Zermatt and Sion

The way to Zermatt is long – almost four hours, in fact. The direct train to Visp from Geneva usually takes around two hours and a quarter, after which one usually waits for a few minutes before boarding the hour-long train to Visp. This second train is specially made for sightseeing: it has ceiling windows allowing visitors to view the mountaintops above, and more comfortable seats than intercity carriages.

The weather was not particularly nice on my way to Zermatt this Saturday, which lessened my guilt for spending my time reading instead of gazing out of the window. When I arrived, the peak of the iconic Matterhorn was hidden by clouds. After checking into my Airbnb, therefore, I made only a small excursion around the town, buying some cheese and bread for dinner and tomorrow’s breakfast. According to the weather forecast, the sun would more than make up for its absence today.

The weather forecast did not lie. The sky cleared up overnight, allowing temperatures to plummet to around -16 degrees Celsius. On the one hand, this meant that the cheese I had left out on my windowsill turned into a brick, but on the other, it guaranteed that the weather would indeed be sunny. Having purchased funicular tickets in advance, I proceeded to take the transport up to Sunnegga, which stands at 2,288 metres, and then the cable car from Sunnegga to Blauherd, which reaches 2,571. I imagine I must have made for a rather puzzling figure, as all the other passengers were dressed up in their skiing gear, ready to hit the slopes.

Once I reached Blauherd, it took me a moment to figure out where I was and where the tourist train began. I eventually figured that my best bet was to find whatever path seemed like it would be boring for a skier, which proved to be a correct judgement. Winding my way around the frozen Stellisee to the closest mountain hut, I admired my surroundings as the light crept into the valley from the top of the Matterhorn. The scenery looked at once gentle and cruel, with freshly fallen snow forming smooth round waves over boulders while painting wild streaks along jagged cliffs.

I did not spend too long walking around Blauherd, as the panorama did not change no matter how far I went. After taking the ski lift and the funicular back to Zermatt, I bought a ticket back to Geneva and transferred once more at Visp. Since I still had a lot of time, however, I decided to hop off the train at Sion, a beautiful town at the base of two hills. Atop the northern hill stands the menacingly medieval Tourbillon Castle, while the southern hill houses the fortified Basilique de Valère. Navigating with Google Maps, I climbed up to the western vineyards, from which the panorama can be seen in full.

My final stop for the day was Montreux, where I met with a few work colleagues for the city’s famous Christmas Market. I had previously only passed through Montreux, and I was surprised by its luxurious architecture and inspiring mountain scenery, both of which bespeak its long history as a resort town. The Christmas Market itself was sprawling but crawling with people, and it was near-impossible to find food without having to wait in line for absurd lengths.