and continue along the river to the PAPPERLA PUB. Before you www.zermatttimes.com

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go for it, there’s time for another warm up in a chilled local atmosphere with Juan at AVENA. From across the road, the cacophony of revellers spilling out onto the pavement hits your ears. This is the Papperla Pub, full-on Après. You do a twirl of the revolving door to be launched into a crowd jumping up and down to the beat of the band on the stage.

Outside Stuey and Ronnie are juggling bottles of Corona between each other or standing on the bar to tip shots down chalet girls’ throats. They are dressed in lederhosen topped off with women’s wigs, but that’s nothing new.

Time to join the fun! OR… If you are seeking something a little more sedate, you wander up the hill to where SPARKY’S BAR provides a snug respite from the frenzy of the Papperla Pub, and you can sip wellpriced beer while relaxing in front of videos entertaining you with extreme exploits in the mountains.

Now, let’s rejoin the intrepid group who flung convention aside and decided they could squeeze another ascent into the Après route. From the Sunegga, it’s an electro hurtle across town to the Klein Matterhorn lift – having, of course, calculated that you are in time to catch it before it closes. Back on your skis or your board at Furi, it’s a gentle slide villagewards again, with maybe a stop at BLATTEN for a warming but lethal Gili Gili before the last corner to where the HENNU STALL awaits. You have time. A high octane afternoon at the Hennu Stall can go on until well late in the evening!

You can see that it’s packed by the skis and boards that have been left sprawling across the piste. It’s also noisy. On a winter afternoon, there might be live music inside but techno blaring from the speakers of the outside bar. In the spring, on live music days, the band will be on the outside stage and the surrounding mountains echoing with rock ‘n roll as the sun fades. If dancing in your ski boots is your thing, this is the place.

Of course, we still haven’t decided how to measure the longest Après Ski Run. It could even be the number of venues visited, and there are so many more in Zermatt that it’s impossible to visit or even to list them all in one go.

We will, of course, be sharing our expertise on this subject and coming up with alternatives on the route in future editions of the Zermatt Times.

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Zermatt Times

Chris Patient Nationality: South African Part of the Zermatt landscape for twenty years, Chris has become an inspiration to a generation of budding photographers and back country riders.

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Zermatt Times: How long have you lived in Zermatt and why did you stay so long?

Chris Patient: Since the early eighties.

Because quite simply I love the mountains.

ZT: Where were you and what were you shooting when you first realised your passion for photography?

CP: In South Africa. My Godmother had sent me a camera (Kodak Instamatic) for my eighth birthday and I took a photo of my dog. From then on I was the family photographer.

ZT: How many days a year do you put skis on in the Season?

CP: I’ve counted around a hundred.

Z T: Photography ha s g radu a l ly transitioned from a film to digital based medium. What’s your take on the new direction?

CP: It is easier but it is also easier to be careless and to shoot quickly without thinking and this creates a lot more work.

ZT: Is there any special equipment or procedures that help to combat the cold and keep the camera working in all conditions.

CP: Cold is bearable but condensation is the real enemy.

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ZT: If you could sum up your photography in three words what would they be?

CP: Man Versus Nature ZT: What is your favourite camera and lens, to use in the snow?

CP: I like a lightweight camera and a medium range telephoto lens.

ZT: Who is your favourite rider to shoot?

CP: The one I’m with on the day.

ZT: From where is the best spot for you to shoot the Matterhorn?

CP: Sunnegga Zermatt Times

ZT: Your expertise behind the lens is unquestionable. As your skill set matured, was there anyone in particular you looked to as a mentor, or did you hone your style independently?

CP: Mark Shapiro ZT: As a photographer, you don’t always get to ski the juicy lines, your subjects do. Have you ever given up an amazing picture just to ski the line yourself?

CP: Oh yes, many times... !

ZT: What has been your most memorable day working in the field in Zermatt?

CP: Everyday behind the camera in Zermatt is an absolute buzz.

ZT: If you were limited to a single ski destination for the rest of your life, where would it be? Why? CP: Zermatt of course. It’s the best.

ZT: Any final thoughts that you'd like to add?

CP: Yes, ski photography is fifty percent about the rider. It’s a partnership about sharing and recording a moment. Both parties have to be ON. ZT: Chris thanks for sharing, you’re a Zermatt legend! www.zermatttimes.com

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What is it

about Zermatt?

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ntil the early 19th century Zermatt was an isolated rural village, where the inhabitants scraped a living from the challenging land, grazing their animals and growing a few crops. Visitors were few and far between. One can only assume that there must have been just a bit of marrying between cousins, as in many such remote communities there wouldn’t have been many other options!

But the transformation from then until the present day has been exponential. The explosion in tourism has brought in its wake a huge expansion of the resident population – from just 600 in 1798, to 5,720 as of December 2010. With the tourists, this number swells to around 29,000 people in town during busy holiday weeks.

The kick-start to growth was the wave of new intellectualism that swept across Europe at the end of the 18th century, encouraging

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money to be poured into the quest for knowledge. The aweinspiring topography of the Alps made this majestic landscape a compelling subject for study, although Zermatt’s remoteness and difficult accessibility kept it quiet for a little longer than other places.

However, that massive slab of rock that towers over the village was bound to attract visitors. And the nature of the visitors began to change. The driving force behind Zermatt’s tourist industry became less the study of natural phenomena than the determination to climb to the top of things. Even so, when the scholar from Geneva, Horace Benedict de Saussure, climbed the Klein Matterhorn on August 13th 1792, the motivation was essentially scientific. He wanted to measure the other peak because it looked really big. With a 50 foot long chain spread out on the Theodul glacier and a sextant he determined the Zermatt Times

Serigraph of the North Face of the Matterhorn The line drawing of the North Face of the Matterhorn was created by local artist (and web designer and computer programmer) Chris Banford.

Prints of the work are available in the form of Serigraphs of the original artwork.

The term Serigraph means to draw through silk. It was first used in the 1930s to differentiate the artistic application of screen-printing from the industrial version of the process.

Serigraphy found favour in the 1950s with the new wave of pop art. Andy Warhol, for example, found it an exciting medium for bringing artistic expression into the production of prints.

It involves the artist acting as the printmaker, so every print is hand-made by the artist. As a result of hand printing, the Serigraph prints will vary from each other slightly making each unique and original in itself.

The prints are available on-line at chrisbanford.com.

A print is on display up at the Schwarzsee Restaurant, so if you are enjoying lunch and music on the magnificent terrace up there, do pop inside and take a look.

Matterhorn to be 4,501.7m (today we know it to be 4,477.5m – he was pretty close).

Surrounded by so many of the highest peaks in the Alps, Zermatt was becoming a mecca for the new generation of climbers and adventurers. In 1813, the Breithorn was the first peak over four thousand metres to be climbed. But the Matterhorn was, for obvious reasons, the ultimate goal. It remained elusive for several years while attracting attempts from Europe’s best climbers.

Edward Whymper had already failed eight times to reach the summit from the Italian side when, in 1865, he set out from Zermatt with a group of other climbers, including father and son local guides, Peter and Peter Taugwalder. The tragedy that afflicted that ascent, and the controversies that it has left, make a story that is as moving as it is fascinating and deserves a whole piece in its own right. www.zermatttimes.com

The Matterhorn had been summited and this encouraged ever greater numbers of visitors to the little town. They came not only to climb but to admire the stunning scenery, often to paint it, and to breath the clean air. Ladies were carried in litters to take tea at the pretty little tea-houses that dot some of the hiking trails.

Whymper himself wrote in his diaries that they were arriving in ‘gangs and droves’. Opportunities for making a living that wasn’t all about farming and shepherding started to proliferate.

However, two issues had to be dealt with in order to encourage and sustain this boost to the local economy. Access and hospitality. The first would require the achievement of some remarkable engineering projects; the second, some very good heads for business. We shall be exploring these aspects of Zermatt’s remarkable history in future editions of the Zermatt Times.

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Zermatt Times

Through the

Keyhole Through the Keyhole will take you on an exploration of some of the fabulous places to stay in Zermatt. We will give you a glimpse through the door or behind the shutters of some wellknown institutions as well as some hidden gems, from romantic getaways to family-friendly homes from home, via a good measure of ďŹ lm star glamour. A glimpse through the keyhole will open up your eyes to an amazing world of gorgeous interiors and stylish living.

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Family Holidays

in Style

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he first edition of the Zermatt Times focuses on discerning families. This being Zermatt, you don’t have to scrimp on luxury to enjoy a fabulous family holiday in stylish surroundings.

A Chalet Holiday combines the comfort and the pampering of a top quality hotel while you relax in accommodation you really can call your home from home.

All of the chalets we show here can accommodate a large party, ideal for an extended family spanning the generations or two families sharing the fun of their ski holiday together.

Of course, this is just a small selection of what is out there.

You can pick and choose across a wide spectrum of styles and budgets. To see lots more options visit the websites of the Specialist Chalet Holiday Operators listed at the end of this feature.

A chalet holiday at this level is all about uniquely personalised service. Attentive staff take care of your every need. Before you even arrive in resort they will have taken note of those fundamental individual touches that enhance your holiday. If there are any specific requirements that will keep your family happy, all you need to do is ask. At the same time, the chalet is your home. When you are looking for some peaceful family time, the staff will retreat discretely leaving you your space.

Zermatt Times

Chalet Zen – www.chalet-zen.com

Chalet les Ecureuils – www.zermattapartmentrentals.com

For sure, the expectations you would have about your stay in a luxury hotel will be met. Bed linen of superb quality, luxury toiletries in the bathrooms, fabulous food and fine wines, the chocolate on the pillow.

But when you look at the pricing, bear in mind that this is an all-inclusive deal. You have a professional chef preparing breakfast, homemade cakes for tea and a sumptuous dinner, specifically for your party. Many of the extras that can come as an addition to the cost of your stay have already been taken care of. I suspect that this can be especially attractive when it comes to the bar bill. An open bar policy is the norm, so there are no surprises at the end of the trip when you count the rounds of coca-cola the kids have ordered from the hotel bar.

But it’s the relaxed home from home atmosphere that makes this sort of holiday truly family friendly.

You might bring your own nanny or let the chalet company organise child care for you, but you will be able to leave the little ones www.zermatttimes.com

snug at home in the chalet with their carers while you enjoy yourselves on the mountain.

If you want the children to have an early tea before the grown-ups join together later for an evening of relaxed fine dining, no problem.

If the little ones need a run around in pyjamas after bath-time, they can scamper to their little hearts’ content, there is plenty of space. And if Dad wants to come to breakfast in his dressing gown like at home, that is absolutely fine.

All the chalets we list here have spa facilities in situ, with saunas and spaces for inhouse massage.

Chalet Zen The aesthetic style of Chalet Zen is quite unique among alpine chalets. It breathes proper, old style luxury and the traditional comforts of a true home from home.

Beautiful rugs and leather sofas lend the feel of a cosy retreat from the pressures of daily life. The chalet is lovingly looked

after and enjoys a gorgeous collection of fine original artwork, antique furniture and shelves of books.

The family can gather together around a blazing open fire, the perfect place for good conversation, board games and maybe a decanter of port. There are two sitting rooms, so parents and offspring can separate when they wish.

The four double bedrooms are all individually decorated and generously sized, and there’s a bunk room adjacent to one of the doubles that can make a comfortable family suite. With five luxurious marble bathrooms, the traditional feel of this chalet is complemented by all modern amenities.

The charming and friendly manager is highly experienced at running Chalet Holidays and meticulous about the detail that goes into making your experience special.

Peacefully situated in woodland up a few steps from the road but only a couple of minutes stroll to the Klein Matterhorn lift.

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Chalet Ulysse – www.zermattskichalets.com

Chalet Gemini – www.mountainexposure.com

Chalet Grace – www.elysiancollection.com

Chalet Zermatt Peak – www.chaletzermattpeak.com

Chalet Ulysse Chalet Ulysse is a freestanding chalet in the heart of Winkelmatten, which everyone seems to have started to call the ‘Beverly Hills’ of Zermatt. In other words, desirable.

Unusually for Zermatt, you can ski to within 100m from the door.

Large windows make the most of the Chalet’s spectacular Matterhorn view. The look is contemporary alpine chic, traditional Swiss chalet style brought up to date with weathered wood and stylish touches such as beautiful rugs.

There are four double bedrooms in the main part of the building, with two more in an apartment with a separate entrance. It’s a brilliant place for two families holidaying together to have a bit of privacy from each other, or if you are travelling with grandparents who appreciate a few moments of peace away from the kids.

The living and dining space in the main apartment is spacious enough for everyone to get together. You can gather by the open 36

fire or round the magnificent wooden dining table to enjoy delicious dinners prepared by your chef.

Chalet Ulysse is excellent value for money, providing the luxuries of a mega star chalet, such as fine bed linen, glamourous toiletries and an open bar, without the glitz.

It’s also an excellent choice for family summer holidays, located right next to the bus stop, a food shop, restaurant and a lovely children’s playground. You can chat to the kids from your balcony as they play.

Chalet Les Ecureuils Chalet Les Ecureuils is a true hidden gem. It stands in a woodland glade, but a glade with a magnificent view of the Matterhorn. It is a place of absolute tranquility, where deer wander into the garden and might even take timid peeks through the window, but is only a few minutes walk from town or the Klein Matterhorn lift station. This combination of seclusion and accessibility is due to the private gondola that gently carries you from Zermatt Times

just above street level up into the woods (there is also a well maintained path that climbs the hill), from the top of which there is a short stroll along a Narnia-like path. The kids will love it.

Les Ecureuils is a family owned chalet built in 1964. It is now under-going its second refurbishment, so the interior pictures we have are a little out of date.

This Winter, bright modern bathrooms and fresh paint will make this already charming and comfortable home even more stylish.

However, the feeling with which it was originally designed, inviting the natural environment and light into its cosy interior, will be maintained.

The spacious sitting room, with its large wood-burning fireplace, opens onto a terrace (with its own little log fire), which flows out to the lovely garden. Leading off the sitting room, the dining area seats twelve people comfortably and has its own views down to the village and the surrounding mountains.

There are five double bedrooms, three of which are en suite, and an extra bathroom.

Chalet Gemini Chalet Gemini enjoys another glorious location, but a very different one. Elevated above the village and nestled into the side of the mountain, Chalet Gemini is accessible through a tunnel and then a lift that whisks you effortlessly up to its privileged vantage point. There is then a short, gentle walk up to the chalet’s front door. To make life easy, the ski and boot-room for the chalet is off the tunnel, the mouth of which lies only 200 metres from the Klein Matterhorn lift.

Although the view from Gemini is not of the Matterhorn itself, you do get a different and very beautiful perspective on the surrounding mountains. Facing the morning sun, the chalet is bathed in light from the beginning of the day. www.zermatttimes.com

Gemini, along with its other freestanding neighbours Castor and Pollux, was built in 2008 and designed specifically to operate luxurious Chalet Holidays. Large windows opening onto balconies maximise the splendid outlook, admitting lots of natural light and lending a sense of being in the midst of a mountain landscape. Natural stone and wood have been used thoughout, so while the look is contemporary, it feels properly Alpine and welcoming.

There is the usual wood-burning fireplace in the living area but the main heating system is geo-thermal, reducing the chalet’s carbon footprint.

There are five good-sized double bedrooms and five bathrooms.

Chalet Grace Grace combines sumptuous luxury with designer chic and still manages to provide a cosy retreat for a family holiday in the Alps.

Even with huge floor to ceiling windows and a magnificent vaulted ceiling, the living area feels warm and inviting. This might be because of the French stone fireplace, or the well-cushioned sofas, or simply because of the special atmosphere of the chalet.

The living area incorporates its own bar, from which the highly attentive staff will be preparing your pre-dinner aperitif.

Up some stairs to a gallery with a wrought iron balustrade you will find the dining area, with its long wooden table and comfortable seating. From here, doors lead out to a stylish outside seating area complete with loungers.

Opening off the sitting area is an added bonus to delight the kids – and probably the big kids among their parents. There you will find the games room, equipped with pool table, and more doors that open into your own luxuriously seated cinema.

The five double bedrooms are all en suite and have south facing balconies.

Grace is situated up in the Petit Village, the area of Zermatt that boasts spectacular views over the village and to the Matterhorn but that keeps the electro taxis busy. It is, however, only a five minute walk down the hill to the Sunegga lift station, and the adventurous can ski, snow permitting, to quite close to the chalet.

Chalet Zermatt Peak Wow-factor. This sums up Zermatt Peak.

We thought our readers might like a glimpse up the candle lit tunnel under the mountain that leads to this spectacular interior, even if not everyone fits into the category who might consider it for their family holiday.

We don’t need to go into detail about the pinnacle of luxury that the Zermatt Peak is about. Suffice it to say that everything you could dream up for a six star chalet holiday is incorporated. What we are here to point out is that they welcome families too.

The gourmet dinners might be dreamed up and executed by a chef who has clocked more Gaullt Millau stars than any other in Zermatt, but you can arrange for tea-time favourites for the kids whenever you want them to be served.

Your little ones might have laid their heads on the pillows of some of the finest hotels in the world, but as they emerge from the underground passageway into the glorious space of Zermatt Peak, they will feel like they’re in a Bond movie. There are three HD cinemas to ensure that everyone is kept entertained when they need to rest their weary little legs after a strenuous day on the slopes.

With luxury accommodation for up to thirteen guests, the Zermatt Peak would be the place for a truly amazing family holiday.

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Sitting with a

local gentleman...

Sometimes after work, my boss, his dad and I, have tea or a beer and we chat. His father has so many fascinating stories to tell about the old days in Zermatt and he tells them well.

He is second generation Zermatter of considerable age and experience. I hope I can do them justice, by sharing some of these quirky stories with you here.

During the fascist reign of Mussolini in the 1940’s the Italian monarchy was under scrutiny. They could sense that the house of Savoy that had ruled for centuries may be over soon.

Umberto II became King in May 1946, on the abdication of his father, Victor Emanuel. He was known to be a good man and there are claims he might have made a good ruler. On June 12, however, after the referendum that voted decisively to make Italy a Republic, he abdicated. He reigned for only 34 days. The King was officially in exile. He and his family fled to Lausanne and then later on to Portugal.

One day, I had been told of a lake that is very hard to find, called Leichenbrettersee meaning corpse board lake. The name fascinated me, so I asked him,

The logistics of moving all these valuables over the Alps into Switzerland unnoticed was no easy task. The Theodul pass had been used for strategic and military purposes during the war, and following the fall of Mussolini in 1943. This was a well-known route. The Mountain Guides were the obvious choice to guide the valuables over the mountain safely to an area around Zumsee from where they would be taken further by cart. The Italian Guides of course had good contact with our Guides here and so together they started to move the precious cargo over the border. For this they were paid handsomely.

Why is the Leichenbrettersee called that? What a morbid name.

He takes a sip of tea and leans back in his chair. I knew a juicy story was about to be revealed. So I got comfortable too...

The Leichenbrettersee literally translated means ‘corpse board lake‘. In the old days they used to dispose of the bodies of victims of the mountain by throwing them into crevasses. They sometimes tied the corpses to wooden boards called Leichenbretter. The lake up by Trockenersteg is fed by melting glacial water from the huge glacier above it. It’s strangely warm, perhaps because the water runs into it shallowly over rocks warmed by the sun.

But it gets its morbid name because there have indeed been corpses found in there. Many of them. They work their way down under glacial streams and pop out into the lake.

I can tell you a story about how one of them was found in there not so long ago...With a bullet in his head.

www.zermatttimes.com

All his worldly possessions had to come with him. As a monarch, these included priceless jewels, gold, artifacts, which had to be taken out of Italy. Everything apart from the Crown jewels. These he entrusted to a friend at the Italian Royal bank with a note saying “to be returned to the rightful owner.”

I believe they remain in Italy to this day.

On one such occasion, a couple of Guides picked up their cargo at Testa Grigia and started the descent. What exactly happened on the way down no one knows but only one Guide returned home. Without their precious load. He claimed that the other man had put a gun to his head. He had had to surrender the goods and the man ran off. The valuable cargo was never seen again. Until not so long ago the story was like that, until a body popped up in the Leichenbretterse with a bullet hole in its scull.

More tea anyone?

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Wolli Wolli is the face of Zermatt, our mascot. You'll see him all around town and on the mountain.

Who is this adorable little character?

He is the creation of a local man, Dan Daniell, a singer, actor and restaurateur.

“After my restaurant, Chez Heini, closes,” Dan Daniell tells me “I sit and relax, reflecting on life and dream about writing books. I love to fantasise and am a bit of a dreamer, so my books were to be fantastical fiction. As my father owned over one hundred schwarzse nase (black nose) sheep and we grew up with them, it was natural that I should choose one for the character in my book.”

Dan Daniell grew up in Furi where his father, now eighty years old, still farms sheep. He resembles the character of Heini the Shepherd in the Wolli stories.

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Zermatt Times

A rare interview with Wolli Translated by his creator Dan Daniell...

Zermatt Times: You have brought out two story books, a drawing book and most recently a cook book.

Can we look forward to any more publications?

Wolli: I’m always busy and my creativity never sleeps.

Yes, I am off on a new adventure. I’ve always wanted to visit a zoo. There is a particular Penguin I’d like to meet.

I shall say no more until the book is published, so stay tuned.

ZT: You are a famous sheep in Zermatt. How did you get picked from the flock?

Wolli: I have ninety-nine brothers and sisters in the stadels in Furi. You can come and see them. In the Winter we are in the stadels where it’s warm. Dan Daniell, my mentor, is a big influence in my life.

Meeting him brought me to life and gave me a taste for adventure beyond our cosy flock in Furi.

ZT: If you were cooking for that special someone in your life, what would you cook from your book?

Wolli: I’m a vegetarian and the leek pie is my favourite.

ZT: What makes your life worthwhile?

Wolli: My mentor Dan Daniell of course. Also his father who is 80 years old and who looks after us sheep like his own children. In fact, he can remember all our names better that he remembers his own kids’ names. They encouraged me to be who I am today and I owe my life to them.

I love children too. They are our future and I love to fuel their imaginations. The Zermatt Tourism director Daniell Luggen has made it possible for me to work with all the children in Zermatt.

ZT: Switzerland is a land of many languages. Which do you speak, apart from Sheepish?

Wolli: I don't speak any languages apart form Sheepish.

That is why Dan Daniell has to translate for me. He is the only one who can speak Sheepish.

ZT: We know your’re very busy but where can we find you this Winter?

Wolli: I am hoping to be up at the Wollipark as much as possible, to meet some of the children and Mums and Dads up there this Winter. However with the impending publication of my book I’m a little busy.

www.zermatttimes.com

ZT: Where can we find your publications?

Wolli: You can find them in German, English and French at all book shops in town and at the Tourist Office by the train station.

ZT: Why do you think Zermatt chose a sheep for its mascot?

Wolli: We are a particular breed of Sheep and indigenous to Wallis. The people of Zermatt only keep our kind and like us very much. Perhaps it’s also because we are very recognisable as we have black faces, ears and knees.

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Our feathered weather friends... of winter. Many aren’t so timid that they have courage (or desperation) enough to approach human beings in search of supplements to their diet and may even eat from your hand. Although this is brilliant to watch, and can make a great photo, it’s best not to over-do the feeding. It’s all too easy to disturb the very fragile ecosystem of this mountain environment, on which, ultimately, the lives of these beautiful birds depend.

in years of bad weather or when there is growth in the populations of their predators – Foxes, Martins (below) and birds of prey.

It's a good thing that the females lay large clutches of eggs, as this helps the populations to recover quickly.

Pine Martins

The Snow Grouse

Y

ou look out of your hotel or chalet window in the morning and the village is populated by these huge black birds? You know then that it’s a windy day high up in the mountains. If, rather than flying, they are walking, bad weather is forecast. But if they are not to be seen then they have returned to their home way above the village, and it’s going to be a fine day.

These playful Mountain Choughs, or Bergdolden, nest at a higher altitude than any other bird, up at an elevation of around 3000m. Spend some time on the terrace of the Gornergrat Kulm hotel. Watching their aerobatic spectacle as they soar and glide around the peak of the mountain and over the glacier is pure entertainment for young and old alike. Their skill at mountain flying makes a performance worthy of staying to watch a while.

As they nest at so extreme an altitude, usually in a cave or a crevice in the cliff face, their eggs have special adaptations to the thin atmosphere that improve oxygen takeup and reduce water loss.

A pair will stay together as a couple for life, which is a long time as they can get to be over 100 years old. When one dies, however, its partner will die shortly after... romantic isn't it. Like an old couple, they always live in the same home, where they have raised their young.

They feed on worms and other small invertebrates, in fact, anything they can find at this altitude during the harshness www.zermatttimes.com

In German, the Snow Grouse is the Scnheehuhn. In the Highlands of Scotland, this hardy bird is known as the Ptarmigan.

In Latin it is Lagopus Mutus. Perfectly at home in the snowy harsh conditions of Zermatt, the Snow Grouse has given its name to the newest blended whisky from distiller Famous Grouse. Best drunk ice cold. (I digress).

It’s a beautiful bird pictured here in its Winter outfit. The Schneehunn rarely wanders far from its breeding ground. In Zermatt they inhabit pine forest areas and spend most of their time feeding on the ground. Their legs are feathered, and in winter even their toes have feathers. This helps them to walk on the deep snow and burrow into it for food and shelter.

I have only ever see one, in all my twelve years of living here. Naughtily, I have to admit, I was skiing off piste in the trees. I had almost come to a halt when there was a fluttering between my skis. I could not see anything distinctive at first apart from the snow flapping around. This bird is so well camouflaged. Then he made a clucking sound, rather like a chicken, and with the use of his wings to propel him through the deep snow, he was gone.

I was lucky that he survived. Snow grouse have many predators, not to mention the extreme weather conditions they have to contend with. Their numbers fall sharply

You'll only see them at night, visible mainly by the white mark on the chest and the slinky, bouncing movement they make.

They are from the mink, otter, badger, weasel family and are quite large, sometimes the size of a domestic cat. Like the cat they can retract their claws, making them great climbers of trees as well as being fast on the ground.

They have few predators other than humans, a few foxes and possibly eagles. So we do have high numbers here in Zermatt.

You hear them intensely at the end of October around Halloween. They fight with a high pitched sound just like a cat. This is their mating season and they make a racket! Their young are born in the spring after a seven month gestation period.

Another sign that they are around is rubber piping that has been gnawed through (they like that in car engines but that won’t be much of a problem for you in Zermatt). They mark their territory with small excretions called scats, which can mysteriously appear round your garden or even in your house. It’s worth being wary of them around children – they are notoriously vicious but not as scared of humans as you might think, so can appear to be quite tame.

Interestingly, they are a natural predator of the grey squirrel. We only have the red squirrel here in Zermatt. Perhaps the Martins are the reason we still have a gorgeous red squirrel instead of its predator, the grey one. In which case, thank you Pine Martins.

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Zermatt Times

The Matterhorn Guardian K

urt Lauber is a Zermatt-born Mountain Guide and, for the past eighteen years, he has been running the Hörnli Hut. But last year he embarked on a task quite different to the physical and mental demands of life high up on the mountain. He has written and published a book based about being Der Wächter des Matterhorns. – The Matterhorn Guardian. We were lucky enough to sit in a comfortable quiet space (thank-you Hotel Pollux) and chat with him about his life and about the writing of the book. We learned what we consider to be a few little pearls of wisdom…

Zermatt Times : How did your book Der Wächter des Matterhorns come about ?

Kurt Lauber : Funnily enough the book had a publisher before it was written. This is quite unusual for a first time writer. I talked about the idea to some publishers and they bought the idea. So once the contract was signed, then there was no way out, I had to write. It took one and a one and a half years to come out after that.

ZT : What motivated you to write this book?

KL : My motivation for writing came twenty years ago, when I noticed that the old stories from the older guides were being lost. Taken to the grave. Then I realised that I was also forgetting the old stories. Then the idea for a book was born.

So this is a mixture of the old and some new stories that I tell while recounting the life of a summer in the hut. www.zermatttimes.com

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I am not a writer and at first I thought to take a ghost writer but I myself had read books from ghost writers and realised they are not personal. So I had to write myself, with the help of my co-writer. This way it feels like it’s me.

ZT : Will the book be coming out in other languages?

KL : Yes it will be coming out in English and Japanese sometime next year.

ZT : What advice do you have for someone wanting to climb the Matterhorn, to help make sure they get back safely?

KL : To go with a Mountain Guide. Your Guide has the experience and the wide range of skills that you need to get to the top and get back again. You can not buy experience like you can equipment. The best equipment will only do so much. Most people get in problems when they climb without Guides. It takes longer and they don't get back before dark. It should take 9 hours but they get lost and it takes double the time.

You can see this in the number of deaths.

It’s way less now than it used to be. In the 90’s many climbers went without guides.

Then there were up to 20 deaths per year.

Last summer there were three and this summer only one.

ZT : Tell us about a big rescue you have been involved with?

KL : There was a rock fall in 2003. It was not huge but it was right on the climbing route. There were about 70 people above and we had to fly them out with helicopters. It then took three days to clear the route again.

But the main problem was that this went round the whole world. Journalists were broadcasting that it was dangerous to come to Zermatt. A rock fall is not unusual, this was nothing special except it fell on the climbing route. But they made out that the Matterhorn was crumbling. I had to tell about fifty journalists the Matterhorn 46

is not going to break down. I got so tired of it, so I said to one Journalist ‘Yes it is falling down, you have to come to Zermatt now if you want to see it before it falls down!’

ZT : Tell us a bit about your background.

KL : I was born in Zermatt and did my apprenticeship as a mechanic. But I had a love for the mountains so I did my ski instructor course. I then wanted to be a Mountain Guide, though I started climbing late, not until I was twenty. My Grandfather and Great Grandfather were guides. In my family it was not encouraged as it can be so dangerous, but for me it was the next step.

I took the guides exam. I worked for many years as a guide and then went on to teaching on the guides courses.

ZT : So how came you took on the Hut? KL : It was actually my wife’s idea to take on the hut, not my idea. She worked up there one summer. When it came free she had the idea that we take it on. So my son was always up there from three years old.

He is still the youngest person to have summited the Matterhorn. He climbed it when he was eight. Every summer he saw each day the guides go up and he would cry because he wanted to go too. So I said ‘OK, we start the training, each year we will go a bit further up’. We started when he was five, at six he was at the Solvay hut, at seven we tried for the Summit but turned back because of bad weather. We made it when he was eight. It would not be a good idea for any other kid but when you stay up there all summer you are used to the altitude. I have a picture of my son, the youngest, with Ullrich Inderbinnen, who at 90 was the oldest to climb to the top.

ZT : What do you do like to do when you’re not climbing mountains?

KL : It has to be outside. I love everything in nature – sea, deserts. I go rock climbing in Spain, I go SCUBA diving, sailing. As long

as I don’t have to stay inside all day. The rules in nature are everywhere a bit the same.

ZT : What do you think is the key to those rules?

KL : To make your own decisions. To accept that life is not fair. If you are in the wrong place at the wrong time and a rock falls and kills you, that is nature. These days, people think too much if something happens it is not their fault. You have to take responsibility for yourself.

ZT : What is day to day life in the Hörnli like?

KL : It’s only a three months season, short and busy with climbers coming down and going up at the same time. So the days are long, from 4am till 11pm even if there are no rescues. You have to be a real all-rounder.

You are making food, you are a repair man, and you have to have good knowledge of climbing and this mountain. It’s good to have some bad weather days. To slow down a bit, do some jobs round the Hut. The biggest problems are always water and power. All the water we have to make from melting snow, by August there isn’t much left. Visitors have to understand that they are not in the valley, we must be sparing with water and power.

ZT : It’s quite an extreme job, a big commitment.

KL : Yes, for the people who work up there, it is something completely different from other jobs. I have six people up there, they do two or three weeks up then one week down.

Then walk up again, it is healthy! But people stay, I have one girl in her 14th season, the others are in their 7th, 5th and 3rd seasons.

ZT : There are myths about ghosts up on the mountain. What do you think?

KL : I don’t believe in those myths. One girl who worked up there, she believed them and she was scared. She saw things. If you believe in those things then you see them and then Zermatt Times

people are afraid. I think you should be more afraid of the people who are alive then the people who are dead!

ZT : ‘Erst denken dan trinken’ – first think then drink – is a chapter in your book. Can you tell us about this for our readers who haven’t yet read it?

KL : One evening I went out onto the terrace and found four guests boiling water in a pan on a gas cooker. As I say, we have not much water up there but they say they collected the water in the toilet with a cup. So I told them, I really don’t think that’s a good idea.

But they said they knew what they were doing and I should take care of my own problems. So I thought, ok, not my problem then. I went back inside, prepared the dinner and forgot about it. The next afternoon there was a call from Air Zermatt that there were some climbers who had to be rescued from the top because they had stomach problems.

They picked me up in the heli and we went to the top and it was the people with the gas cooker. So I told them – you see, now it is my problem. And yes, first think, then drink.

ZT : You must see people who don’t reach their goal of getting to the top of the Matterhorn. How to they cope with that?

KL : For some people it is very difficult to handle the disappointment. Like with many sports that is the most difficult thing. If they have told their family and friends they are going to climb the Matterhorn to go back and tell people they didn’t make it is very hard.

ZT : Can you tell when they are on the way up who will make it and who won’t?

KL : (laughs) Yes, it’s easy to see. You see how someone walks up the stairs. If they can’t go up the stairs easily it won’t be good.

But if you train properly and you’re in good shape, it should work. The difficult ones are when you’re not sure, they might or might not. Then there are the discussions part way whether to go on or whether to turn back. www.zermatttimes.com

ZT : For many people, making it to the top must be one of the greatest experiences in their lifetime.

KL : Yes, but they don’t celebrate. They are so tired they only realise one day after the climb what they have done. They have to get back to Zermatt, relax, then they realise what they have done.

ZT : What do you think motivates people to try?

KL : Many people want simply to climb.

Some are having their mid-life crisis (laughs).

Sometimes I’m thinking to start a business which offers climbing the Matterhorn for people having a mid-life crisis.

ZT : Rather than buying a Porsche?

KL : Yes, and cheaper probably! And healthier. But also because you have a goal and you can measure it. If you get there or if you don’t. And it’s strange that there are many more men than women. We have many clients who are women and they are very strong and they can do anything. They can fight more with themselves than the men can. I don’t know why there are few women.

ZT : Because they don’t have mid-life crises? (laughter) We hear that there are going to be renovations of the Hut. KL : Yes, the Hut is 100 years old and it will be renovated by 2015, to coincide with the 150th anniversary of the first ascent of the Matterhorn. But it won’t be like the Monte Rosa Hutte. It will stay in the same place and, although the old one will first be demolished, from the outside the new one will be like the old, in traditional style.

The new hut will have improvements for the water and the insulation. There will be tanks to collect melted snow lower down and pumps to bring it to the Hut. It will also have 88 beds, only half of what we have now.

ahead and keep beds free for the Guides and their clients. It is easier with the hikers, they can plan in advance. Climbers have to grab the opportunity when the weather is right, they can’t plan so well. The problem comes when people come back late, especially if they have gone without a Guide and can’t find the way and it takes much longer than it should. If we are already full, they have to go down to Schwarzsee, it’s not that far but they can be very tired by then.

ZT : So why make it smaller?

KL : The Matterhorn is a very special place and to stay special it must be careful of numbers up there. People complain, they have complained for the past 140 years, about too many people. Especially when there are too many people climbing at one time. If they are tired or if they are nervous they get angry with the person in front, the person behind. This spoils their experience.

So we do need to find a way to regulate it and better not just by money. I’m thinking of more ways to do this.

ZT : So your motivation to continue with the Hut still goes strong?

KL : Oh yes, with the new Hut and all the planning for it and being part of taking that forward.

ZT : We see a wonderful firework display from the Hut each August 1st. Do you have parties up there?

KL : Not parties exactly. But there are always many Mountain Guides up there, locals, sometimes they stay the whole week. It’s like a big family.

ZT : How will you manage with half the beds?

KL : It is tricky already! I always have to look 47

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Zermatt Times

Zermatt has a well-deserved reputation as a destination for food lovers. It might well have been a factor that contributed to your

choice of

Zermatt as your holiday destination.

Opportunities to eat well abound, up in the mountains as well as within the village. The stunning views from many of the mountain restaurants might suggest that they could simply offer the beauty of the landscape but you get the view at the same time as enjoying a fabulous lunch. Superlative food served in extraordinary surroundings. Down in the village, hotel kitchens are turning out a fine dining experience for their guests on every night of their stay.

Many visitors choose their hotel on the basis of the memorable experience they enjoyed last year in the dining room of a particular establishment. Catered chalets employ chefs who have worked in some of the finest restaurants in the world, who turn their skills and experience to preparing gourmet dinners for their guests. You can wander round town and experience delicacies ranging from wonderful sushi, pasta made stylish and, of course, traditional Swiss fondue and raclette.

This delight in wonderful food filters down through the layers of Zermatt society in ways you wouldn’t necessarily expect. You go to dinner in the simple little apartment where the people you meet working in bars or as ski instructors reside and you find delicious food lovingly prepared.

It comes as no surprise then, that a section of the Zermatt Times will focus on Zermatt’s Gastronomic Landscape. But we want to bring to you those golden nuggets of information that illustrate how the whole subject, and the characters involved in the epicurean life of our village, is simply fascinating. By exploring in this way, we hope to uncover some of the explanations for and reasons behind Zermatt’s unique Gastronomic Landscape.

www.zermatttimes.com

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Zermatt Times

Valais Secret Vintages I

f you travelled via Geneva you will have passed through the historic Rhône valley on your way up to Zermatt. You may have noticed the vineyards that cling to the steep south facing terraces overlooking the valley. Nestled into very steep locales and surrounded by Alpine peaks, these are the highest and most dramatic vineyards in Europe. For over 50 kilometers they flank the steep valley sides all the way from Martigny, peaking at 1,100 meters in Visperterminen.

Not much is known about Swiss wine outside of Switzerland. When people think of Switzerland, they usually think of skiing, chocolates, cheeses, watches, and private banking, among other things. Where does wine fit into all this, and why is there not much known about Swiss wine outside of Switzerland? Simply because virtually all of it is consumed domestically. Not many people outside Switzerland get to try it, let alone know about it. In fact, residents of Switzerland love their wines so much that they leave very little available for export.

Switzerland exports only 1.5% of the wine it produces.

Consuming 40 litres per capita per annum, Switzerland is the fourth biggest wine consumer after France, Italy and Portugal. Even though the demand for Swiss wine is high, prices remain relatively reasonable, priced around the 15-35 chf mark.

The Valais is the largest wine region of Switzerland and, surprisingly, growing conditions are excellent, partly because of rather than in spite of the vertiginous mountain topography. The elevation of the vineyard sites ensures excellent sun exposure. The mountains create a rain shelter, and the southerly, warm “föhn” winds help grapes with late ripening tendencies to pull through the www.zermatttimes.com

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harvest season. Summers are hot, sunny and dry, even requiring outside irrigation.

Wooden canals called “bisses” are often situated to deliver melting snow runoff from the mountains. Winters can be cold and snowy, but are rarely followed by the deadly spring frost. At the same time, the steepness means that managing the vines and harvesting can be an enormous challenge.

The vines of the area are owned and tended by an impressive number of independent vignerons – more than 20,000 – most of whom sell their grapes under contract or grouped together as co-operatives. However, a growing number are producing their own wines, which reflects the increasingly export focused approach of the Swiss towards their wine production.

The Valais produces a wide range of world class wines. With over 60 grape varieties, these are perhaps the most eclectic of Swiss wines. For now, you won’t find them in many places outside Switzerland.

Here are some of the special local wines we recommend you to try.

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Red Wines Cornalin

This ancient variety, a cross between two Valdotan grape varieties, is indigenous to the Valais.

The first recorded mention of it was at the start of the 14th century. Sometimes considered the jewel in the crown of winegrowing traditions of the Valais, it is a difficult grape both to grow and at the production stage. It is low yielding and late maturing and was almost abandoned at the beginning of the twentieth century. Fortunately the perseverance and patience of several growers and producers have made it possible for us to drink it today.

On the fuller side of medium bodied, it is most often cherry red in colour but with spicy overtones to the taste. It ages well, being sometimes a bit on the fresh, rustic side when young (it can benefit from a bit of time uncorked before drinking). After about five years, it calms down and takes on a remarkable smoothness that is both elegant and classy. It can be a good companion for game such as venison, called Reh in German.

Tourmentin

Developed by the Rouvinez wine-growers near Sierre, Tourmentin is an original blend of four grape varieties – Pinot Noir, Syrah and two indigenous Swiss grapes, Humagne Rouge, and Cornalin. These contribute to make this into a strongly structured red wine with a rare aromatic richness. It is matured in casks for one year and goes on to age well in the bottle.

Like the Cornalin, it goes well with red meat, especially grilled beef and lamb; it also accompanies game meat and birds and makes an excellent companion for hard and semi-hard cheeses.

Zermatt Times

White Wines Heida

Often considered the pearl of the Alpine wines, Heida comes from Europe's highest vineyard at 1100meters. The vineyard terraces lie close to each other in rows on the southern slope, below the Heida village of Visperterminen.

The Valais sun ripens the Savagnin grapes that yield this crisp, aromatic wine. Not to be confused with Sauvignon Blanc, this is a small, low yielding grape also cultivated in the Jura region of France where it is known as Paien.

The wine is reminiscent of the Alsace style, fresh but also mellow with some fruity notes. For the altitude the grapes ripen well and produce a wine that comes in at about 14% alcohol.

Even the Celts made wine in Visperterminen, as shown by archaeological finds. Today about 42 hectares of vines are cultivated in the so-called Heida Village.

Petite Arvine

The Petite Arvine, rare in the rest of Switzerland, is a very popular grape variety in the Valais. It is grown around the village of Fully, regarded as the wine capital of Valais, which enjoys an especially gentle climate. Its origins are a little mysterious. Some claim that it was first planted by the Romans on their way down the Rh么ne valley to Italy. There are other, more plausible, records to suggest it was introduced to the Valais around 1602.

It is a delicate grape, sensitive to wind, and it ripens late. As a result it demands good exposure to sunshine, but preferably not in overly dry soil. The flavours are fruity and floral and run the gamut of styles from dry to sweet. Grapefruit, peach, rhubarb, saline, are all tastes associated with the wines. The best are exceptionally concentrated, with intense aromas and surprisingly dry.

My own view is that they can mis-fire with food, except for matching remarkably well with some of the salty cow and goat cheeses of the region. www.zermatttimes.com

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Lunch Logistics you’re high up in the snow covered mountains with that spectacular view in front of you, enjoying your gourmet lunch and bottle of wine with friends and family. you might not have a thought about the logistics involved in getting that spread to your table.

These little restaurants that provide us with amazing food for our much anticipated lunch are what, for many people, set Zermatt apart from other resorts. From a tiny wooden hut serving soup and bread to world class restaurants in the high mountains, the quality of food that is prepared up here, in these minuscule kitchens, is nothing short of miraculous.

In approximately six meters squared, they serve up plates that have earned some of them 14 Gaut Millau points. Given the size of these tiny kitchens and the logistics necessary to prepare our delicious lunches, we are witnessing and tasting miracles.

It starts in October, just as the larch begin to turn orange and morning frost covers the ground. Tractors full with bottles and provisions are precariously driven up the treacherous mountain paths load after load, week after week. This is heavy work. They drive up and unload provisions into stadels and cellars close to the restaurants for storage ready for the onslaught of the Winter season. Thousands of bottles of wine, beer, spirits, soft drinks.

The local fruit and veg man tells me that he alone delivers in the region of 15 tons of potatoes to the small hamlet of Findlen every October. Around three tons will last a modest size establishment over the Winter. ‘They store the potatoes up there in the cold cellars,’ he says. ‘This makes them sweet and the skins go thicker, perfect for Rösti.’

As the first snow arrives sometime in November some of the proprietors take a well-earned break. They have been open all Summer until the first weeks of October for the Wild (game) hunting season and go straight into preparing for Winter. At this time they are hoping for enough snow in December, when they open. If there is not enough, they have the bone-chilling work of making snow, to cover the pistes to their restaurants.

All the fresh produce has to be delivered daily during the season.

You may see the crates labelled with the restaurants’ names going

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up on the first lifts every morning. They are then delicately balanced on the winter form of transportation – skidoos – and driven very carefully down or up to the restaurants. Sometimes you might see a toboggan going down, the rider with a big cheese on her lap or you might be in the lift with some crates of veggies.

Fresh fish, Sashimi and Oysters are often on the menu. Fabulous with a glass of white wine chilled in an ice bucket of snow in view of the Matterhorn. A fitting way to enjoy your holiday in Zermatt; if not a little out of place, high in the mountains in a land locked country.

How do they get them up there so fresh? But think about it!

They can be fresher here than in London because the temperature is so much lower. Most of the fish and seafood are bought by the local supplier from Rungis market in Paris at 2am. By 4am they are in Zurich and at 9am in Zermatt, ready for the first lift to go up the mountain with a certified guarantee of quality under ISO 9001:2000, ready to be on your plate at lunch time.

The eclectic choice of wines is also unsurpassed, Ornellaia, Sassicaia, Tignanello and Solaia to name but a few of those from neighbouring Italy. The wine menus are long and extensive, giving you an indication of the number of bottles that are drunk, stored and transported back down the mountain at the end of the season. What comes up must go down. A little less heavy of course but winding their way down the mountain paths never the less.

Perhaps your’re not into a big lunch on the mountain and prefer a coffee and cake at the end of the day. Have you ever tried to bake a cake at altitude? Lower air pressure at high elevations causes air bubbles trapped in the mixture so that the cake rises more quickly. When this happens, the cake rises fast and high... then collapses. As a result, you end up with a dense, dry cake, a bit like a rock. All the traditional recipes have to be altered to avoid this. We will explore how in a future edition of Zermatt Times.

In addition to all this delicious food and wine, there are a plethora of musicians playing live for our entertainment. Some, having never skied before have to pick it up, quickly, in order to get to the gig. Their set might end after the last lift down departs, leaving no choice in the matter. All their instruments and acoustic equipment also have to be carried around in the snow, from gig to gig. Spare a thought for them as they strum and sing in the freezing temperatures.

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Zermatt Times

A reason to

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B

y the time you are reading this, the new Bogner shop will have opened near the church square, with an event attended by Willy Bogner himself. Bogner brands Sônia Bogner, (Woman, Man, Sport and Kids) and Bogner Fire + Ice as well as various license collections will be displayed in a modern and natural interior.

The Bogner brand is truly iconic, standing for a synthesis of sport with fashion. Now represented in thirty-six countries in the most cosmopolitan cities across the world, the back-story to this family business is fascinating. What began in 1932 when Willy Bogner senior, Nordic ski champion from Bavaria, started importing ski kit from Norway, reached what might have seemed like an apogee when ski ace John Eaves hurtled through a wall of fire in Willy junior’s spectacular film Fire and Ice. That was 1986. The film became one of the most successful sports films of all time. The brand can well claim to be the world’s leading manufacturer of high quality and luxurious ski fashion.

Not only is Willy junior, like his dad before him, a world champion skier but he is also a passionate and respected filmmaker. 1969 saw him following James Bond down icy ravines and bobsled runs while carrying a

special camera weighing in at 30 kilograms for “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service”. As well as his own series of films where exhilarating exploits are captured on celluloid, Willy has worked on four more 007 movies.

German national teams have worn Bogner designs from 1936 to the present day. Two very important women have been integral to this blend of sport and style that is the heritage of Bogner. Maria Lux married Willy senior in 1937 and contributed her special flair for design to the development of the brand. In 1948 she brought a fashion revolution to the catwalk in the shape of ski pants made of stretch material. These stretchy, figure hugging garments became the fashion choice of Marilyn Monroe, Jane Mansfield and Ingrid Bergman and entered the dictionary of U.S. English as ‘Bogners’ At a photo shoot for golf wear Willy junior met the Brazilian model Sônia Ribeiro. They married in 1972 and have continued the growth of this dynamic brand. More lines have been introduced – not only golf but tennis, cross-country skiing and swimming.

Sporty sunglasses, perfumes and lines of leather items including shoes, bags and luggage have been added to the collections.

Shops have opened all over the world, awards have been won, and this legendary brand continues to go from strength to strength.

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Z M ER TTN The Hotel Schönegg

IN TOWN

Cable Car

The boys from the Bubble are now running the Cable Car. It’s a relaxed saisoniers hang out. The drinks are cheap and Andreas (the Swede), Mark (Pocket Rocket) and Glen Parson (ex big air champ) are organising live music, ipod battles, themed nights.

As well as bowling, darts, table football, big screen sports and.... Chalet girls. Open in the evenings from 1700 - 0200 Tel: 078 798 75 58

The Hotel Schönegg has been handed on to the younger generation’s capable hands. The dynamic sister and brother combo will inject some fresh energy into this place that simply has THE most wonderful view.

Tel: 027 966 34 34

Hotel

Snowboat

Ivo Adam at the Vernissage

The crew of the Snowboat are officially opening the Zermatt Yacht Club restaurant. The Club has been a Zermatt institution since the 60’s. The Yacht Club Restaurant will take you on tasting journey of gourmet cuisine with global influences. For your entertainment there is live piano every night, a mix of jazz, funk and blues. If you’re a foodie, or if you like good jazz n blues, or both, this place will not disappoint. Tel: 027 967 43 33

Ivo Adam, a celebrity chef in Switzerland, puts his name to the new restaurant on the first floor of the Back Stage hotel.

He is the face of the Coop fine food line and in the summers he runs a chain of restaurants in Ascona called Seven.

His competent team will also be managing the bar and cine-dinners in the Vernissage cinema downstairs. It will bring a whole new gourmet experience to the idea of dinner and a movie. Tel: 027 966 69 70

Kitchen Around

The ‘Kitchen Around’ is a novel way to experience three different kitchens in one meal. Eating in the middle of the action in the restaurant kitchens, you will have a starter in one, main in the other and dessert in the last. Travelling between them on foot or by electro taxi. What will they come up with next!

Tel: 027 968 12 12

Snow

Restaurant

ON THE MOuNTAIN

Adler Hitta

Chez Vrony

Adler Hitta owner Uggi and family in Findeln have built more dining room for us inside and a new terrace to enjoy that spectacular view. Now even more people can enjoy his unmissable ‘Mistkratzerli’ baby chicken on the open grill.

Tel: 027 967 10 58

Chez Vrony in Findlen have also added an extra 40 seats for lunch inside. The decor is mainly wood and stone in keeping with the traditional house style. Book ahead in high season so you don't miss out.

Tel: 027 967 25 52

Stafelalp

Daniella Julen and team at Stafelalp still offer, in our opinion, one of the best fondues on the mountain. Sink into a flock of sheepskins on their comfortable seats and marvel at the imposing north wall of the Matterhorn.

Or strip off and bubble away in their Jacuzzi with a view.

Tel: 027 967 30 62

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Schwarzsee Restaurant

Up at Schwarzsee restaurant, Dave and Tania go into their second season at the base of the Matterhorn. Dave and the band will get your foot tapping with Irish folk music and some rock classics, while you sit under the majestic rock and enjoy lunch. Tel: 027 967 22 63

Zermatt Times

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FRESH TRACKS BARS & RESTAuRANTS

Cable

M R A Schloss Tenne Renovation

The hotel Alex Schloss Tenne could not be more central, located close to both Zermatt stations. It’s been completely revamped by Alex Jr formally from the Hotel Alex. His wife Pamela and he are now in charge. As well as forty-nine rooms, it offers spacious two bedroom apartments and a state of the art four bedroom penthouse apartment. Their Luxury suite boasts 90 m2, enough room to swing your skis in. The spa will have a variety of treatments available for your tired body and mind.

Tel: 027 966 4400

Car

The Mont Cervin Palace

Boutique

The Mont Cervin Palace will re-open on 12th December after an eight month-long construction period. What have they been doing? Completely renovating 4 floors and the salons, reception, gardens and terraces. They are using stone that comes from Wallis and local oak with the knots on display, showing how the wood has been naturally grown.

Other materials they have deployed, such as tactile cotton and felt, are in keeping with the natural and cosy ambiance .

We can’t wait to see the results.

The Grand Hotel Zermatterhof

The Grand Hotel Zermatterhof have been renovating their suites, and a number of rooms have been updated to a high standard.

Bands

The Hotel Bellerive

The Cervo Boutique Hotel

The Hotel Bellerive has also been given a face-lift. All the south-facing rooms have been made larger, and the north facing rooms given balconies. Tel: 027 966 74 74

The Cervo Boutique Hotel continues to add to its collection of hunting lodge style Chalets. This newest one has two private spa suites, in which to let yourself be well and truly pampered.

Tel: 027 968 12 12

N EWs Restaurant Les Marmottes

If you fancy staying over in Furi.

Restaurant Les Marmottes have some new holiday apartments to rent next to their restaurant.

Tel: 027 967 82 82

Toby at the Fluhalp Restaurant

Toby and his band are playing Fluhalp Restaurant again this year. Their good old sing along tunes will get you up and dancing in yer ski boots. If you miss them up there, they will also be playing during the week in the T-bar.

Tel: 027 967 25 97

The Igloo Village

The Igloo village on Gornergrat now has a couple of super cosy Geodesic dome rooms. They are equipped with a log burning stove and double bed. Some even have a private Jacuzzi. Perfect for a romantic night under the stars and much warmer than the Igloo.

Tel: 041 612 27 28

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Forty-Seven Mountain Restaurants

To carry the low-down on all forty-seven mountain restaurants in your back pocket, there is a new restaurant guide available. The title is ‘Alpbeizli-Führer’ and you can find it in the book shops in town for CHF 39,-. The author is Gisela Schlotterbeck. It’s only in German for now.

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The Bucket List

These are just a few of the things we recommend you try before you leave Zermatt.

First Tracks Get an early night on Wednesday because Thursday’s Fresh Tracks are worth getting up for. untracked corduroy groomers await your first turns. The mountains are still sleeping and there is not even the clink of the chairlifts to be heard. Enjoy being the only ones up there, it’s even more beautiful without the people, free to carve to your hearts’ content. Take your time or blast it down to Furi where you can enjoy a leisurely breakfast in one of the restaurants down there. Breakfast is included in the price so sip on a coffee and munch on fresh croissants as the rest of the crowd battles its way up. Feeling refreshed and exhilarated you'll be ready to continue your ski day fully warmed up and ready to go.

Buy your ticket the day before. Depart 07.40 from the bottom of Matterhorn Glacier Paradise gondola. The price is 33,-chf per person, including breakfast.

Night time sledding

Pisten Bully ride (Snowcat)

This sledding evening is super fun but even more so with a decent sled. Ask in the rental shops for one similar to the picture. These are easier to turn and great to ride. The other tip for sledding is sturdy footwear with a good sole.

Something similar to soft snowboard boots is ideal as the piste can be quite hard packed. A head lamp to light the way is also recommended.

Tag along with one of our piste groomers for a night excursion you won’t forget!

At Furi you can either walk a little further up to Restaurant Les Marmottes and have dinner there or you can get straight on the sled down to Blatten. As you go down, if the sky is clear, take your time to look up at the stars glittering like in a planetarium. If it is overcast, then use the opportunity to capture great shots of your fellow sledders as they career down the piste. The warm glow from cosy restaurant Blatten will be a welcome sight. Dinner is top notch, suitably full and sated you'll get back on the sleds for the ride down into town. This is a great dinner activity for those that are active and those who prefer to walk up to join you can take the walking path.

Depart form Matterhorn glacier paradise gondola at 19.30. Price per person for the lift up is 11,-chf.

Kids from 9-16 yrs. 5.50,-chf.

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This ride in the heated comfort of a luxury 430 HP snowcat is the ultimate experience for a remarkable view of the moonlit slopes and mountain terrain at night. you join a piste basher while he grooms the mountains in the evening, smoothing the terrain to help make impeccable skiing conditions. These machines are fascinating to boys small and big, you'll just love the tremendous power and amazing action of the pisten bullies. The groomers will take you onboard while they work but you have to be willing to sit with them from around 16.00 until they finish and can drop you back at 20.00. Each machine can take one passenger and you have to be over 16 years of age.

They go from the Gornergrat area on Thursdays and the Rothorn area on Wednesdays. Bring a little snack with you as the night is long out there, in the endless vastness away from civilization.

150,-chf. per person. Enquiries Tel. +41 (0)27 966 01 01

Zermatt Times

Curling Take the opportunity to have a go at this Winter Olympic sport sometimes called ‘bowls on ice’. You've probably seen them on TV, brushing away at the ice wearing funny looking shoes. Now’s your chance to learn what it’s all about.

It’s best played between teams of four so a group of eight is perfect. All you need to try curling is a pair of clean, flat, rubber soled shoes (trainers are ideal) and loose fitting, warm clothing.

The sport originates from Scotland and still to this day most of the curling stones come from there. In the twenties, Scotts came to Zermatt to play on the ice rink with the Matterhorn in the background and brought their own curling stones with them.

Zermatt has produced a curling Olympian, Diego Perren, who won gold in 1998. It also plays host to a European championship cup called the HoruTrophy in January, where sixty plus teams take part.

If you'd like to have a go we can thoroughly recommend it as a fun and inexpensive group activity. For two hours, eight of you will rent the rink privately. Your private instructor will have everything set up and give you an hour’s lesson, leaving you to your own devices for the second hour. For a group of eight it’s 16,-chf each. Bargain!

Enquiries Tel. +41 (0)27 967 62 64

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Ice Climbing There is something intrinsically tactile about ice. The smooth coolness and deep greeny blue colour. Frozen waterfalls and north faces of ice covered rock are places that one would not normally be able to get to. Perhaps this is why it’s so fascinating.

Four of the Zermatt guides are among the best ice climbers in the world. Let them help you to discover this beautiful ice close up and the addictive sport of climbing it. Their know how and the equipment they use enables almost anyone with a reasonable cardio fitness level and good strength to body weight ratio to do it. Ice climbing can be done in bad weather as it’s mostly in gorges and sheltered areas. If you fancy chomping your way up the ice with ice axes and crampons, put your trust in the guidance of the naturally talented guides and do something you never did before. At the very least they will teach you how to hold an ice axe properly and not like a bunch of daffodils...

Price per person is 190,-chf for 3-4 hours instruction in a group of 3-4 people. Enquiries Tel. +41 (0)27 966 24 60

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Wish List Super-Sunscreen We all know the danger of sun exposure.

Especially at a high altitude, we need a really good sunscreen. The reflection of sunlight from the snow acts to double our exposure, especially on the face.

La Roche, a French line of skin care products, has a sunscreen line called Anthelios. Anthelios sunscreens contain Mexoryl. Mexoryl protects the skin by absorbing the energy of the sun’s short uVA rays. This protects against uVA photons penetrating your skin. Anthelios sunscreens are also photo-stable (they don't degrade when exposed to sunlight), unlike most other sunscreen brands available. Another attribute of Mexoryl allows it to be formulated into very high SPF formulations, such as found in Anthelios XL SPF 60, offering the ultimate in sun protection.

Apply the cream a few minutes before you go out, as initially it can be a little sticky, but it soon penetrates the skin leaving no greasiness.

Video On The Move There are more and more of ways for recording our exploits riding snow-covered slopes and they are getting increasingly ingenious. But what about a device that is less cumbersome than even a smart phone and more subtle than a camera stuck to your helmet? Miniaturization means that High Definition images can be captured in stills or as video by a piece of kit you don’t even have to think about carrying or wearing. It’s integrated into your eyewear.

Designed to be stylish and sporty, Pivothead sunglasses claim to be ‘the world’s sexiest camera’. But if you are riding the steep and deep you are likely to be wearing goggles and this is where Liquid Image comes in. Like all good goggles these have a dual pane, antifog, anti-glare and uV protecting lens but supplemented by a wide viewing angle, 5.0 megapixel camera.

They are operated by just two buttons designed to be glove friendly and an interior light tells you when you are recording.

Whether in sunglasses or goggles this device adds a new dimension to your images, recording a first person perspective of the action. And that has to be cool!

For a full account of the Liquid Image experience turn to our special feature in the next issue where the goggles are taken for a heli ride.

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Mammut Barryvox Pulse For people who like to ski off the piste, this is the greatest investment you'll ever make. It may well save your life and those of your ski buddies. Pow hounds will not show you where the best snow lines are if you’re not carrying one.

For those not in the know it’s an avalanche transceiver. It’s designed to communicate with another transceiver to show where and how deep a person or several people may be buried. I could go into lots of technical garb here but you can look all that up yourself. In my humble opinion this is the best on the market because 90% of the mountain guides of Zermatt use it. The biggest Heli ski company in the world, Canadian Mountain Holidays, only uses this model too. Their reputation and lives rely on this little box and they test it for years – that’s enough evidence for me. There is a cheaper model but it lacks this one’s precision. For a couple of extra Francs, we think this is the only one to get. And make sure you learn how to use it!

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Next issue Issue 2 | February 2013 We are very excited about the February edition of the Zermatt Times.

It will be bigger, even better and be available all Spring and Summer long.

We will focus on some of the fabulous activities that Zermatt offers throughout Spring and Summer. Not only are there long days of skiing in sparkling sunshine, there are music festivals, the delights of hanging out at the Iglu Dorf, and Alpine flowers that are known for the their fascinating remedial properties as well as their beauty. Amazing pictures from another featured photographer will fill the pages and we will tell you stories about our very special town that you may well want to start to collect.

In ‘Through the keyhole’ we will be looking into romantic get aways for two.

Cosy hidden gems perfect for you and your loved one.

In the gastronomic section we will be investigating ‘Dining with a Difference’ and exploring some of the top traditional Swiss eateries in town.

Our ‘Bucket list’ provides ideas about what not to miss on a stay here in Zermatt. There’s always lots going on around town, and our ‘Fresh Pow’ and ‘Fresh Tracks’ sections will help you to stay in the know.

If you would like to let people know about any events happening from 25th February till the end of September do send us an email.

Likewise if you have anything you think will be news worthy, don’t hesitate to contact us.

And for all businesses that want to communicate directly with the special people who opt for Zermatt as their holiday destination of choice (and not forgetting those lucky enough to live here too) we have some pages available for advertising.

Let us know and we will send you our Media Pack forthwith!

Our deadline for the next issue is the 25th January.

See you again soon.