Zermatt to Cervinia
Feb 14th, 2007 | 05:14 PM
#3
Joined: Feb 2003
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You can drive or take a bus, but it would take many hours each way. However, it is fun to just take the cable cars up and walk around at the top of the Kleine Matterhorn and enjoy the really good views (if it’s a clear day). There is also an ice cave.
Feb 14th, 2007 | 05:57 PM
#4
Joined: Feb 2003
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I just responded to your post on restaurants in Zurich (I used to live there). If you are a foodie and want an extraordinary meal, then when you are in Zermatt, a trip over to Saas Fee in the valley next door for lunch or dinner at the Fletshchorn Hotel is an absolute must. Go to http://www.fletschhorn.ch/english/hotel/hotel.html. I often dream of their cheese tray. . . . (It's a great hotel to stay at too. ). This is about an hour by train/bus (or a shorter drive by car), and the little car-free town s very charming and virtually untouristed by Americans. There is some cross country on the valley floor and some good winter walking up in the town of Saas Fee itself.
Feb 14th, 2007 | 06:34 PM
#5
Original Poster
Joined: Aug 2003
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Cicerone,
Yes we are foodies, we will check the place. At some point we have debated Saas Fee vs Zermatt. We plan on spending day skiing and then evening roaming around in Saas Fee before hitching a train back. We will dine at the recomended place.
Thanks for the post.
Yes we are foodies, we will check the place. At some point we have debated Saas Fee vs Zermatt. We plan on spending day skiing and then evening roaming around in Saas Fee before hitching a train back. We will dine at the recomended place.
Thanks for the post.
Feb 14th, 2007 | 07:29 PM
#6
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 7,689
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Yes, its a tough choice between the two. Both have some very good skiing, Saas Fee is much less crowded, but Zermatt has the Matterhorn.
I just looked at the train/bus schedule and there does NOT appear to be a train/bus back to Zermatt from Saas Fee after 8 pm on weekday nights or 9 pm on Friday and Saturday nights. (They actually leave about 10 minutes before the hour, take a look at rail.ch..) This may not work for your plan of skiing and then having dinner, as I don’t think the Fletshchorn starts serving until after 6 pm. You could call the Fletshchorn and check, but even if they start at right at 6 pm, IMO it would be hard to really appreciate or enjoy a meal there in 1.5 hours, assuming you aren’t there on a weekend night. The hotel is located about a 20 minute walk or 10 minute ride outside of town. (They have electric carts and will run you to the bus station and will collect you in town if you call or flag down the cart. It’s a lovely walk through woods and over a snow-covered road however.)
My suggestion would be that you drop the idea of skiing there for the day and go there as a day trip on a non-ski day. Besides the train issue, I have several reasons for this. First of all, the train and bus combo takes 1.5-2 hours each way (you can’t take a train all the way to Saas Fee itself). Between that and getting to the lifts once you hit town, figuring out the runs etc, and with the somewhat short days in March, if you want to get any skiing in at all, you will have to leave early. Most of Saas Fee faces north or east which means many of the trails start getting dark early. Secondly, you will have to schlep all boots, skis, pools and winter clothes with you, and clothes for dinner that night. This includes dragging all your stuff onto the train and then changing to a bus, both there and back. Once the lifts close and after skiing all day, you will have to wait around until they start serving dinner, not sure where you will be hanging out during that time, other than a hotel bar or a restaurant (and you will have all your gear with you). I personally think you might be too tired to enjoy the dinner. Finally, you won’t get to see any of the little town of Saas Fee, which is quite charming, or much of the valley, which is very beautiful.
There is some very good cross county in the valley below Saas Fee, in particular in Saas Grund. The trails are packed. (It is hard to find cross county in Zermatt, it’s too crowded). Trials are easy and mainly flat. You can rent skis in Saas Grund (it’s ridiculously cheap). You have to buy a ticket to use the trails, but again it is not expensive. This would be a fun way to spend a morning or afternoon, and this would give you an opportunity to appreciate the lovely valley and surrounding mountains. You could have lunch at the Fletshchorn either before or after, and take a look around the little village of Saas Fee.
For info on Saas Grund and other villages in the area, go to http://www.saas-fee.ch/en/welcome.cfm. Saas Grund is a stop on the bus to Saas Fee.
I just looked at the train/bus schedule and there does NOT appear to be a train/bus back to Zermatt from Saas Fee after 8 pm on weekday nights or 9 pm on Friday and Saturday nights. (They actually leave about 10 minutes before the hour, take a look at rail.ch..) This may not work for your plan of skiing and then having dinner, as I don’t think the Fletshchorn starts serving until after 6 pm. You could call the Fletshchorn and check, but even if they start at right at 6 pm, IMO it would be hard to really appreciate or enjoy a meal there in 1.5 hours, assuming you aren’t there on a weekend night. The hotel is located about a 20 minute walk or 10 minute ride outside of town. (They have electric carts and will run you to the bus station and will collect you in town if you call or flag down the cart. It’s a lovely walk through woods and over a snow-covered road however.)
My suggestion would be that you drop the idea of skiing there for the day and go there as a day trip on a non-ski day. Besides the train issue, I have several reasons for this. First of all, the train and bus combo takes 1.5-2 hours each way (you can’t take a train all the way to Saas Fee itself). Between that and getting to the lifts once you hit town, figuring out the runs etc, and with the somewhat short days in March, if you want to get any skiing in at all, you will have to leave early. Most of Saas Fee faces north or east which means many of the trails start getting dark early. Secondly, you will have to schlep all boots, skis, pools and winter clothes with you, and clothes for dinner that night. This includes dragging all your stuff onto the train and then changing to a bus, both there and back. Once the lifts close and after skiing all day, you will have to wait around until they start serving dinner, not sure where you will be hanging out during that time, other than a hotel bar or a restaurant (and you will have all your gear with you). I personally think you might be too tired to enjoy the dinner. Finally, you won’t get to see any of the little town of Saas Fee, which is quite charming, or much of the valley, which is very beautiful.
There is some very good cross county in the valley below Saas Fee, in particular in Saas Grund. The trails are packed. (It is hard to find cross county in Zermatt, it’s too crowded). Trials are easy and mainly flat. You can rent skis in Saas Grund (it’s ridiculously cheap). You have to buy a ticket to use the trails, but again it is not expensive. This would be a fun way to spend a morning or afternoon, and this would give you an opportunity to appreciate the lovely valley and surrounding mountains. You could have lunch at the Fletshchorn either before or after, and take a look around the little village of Saas Fee.
For info on Saas Grund and other villages in the area, go to http://www.saas-fee.ch/en/welcome.cfm. Saas Grund is a stop on the bus to Saas Fee.
