Member Article: Zermatt Uncovered

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It had been a great ski trip - the same eight of us for the past few years hit the slopes of Europe in the last week of February. It had been my turn to book the trip this season and I had decided that Zermatt was the perfect spot for this year's jaunt.

We are a mixed bunch of skiers - a couple of us are fairly advanced - or 'fearless' as I prefer to describe myself - some confident intermediates and two third timers. Most European ski resorts cater for a mixed level of ski group but we also like to party - a good après-ski scene is a must for us and Zermatt rocks. I'm also inclined to generalise and say that Austrian and Swiss ski resorts offer something more than the average French ski resort in the Alps - a sense of tradition, history and heritage. Range and extent of skiing aside, French skiing is usually accompanied by purpose-built concrete monstrosities, whereas old alpine hostelries and quaint cobbled streets are more the norm in Austria and Switzerland. Interestingly, my most memorable ski trips have usually been in Austria or Switzerland - coincidence perhaps.

So having established that Austria, Switzerland and Zermatt in particular, are all excellent places for a European ski holiday what are they like as summer destinations?

The Zubriggen hotel in Zermatt is tucked away at the quieter top end of town - a 10-minute leisurely walk to the centre and about two minutes walk from the nearest ski lift.  It almost sits in the very shadow of the magnificent Matterhorn that majestically towers over this car-free alpine town.

I had never considered coming to the Alps in the summer but The Zubriggen sold the idea to me with its brochures equally full of both summer and winter activities and scenic pictures. Zermatt is as busy in the summer as the winter. Activities include paragliding, walking, skiing on the glacier and mountain biking - to name but a few. Being a fair-weather cyclist and ski-junkie I pondered the thought of coming back in the summer - perhaps for a long weekend as opposed to a week long holiday. Now that I have been there in the summer I am pleased that I did more than just ponder and wish I had stayed longer.

Continued...