Thread: Zermat
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Old September 22nd 10, 07:11 AM posted to rec.skiing.resorts.europe
BrritSki
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Posts: 575
Default Zermat

On 21/09/2010 21:22, Ace wrote:
On Tue, 21 Sep 2010 19:37:59 +0100, "Mike"
wrote:

"Mike wrote in message
.uk...
In message7cednTfr3qSrFwvRnZ2dnUVZ7rOdnZ2d@brightvie w.co.uk
but I wouldn't want to spend too much time there for on piste
skiing. Part of the problem is the clientele that the resort attracts. I
spent too long standing in queues surrounded by fur clad, loud speaking,
americans, discussing their recent investments, corporate takeovers,
paychecks, tax bills, filmshoots etc etc.

So, 2 short visits and diss the resort for some encounter with some bankers.


Well, it's more than some people ;-) But yeah, this and BrittSki's
post do seem to be extrtapolating from a little experience.


Hold on, I listed many of the things that were worth it in Z, but if
you're not a great off-piste skier the skiing is NOT that great and the
lift system sucks, even if you do know your way round it. We had a day
with a guide in our week there, and we spent about 20% of the day with
him queuing !

Anyway, it seems that you agree about this aspect in your reply. Ski
there once by all means, and then make your own mind up. I have, and
there are lots of other places I prefer, including Gressoney that you
mention, La Thuile and my own personal favourite Courchevel.

I'm lucky enough to have not encountered such people, although there are the
usual southern Brit hoorays as in any decent resort,


Not all, but yes, in many of them.

and I've been to
Zermatt loads of times. Good town, good skiing on + off piste and some half
decent improvements over the past few seasons. Queues are long if you choose
them but plenty of alternatives once you know the resort. Klein Matterhorn
glacier area + Cervinia really only need to ski for a day or two,and, if
snow is good, happy to stay on Zermatt local pass. Reasonable hotels do
exist, check out the tourist website and reasonable places to eat (for a top
Swiss resort). Oh, and the scenary IS superb. HTH Mike


It's about as good as it comes, scenery-wise, for sure. The Matterhorn
is probably the most pictured mountain in the world, and the most
picturesque, for that matter.

I have to say I'm not a huge fan of the place, and share some of the
reservations of others. Queues are nothing like as bad as they used to
be, and connections between areas likewise, due to lift system
improvements over the last few years, but for me it's just got too
many people.

But TBH that's probably something it shares with most of the larger
resorts, and having got used to being in Engelberg I'm perhaps less
tolerant of lift queues and crowds than I used to be.

In its favour, Zermatt does have some decent, ski-accessibls
off-piste, but the best stuff (for me) is glacier terrain, much of
which is only really accessible by helicopter, and for that I'd much
rather stay on the Itlaian side, in Gressoney, for example, and enjoy
the 15km of off-piste tracks back there from Cervinia.

I do have a soft spot for the Hotel Julen, though, and have stayed
there a few times, summer, winter and autumn (the latter doing
BASI/BASP 1st aid courses). As an all-year Swiss Mountain Village
destination it's hard to beat.


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