Its population is around 7,000. The two valleys are Mattertal and Saastal. It borders with Brig-Gils.

The majority of the population is German-speaking.

With its 24 authentic Valais mountain villages perched on the mountain slopes and nestling in the Rhone Valley, and its five skiing areas, this varied holiday region is often called ‘the Valais in pocket format’.

The pretty little old town of Visp in the Rhone Valley is one of the most important cultural and wine-growing centres in the Valais. With the opening of the Lötschberg base tunnel, Visp became a new railway hub for visits to the central and upper Valais, and excursions to Saas-Fee, Zermatt, Leukerbad and the Aletsch Glacier. Its wide range of accommodation including hotels, holiday apartments, group accommodation, mountain huts and two camp sites makes it a perfect place to stay, away from the bustle of the big resorts.

Summer

With 500 km of hiking trails, the Visp region is primarily hiking country in summer, but there are also a wide range of tracks for bikers. Because of the dry, almost desert-like climate on the sunny mountain slopes of the Rhone Valley, an extensive network of irrigation channels was built centuries ago by farmers of the region. This is why the area is so fertile today. Discover the 28 different flowers used for making Bach flower therapies along a special themed trail in Eggerberg; then visit the wild, romantic Turtmann Valley, where you can watch tasty mountain cheese being made the traditional way in the show cheese dairy.

Winter

The ‘Rund um Visp’ ski region comprises two main ski resorts: the Augstbord region and the head of the Vispertal, including Visperterminen. 28 ski- and chairlifts ascend from these high plateaus to 2540 m. The carousel of ski resorts made up of Bürchen/Törbel and Unterbäch with Eischoll revolves around the Augstbordhorn, and a free ski bus runs between them. Those in search of peace and quiet should make for the slopes of Gspon, reached by cableway from Stalden or Staldenried. One ski pass gives access to all these ski regions, where you will also find snow-boarding, carving, cross-country skiing and winter hiking trails as well as prepared sledge runs. Every resort also has marked snowshoe trails offering three levels of difficulty. There is also an indoor ice-rink in Visp while Bürchen, Raron and Visperterminen have natural outdoor rinks.

Highlights

• Old town of Visp: Visp is the centre of the region and has a pretty little town centre.
• Visperterminen: the highest vineyard in Europe at 1150 metres. This is where the fruity-spicy Heida white wine is pressed from Traminer grapes.
• Raron: fortified hilltop castles and a baroque church dominate the historic old part of the town where the poet Rainer Maria Rilke chose to be buried.
• Safrandorf Mund: the only village in central Europe where the precious spice, saffron, has been grown since the middle ages
• Birkendorf Bürchen: visitors can re-energise themselves here in the shade of the birch-lined avenue with some fresh birch juice.

Top Events

Pürumärt – traditional farmers’ market (September).

It is located at the northern base of the Matterhorn in the German-speaking and predominantly Roman Catholic section of the canton. It is 62 km southeast of Gstaad, and only about 10 km from the border with Italy. Although the official language is German, most inhabitants also speak French and some English.

Zermatt has a permanent population of around 5,500 people, although the actual population varies considerably through the seasons as tourists come and go. The village is situated at the end of a north-facing valley, at an altitude of 1,620m (5,315ft). The valley is a dead end; although the border with Italy is close, it cannot be crossed by road, as it traverses a glacier at an altitude of over 3,000m.

Tourism

Zermatt is famed as a ski resort and as a tourist destination. Until the mid-19th century, it was predominantly an agricultural community — its name, as well as that of the Matterhorn itself, derives from the alpine meadows, or matten, in the valley. In the German language, the town is “Zur Matte”, or “in the meadow.”

The town was “discovered” mid-century by British mountaineers, most notably Edward Whymper, whose conquest of the Matterhorn made the village famous worldwide.

Zermatt is a closed village, which means that non-Swiss nationals are not permitted to buy property within the area. Traditionally, May heralds the beginning of the construction season, and this contributes towards May being possibly the worst time to visit, as, during this month only, large trucks are permitted to trundle through the town, turning all of the roads into rivers of mud.

There are several distinct “suburbs” within Zermatt, and the largest of these organise summer street parties, where the local shops, restaurants and bars contribute towards large communal events. Notable parties include the Steinmatte (held in late August), and the Winkelmatten (held in September). Winkelmatten itself was once a separate small hamlet, but as Zermatt has grown it has become incorporated within the greater conurbation. This areas is rather hopefully marketed as the “Beverley Hills” of Zermatt, and a number of large (for Zermatt) residences have sprung up here recently.

Zermatt is a starting point for many hikes into the surrounding mountains, including the Haute Route that ultimately leads to Chamonix in France. A complex of cable cars and chair lifts carry skiers in the winter and hikers in the summer; the highest of them leads to the Klein Matterhorn at 3,883m, a small outcropping on the ridge between Breithorn and Matterhorn that offers spectacular views in all directions. It is possible to cross into Italy via the Cervinia cable car station. A spectacular rack railway line (the Gornergratbahn, the highest open-air railway in Europe) runs up to the summit of the Gornergrat at 3,089m (10,134 ft). Zermatt is also the western terminus for the Glacier Express rail service connecting to St. Moritz and the MGB (Matterhorn-Gotthard-Bahn).

Transportation

To prevent air pollution which could disfigure the town’s lovely view of the Matterhorn, the entire town is a combustion-engine car-free zone. Electric vehicles are allowed for local commerces. The Cantonal police can issue a permit which allows residents to drive and park at the northern outskirts. Some emergency vehicles (fire trucks, ambulances, etc.) are also allowed to use combustion engines.

Most visitors reach Zermatt by cog railway train or taxi from the nearby town of Täsch. Trains also depart for Zermatt from farther down the valley at Visp and Brig, which are on the main Swiss rail network.

There are various passenger vehicles operating within Zermatt, from tiny electric shuttles provided by hotels to carry visitors from the main train station (or the taxi transfer point just outside town) to the hotel properties, to “electro” taxis operated by four major Zermatt families, and “electro” buses, which serve two routes: one between the major hotel areas and the stations of the various ski-lifts, and the other following a similar route but also serving the more rural “suburb” of Winkelmatten. Horse-drawn carriages can also be found; some are operated by hotels and others are available for hire. The town also has a heliport (ICAO: LSEZ) and a local helicopter operator, Air Zermatt, which also provides alpine rescue services.

In 2007, a project group was formed to evaluate different options for further development of the local transportation network (as the “electro” buses do not have enough capacity). The results of this study are published in the December 2007 edition of Zermatt Inside. The six different options explored are a coaster, a funicular, a metro, moving sidewalks, a gondola or more “electro” buses.

Skiing

Zermatt is well known throughout the world for its great skiing, especially Triftji for its moguls. The high altitude results in consistent skiing continuously up until the summer. Skiing in Zermatt is split up into four distinct areas; Sunnegga, Gornergrat, Klein Matterhorn and Schwarzsee. There is also a connection to Cervinia and Valtournenche in Italy.

Sunnegga

The Sunnegga Paradise is accessed via a funicular railway, followed by a gondola to Blauherd and finally a cable car onwards to the Rothorn (3,103m) above. The unique topography of the mountain and the valley tends to keep the Rothorn clear and sunny, even when Zermatt itself is submerged in cloud.

From Blauherd there is a gondola down to Gant, and from here there is a large connecting cablecar up to Hohtälli. This cable car and the newer 4-seat chairlift Sunnegga-Findeln-Breitboden provide connections between Sunnegga and Gornergrat. With few steeper slopes, this mountain is often used to train younger skiers.

Gornergrat

The Gornergrat is served by a railway of the same name (Gornergratbahn) and, whilst picturesque, the journey is a slow, nowadays 29 minute, ride up to the Gornergrat peak (3,089m), via Riffelalp, Rotenboden and Riffelberg, (with limited stops at Findelbach and Landtunnel just above the town). At the summit, the hotel and restaurant have been completely refurbished and also accommodate a shopping center.

One final cable car heads up from Hohtälli to the Rote Nase (3,247m). This final lift serves a unique freeride area but can be unreliable as this mountainside requires high snow cover to be skiable. The lifts in this area generally open for the season in late February or early March, depending upon the amount of accumulated snowfall. For the 2007 season, the Rote Nase opened on the 6th March, while the now also retired Hohtälli to Stockhorn lift opened on the 8th of March. In 2008 an new T-bar tow re-opened access to the Stockhorn.

The old Hohtälli to Gornergrat cablecar is now permanently closed, with no replacement lift planned. A new slope leading back from Hohtälli to Kellensee just under the Gornergrat replaced this lift to maintain the link from the Rothorn to Gornergrat.

Klein Matterhorn / Schwarzsee

Near the southern end of the Zermatt village, the Matterhorn Express gondola speeds passengers up to the interchange station at Furi. From here there is access to the Schwarszee via a gondola to the right, a cable car that leads on to the Trockener Steg mid station (and then on to the Klein Matterhorn), and a brand new gondola, opened on the 18 December 2006, links Furi to Riffelberg on the Gornergrat mountain. This lift addresses one of the most persistent criticisms of Zermatt: that it is very difficult to ski the two sides of the valley without a tiresome trek through the village between the Gornergratbahn and the Matterhorn Express at opposite ends of the town.

Testa Grigia at the top of the Theodulpass serves as a connection to the Italian ski-resorts of Cervinia and Valtournenche. From the Swiss side it is only reachable by skilift, but from the Italian side by a chairlift and by a cablecar. There are customs offices here as well as a small alpine museum.

Zermatt is marketed as an all year skiing resort, with summer skiing limited to the Theodulgletscher behind the Klein Matterhorn. Whilst strictly true, during the off season in May and June there will only tend to be one or two runs open, and the main glacier area does not open until July.

In operation since 25 October 2003, the Furggsattel six-seater chairlift has twelve (of eighteen) masts that stand directly on the glacial ice of the Theodulgletscher – a first for Switzerland. It is one of very few lifts worldwide with bottom- and top-station in different countries: resp. Switzerland and Italy.

History of the lift system

* 1898 Start of summer operation of Gornergratbahn.
* 1928 Gornergratbahn introduces a twice daily winter sports service to Riffelalp.
* 1939 Development of Theodul area from Breuil Cervinia to Testa Grigia.
* 1942 Zermatt-Sunnegga skilift (summer: foot lift, replaced by chairlift in 1967).
* 1946 Weisti trainer skilift (moved to Riffelberg in 1969). Zermatt-Sunnegga sideways facing chairlift (replaced by funicular in 1980).
* 1947 Sunnegga-Blauherd skilift (replaced by cable car in 1967).
* 1955 Cableway Plan Maison-Furgghorn (discontinued 1992).
* 1956 Suspension lift Gornergrat-Hohtälli (due to be discontinued in the summer of 2007). Skilift Riffelberg (replaced by chairlift 2003). Skilift Furi (discontinued 1960). Chairlift Findeln-Sunegga (due to be replaced in the summer of 2007).
* 1957 Suspension lift Zermatt-Furi.
* 1958 Suspension lift Hohtälli-Stockhorn (due to be discontinued in the summer of 2007). Furi-Schwarzsee suspension lift (replaced by cable car lift 2002).
* 1960 Skilift Garten (discontinued 2003).
* 1962 Suspension lift Furgg-Schwarzsee (replaced by group turnaround lift in 1991).
* 1963 Skilift Hornli.
* 1964 Suspension lift Furi-Furgg (replaced by Matterhorn Express in 2002). Theodullift (replaced by extension of Gandegglift 2003). Skilift Triftji-RoteNase
* 1965 Furgg-Trockener Steg suspension lift. Skilift National (replaced by chairlift Patrullarve 1989).
* 1967 Cable car lift Sunnegga-Blauherd (replaced by combi system in 2005). Suspension lift Blauherd-Rothorn (repplaced in 1996). Skilift Furgsattel (replaced by chairlift oin 2003). Skilift Eisfluh (replaced by chairlift 2001). Passlift (replaced by extension to Gandegglift 2003).
* 1968 Platform skilift Kumme (replaced by chairlift 1982). Skilift Gandegg (extended and renewed in 2003).
* 1971 Cablecar Gant-Blauherd. Skilift Gant-Platte (discontinued 2002). Skilift Riffelberg-Gifthittli (replaced by chairlift 2003). Skilift Test Grigia 1.
* 1979 Suspensionlift Trockener Steg-Klein Matterhorn.
* 1980 Funicular Zermatt-Sunnegga. Skilift Testa Grigia 2 (moved to Plateau Rosa 3 2005). Border skilift (Gobba di Rollin). Skilift Plateau Rosa 1.
* 1982 Suspension lift Furi-Trockener Steg. Cable car Zermatt-Furi. Chairlift Kumme-Rothorn.
* 1984 Joint skipass in Zermatt.
* 1986 Suspension lift Hohtälli-Rote Nase.
* 1989 Chairlift Patrullarve-Blauherd.
* 1991 Chairlift Furgg-Sandiger Boden-Theodul Glacier. Skilift Plateau Rosa 2. Group turnaround lift Furgg-Schwazsee.
* 1995 Joint skipass Zermatt-Cervinia.
* 1996 Suspension lift Blauherd-Rothorn.
* 1998 Suspension lift Gant-Hohtälli.
* 1999 Electronic ticketing system introduced.
* 2001 Chairlift Eisfluh-Sunnegga.
* 2002 Merger of Zermatt Bergbahnen (saving the Sunnegga lift company from iminent bancruptcy). Cable car lifts Matterhorn Express (Zermatt-Furi-Schwarzsee).
* 2003 Chairlift Furgsattel Gletcherbahn. Chairlift Gifthittli.
* 2005 Combi system (car/chair) Sunnegga-Blauherd. Passenger lift funicular-Riedweg.
* 2006 Suspension lift Furi-Schweigmatten-Riffelberg.
* 2007 End of operations of the Gornergrat – Hohtälli tram, replaced by a red slope Hohtälli – Kellensee.
* 2007 End of operations of the Hohtälli – Stockhorn tram, replaced by a surface lift in 2008.
* 2007 Clearing of the skitunnel at Riffelberg, increasing the capacity of this slope.
* 2007 4-seat chairlift Sunnegga-Findeln-Breitboden.

It is Switzerland’s most famous landmark, the most beautiful mountain in the world and considered by many true mountaineers to be the peak of all peaks: the Matterhorn.

Each year hordes of climbers from all corners of the globe attempt to scale the Matterhorn. And it is a genuine challenge, too: those venturing up the peak don’t just have to be very fit and have prior mountaineering experience, but above all they need a good head for heights, because the route to the top is highly exposed.

The history of the Matterhorn

The Matterhorn is not so much a fad, but an obsession. The Horn was first conquered 140 years ago on 14th July 1865. Four of the seven young men – lead by Englishman Edward Whymper – attempting the ascent lost their lives. Even today rumours surrounding this dramatic event, which made the small village of Zermatt world-famous overnight, are rife. Was it an accident or was it murder? The original rope from that first expedition that tore during the descent is on display today in Zermatt’s Matterhorn Museum.

Most mountaineers now take the Hörnligrat (North-East face) for their fist ascent. The normal route starts on the Swiss side with a hike from Zermatt-Schwarzsee to Matterhornhütte (Hörnli Hut, 3260 m above sea level) and the neighbouring Mountain House Matterhorn. From here a 4 to 5-hour climb up the Hörnligrat leads to the summit. The Solvayhütte, which has been set up as an emergency refuge, is about half way up (4003 m). An estimated 3000 mountain climbers try their luck on the Horn each year. Many give up because they are not fit enough.

Geological facts

The Matterhorn – Switzerland’s most famous landmark. But, strictly speaking the Matterhorn isn’t actually from Switzerland, but Africa. This is because around 90 million years ago the African continental plate slid over the European plate. And it was precisely these rocky masses surging upwards that gave birth to the Matterhorn.

However, the Matterhorn has much more to offer than the scores of celebs that scale it. The true celebrities are the intact nature and wilderness, and the unique flora and fauna. The history of alpinism, the job of the mountain guide, alpine mountain rescue services and skiing are all closely associated with the Matterhorn.

Things to see

The people of Zermatt honour this natural monument with a monument of its own: The exciting history of the “Horu”, as the people of Zermatt call the peak, is told in the Matterhorn Museum.

The Matterhorn (German) or Cervino (Italian), (French: Mont Cervin or Le Cervin) is perhaps the most familiar mountain in the European Alps. On the border between Switzerland and Italy, it towers over the Swiss village of Zermatt and the Italian village Breuil-Cervinia in the Val Tournanche. The mountain derives its name from the German words Matte, meaning meadow, and Horn, which means peak.

The Matterhorn has four faces which face the four compass points: the north and east faces overlook, respectively, the Zmutt Valley and Gornergrat ridge in Switzerland, the south face fronts the resort town of Breuil-Cervinia in Italy, and the west face looks towards the mountain of Dent d’Hérens which straddles the Swiss-Italian border. The north and south faces meet at the summit to form a short east-west ridge. The faces are steep, and only small patches of snow and ice cling to them; regular avalanches send the snow down to accumulate on the glaciers at the base of each face. The Hörnli ridge of the northeast (the center ridge in the view from Zermatt) is the usual climbing route.

Climbing

The Matterhorn was one of the last of the main Alpine mountains to be ascended, not because of its technical difficulty, but because of the fear it inspired in early mountaineers. The first serious attempts began around 1857, mostly from the Italian side; but despite appearances, the southern routes are harder, and parties repeatedly found themselves having to turn back. However, on July 14, 1865, in what is considered the last ascent of the golden age of alpinism, the party of Edward Whymper, Charles Hudson, Lord Francis Douglas, Douglas Robert Hadow, Michel Croz and the two Peter Taugwalders (father and son) was able to reach the summit from the the Hörnli route in Switzerland. Upon descent, Hadow, Croz, Hudson and Douglas fell to their deaths on the Matterhorn Glacier, and all but Douglas (whose body was never found) are buried in the Zermatt churchyard. Three days later on July 17, the mountain was ascended from the Italian side by a party led by Jean-Antoine Carrel and Jean-Baptiste Bich. Julius Elliott made the second ascent from the Zermatt side three years later in 1868, and later that year the party of John Tyndall, J. J. Maquignaz, and J. P. Maquignaz was the first to traverse the summit. In 1871, Lucy Walker became the first woman to stand on top of the mountain, followed a few weeks later by her rival Meta Brevoort. The difficult north Zmutt Ridge was first ascended by Albert F. Mummery, Alex­ander Burgener, J. Petrus and A. Gentinetta on September 3, 1879, and it wasn’t until July 31–August 1, 1931 that the extremely difficult north face route was first ascended by Franz and Toni Schmid.

Today, all ridges and faces of the Matterhorn have been ascended in all seasons, and mountain guides take a large number of people up the northeast Hörnli route each summer. By modern standards, the climb is fairly difficult (AD Difficulty rating), but not hard for skilled mountaineers. There are fixed ropes on parts of the route to help. Still, several climbers die each year due to a number of factors including the scale of the climb and its inherent dangers, inexperience, falling rocks, and overcrowded routes.

The usual pattern of ascent is to take the Schwarzsee cable car up from Zermatt, hike up to the Hörnli-hütte (elev. 3,260 m/10,695 ft), a large stone building at the base of the main ridge, and spend the night. The next day, climbers rise at 3:30 am so as to reach the summit and descend before the regular afternoon clouds and storms come in. Other routes on the mountain include the Italian ridge (D Difficulty rating), the Zmutt ridge (D Difficulty rating) and the north face route, one of the six great north faces of the Alps (TD+ Difficulty rating).

From Andermatt the trip continues through the Urseren valley to Realp and from there through the 16 km long Furka tunnel to the sunny and lovely Goms (headwater of the Rhone), the wide, high valley with its sun-tanned villages typical for the Valais.

From Brig, with its world-famous Stockalper castle, the Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn brings youvia Visp (connection from Bern/Basel/Geneva/Zurich) to Zermatt, the car-free village at the foot of the Matterhorn. The journey leads through a wildly romantic valley offering an outlook up to numerous mountain peaks and glaciers. Shortly before Zermatt, the Matterhorn comes into view and enthralls you for the first time with its splendor.

Several connections in both directions daily. Seat reservations incl. supplement are mandatory only for the Glacier Express trains on the sector Disentis–Brig–Zermatt.

Option: from Zermatt take Switzerland’s oldest electrified cogwheel train to the Gornergrat (3089 m a.s.l.) where you will be surrounded by an impressive mountain range, crowned by the glorious view of the Matterhorn. 50% discount with Swiss Pass, Swiss Flexi Pass, Swiss Youth Pass and Swiss Card.

Route: Göschenen/Disentis – Andermatt – Oberwald – Brig – Zermatt (– Gornergrat)

The sheer joy of travel aboard the Glacier Express: presenting you with a cross-section of the richly varied Swiss countryside. On board the Glacier Express, meals are prepared specially for you by the chef in the dining car. Coffee, drinks and snacks are brought to your seat by Railbar staff. The Glacier Express: glistening mountains in Summer; a fairy-tale landscape deep in snow in Winter; a magical carpet of flowers in Spring; a splendid tapestry of colour in Autumn. The Glacier Express: one of the world’s most famous train journeys!

Route: Zermatt – Visp – Brig – Andermatt – Chur – Davos/St. Moritz

Tips:

The essence of journey is from Chur to St. Moritz. Don’t miss it.

The Glacier Express has a supplement and it is mandatory to make seat reservations.