The Ultimate Alpine Escape: A Journey To Zermatt In Switzerland

The bucolic charm of Zermatt and the cosmopolitan flair of Montreux are two sides of the Swiss coin. On a winter holiday in Switzerland, Travel + Leisure India & South Asia uncovers these contrasting worlds. 

It is a silent night, 10 days before Christmas. The streets of Zermatt are dressed up in twinkling lights, Christmas trees, Santas of varying sizes and shapes. Plow machines pass by occasionally, clearing snow and sludge off the roads, leaving it glossy enough to reflect all the lights. I pull down my beanie, tuck my hands inside the pocket of my parka and continue walking towards my hotel. 

The tingle of what sounds like a xylophone forces me to take a detour. Above the door of one of the closed shops is a band of little people carved out of wood. There’s a drummer and a xylophonist lit by a single bulb, and as I approach, they play a little song that makes me smile. 

Christmastime in Zermatt is truly magical. The town becomes a meeting point for ski enthusiasts during the day; in the evenings, there are small pubs playing festive music while its patrons huddle around with wine and beer in hand. By 8:30 pm, the town goes silent barring the din of a few restaurants that run late into the night. 

I landed in this ski town earlier in the day; the sun, however, was nowhere to be seen. Like a rookie, I had come unprepared for the snowy slopes of Zermatt. So, the first order of business was to hire a pair of sturdy boots for my excursion to Gornergrat, one of the many mountains around Zermatt that offers sledding, skiing, and winter hiking opportunities. One common aspect among all these mountain excursions, I would learn later, is the Matterhorn, the 4,000-metre peak in the Alps. 

Gornergrat, at 3,089 metres, is accessed by Europe’s highest open-air cog railway that takes you from Zermatt station to the summit. It winds and chugs along a very steep incline with a gradient of one in five at the maximum. When I boarded Gornergrat Bahn, as it is known, it was snowing, turning the vistas around magnificent at every turn. The downside: the Matterhorn was nowhere to be seen in this whiteout. Apart from the Matterhorn, the summit is said to offer panoramic views of Monte Rosa massif with Switzerland’s highest peak (Dufourspitze, 4,634 m); the second-largest glacier in the Alps, the Gorner Glacier; and a total of 29 mountains above 4,000 m. 

Lunch was at The Panorama self-service restaurant in the 3100 Kulmhotel Gornergrat, where the tourists flock for après-ski activities. The server piled my plate with hot spaghetti and applesauce, and bratwurst with roesti (a shallow-fried potato dish), both of which I happily wolfed down. 

On my way down, I watched with a dropped jaw the falling snow create drama on bridges, tunnels, forests of larch and Swiss stone pine, and mountain lakes. My induction to Zermatt was exemplary. 

For dinner, I walked by the Matter Vispa River that flows through the town to Bazaar by CERVO, a restaurant inspired by the bustling markets of the Orient. I had zaatar manakish, kofte skewer, kachapuri, and muhammara, in addition to a bread basket served with sweet potato hummus and labneh. 

When I wake up the next morning, the sky is still overcast and Zermatt is tucked under a brand-new blanket of snow. Nevertheless, I set out on my quest to spot the Matterhorn after a breakfast of sourdough, Swiss cheese, raspberries, and freshly squeezed orange juice. 

Matterhorn Glacier Paradise is at the top of the highest cable car station in Europe (3,883 metres) and is said to offer views of the highest mountains in Italy, France, and Switzerland, and of course, the Matterhorn. The cable car ride lasts for about 20 minutes—my breath often fogs the glass window, and I spot nothing but undulating swathe of white broken only by tiny skiers or the roof of a hut. 

The elevator that takes me to the observation deck is filled with mountaineers and teams of skiers who are here for higher pursuits. The air on the deck is cold and thin, and eerily silent—so silent that I can hear myself breathe, and so cold (around –11°C) that I cannot feel my nose that is buried deep under the muffler. The sun comes out just then, illuminating the crusted snow on the steel railings. I spot the Matterhorn in all its glory, and many other peaks too, and down below, the blue glacier that looks like a huge popsicle.  

Back on the ground, dinner seems well deserved, and on point. Cheese Factory in Zermatt honours the Valais region with dishes such as raclette and fondue. The setting is very traditional, it is like stepping into an old tavern. I dip potatoes, bread, mangoes, bell peppers, and broccoli in the warm fondue, and still manage to have room for raclette. For dessert, I call for the Swiss meringue, which is served with double cream and red berries. After dinner, all I can do is sink into the couch in a dreamy langour, just like the town. 

If Zermatt is all about silences, cosy dinners, and whispers of snow, Montreux, a town on the shoreline of Lake Geneva, almost a two-hour train ride from Zermatt, is where men and women flock for jazz nights, Christmas markets, and fine dining restaurants where a seat is hard to come by.

I arrive when Montreux Noël (the traditional Christmas market) is in full swing. “The flying Santa,” someone yells as I trudge down the Swiss Rail elevator with my trolley bag. One of the biggest attractions at the Christmas market is the Santa who appears to glide above the visitors on a flying sleigh. The Grand Hôtel Suisse Majestic, where I check in, is located on the banks of Lake Geneva and overlooks Montreux Noel; it is the best vantage point to catch the Flying Santa and also close to all the great restaurants like Montreux Jazz Café that is set in a building from 1906. 

I take a minute or two to adjust to the bustle of Montreux. Once I do, I walk down from the hotel, cross the street and board the bus to Château de Chillon, a castle that dates back to 1150. The structure is surrounded by a natural moat, and is accessible by the lake from every side. At its entrance, formerly a drawbridge, Sophia, my guide awaits my arrival. She first takes me to the dungeons. “The powerful Counts of Savoy owned the fortress,” she tells me as we walk down the winding staircase. “This location was very strategic. They controlled the passage in front of the castle. Merchants passed this way on their way to Rome, and the Savoys would collect toll from them in exchange for safe passage,” her voice begins to echo as we reach the gothic vaulted dungeon, lit only by slits on its huge rocky walls. 

I spot a name carved on one of the columns of the prison—Byron. Sophia smiles, “An opponent of the Savoy Catholics was locked up here for six years. Byron’s poem The Prisoner of Chillon was inspired by the poet’s visit to Chillon Castle in 1816. But the authenticity of this autograph is still debated as the lettering is different from his original signature,” she tells me as I run my fingers through the column, wishing I could turn back the clock to be in the company of the romantic poet. 

And as if on cue, I hear bagpipes. Sophia and I follow the sound to one of the rooms of the castle where a group of performers in medieval costumes are dancing around in circles while the musicians play the vielle, bagpipes, and other instruments that I cannot make out. I stand transfixed, forgetting both time and place. A girl in a chemise and ankle-length tunic hands me a glass of mulled wine. As I walk out to the castle grounds, a woman blacksmith bends forward to pull the piston of a medieval bellow. On weekends leading up to Christmas, Chillon Castle does turn the clock back for a Medieval Holiday Festival, I learn. 

I spot some ‘medieval’ women making candles, and run to make one for myself. One of them looks at me, smiles, adjusts her wimple, and prattles off in French, adding to the mystique. When I leave Chillon, the sun is inching closer to the lake, and I have a beeswax candle and a huge smile as I make my way to Vevey. 

Vevey, just 15 minutes away from Montreux, has a sunny disposition and a slower pace. It is where Charlie Chaplin spent his last 25 years. After spending an hour in the town, I understand why. It has a lakeside location with mountain views at every turn. You can have a fancy lunch at one of the restaurants or grab a plate from one of the street vendors; laze around on the church steps or drop by one of the art galleries. There’s so much to do and yet so little. 

I choose to walk along the promenade. There is a bronze Chaplin statue here, and a huge silver fork sculpture rises out of the lake. A few swans flock around the fork as I watch, and a guy in a wet suit emerges from the water. A street musician plays a melancholic tune on his trombone in the background. 

I take a bite of my croissant and shift my gaze towards the Alps—the silent guardian of worlds within the world called Switzerland. 

Living The Swiss Dream 

Getting to Zermatt, Switzerland 

Swiss Airlines offers direct flights from Delhi and Mumbai to Zurich.  

Stays at Zermatt

Zermatt  

Hotel Daniela is an alpine-style property within the town centre, and a nine-minute walk from both the Matterhorn Ski Paradise and the Gornergrat railway. Doubles from INR 27,166

Montreux  

Grand Hotel Suisse Majestic, Autograph Collection is set in a landmark Belle Epoque building across the street from Montreux station. Doubles from INR 22,796

Eat 

Bazaar by CERVO in Zermatt serves dishes inspired by the lively markets of the East. 

Gitz-Gädi is styled like a rustic hunting cabin, and combines typical Swiss or Valais dishes with a modern international cuisine. Try the lamb fillet and slow cooked beef cheeks. 

Cheese Factory in Zermatt serves a mean chili fondue and different varieties of raclette. The Swiss meringue here is worth a try too. schweizerhofzermatt.ch La Rouvenaz is a cosmopolitan trattoria brasserie serving Italian specialities and seafood, in the centre of Montreux overlooking the lake. 

Montreux Jazz Café is located inside Hotel Fairmont Le Montreux Palace. The Swiss perch fillets with foamy butter, tartare sauce, French fries, and green salad is a must try. 

Brasserie La Coupole 1912: Restaurant Resto Bar is located just opposite the Vevey station, and serves traditional Swiss dishes like rœsti gratinated with Vacherin cheese, served with cured meat. 

Visit 

Santa’s House at Rochers-de-Naye

In the days leading upto Christmas, the House of Santa Claus comes alive in a grotto in the heart of Rochers-de-Naye mountain. The 55-minute cogwheel railway ride from Montreux offers unrivalled views over the Alps and Lake Geneva.  

Alimentarium  

The world’s first-ever food-themed museum located on the bank of Lake Geneva in Vevey has interactive and exhibits, cooking workshops, and guided tours. The emblem of the Alimentarium is the eight-metre-high fork rising from the lake. 

Vevey Noel  

The Christmas village on Place Scanavin in Vevey is the best place to soak in the festive spirit. There are chalets and kotas, wood fires, and mulled wine to celebrate with family and friends.  

Swiss Travel Pass  

For a comfortable journey through Switzerland, get a 1st Class Swiss Travel Pass. It offers unlimited travel by train, bus, and boat, and free admission to more than 500 museums throughout Switzerland. 

Related: This Stunning Swiss Town Has Cosy Chalets And Epic Skiing