Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
UPPER VALAIS
In a xylophone-to-gong transition, the soothing loveliness of vineyards in the west gives
way to austere beauty in the east of Valais. Bijou villages of woodsy chalets stand in col-
lective awe of the drum-roll setting of vertiginous ravines, spiky 4000m pinnacles and
monstrous glaciers. The effervescent thermal waters of Leukerbad, the dazzling 23km
Aletsch Glacier and the soaring pyramid of the Matterhorn are natural icons that invite
spontaneous applause.
Zermatt
POP 5830 / ELEV 1605M
You can almost sense the anticipation on the train from Täsch: couples gaze wistfully out
of the window, kids fidget and stuff in Toblerone, folk rummage for their cameras. And
then, as they arrive in Zermatt, all give little whoops of joy at the pop-up book effect of the
one-of-a-kind Matterhorn (4478m). Trigonometry at its finest, topographic perfection, a
bloody beautiful mountain - call it what you will, the Matterhorn is hypnotic.
Detour:
Salgesch
As dreamy as a Turner watercolour in the golden autumn light, the winegrowing hamlet of Salgesch produced the
first-ever Swiss grand cru in 1988. Blessed with chalky soil and sunshine, Salgesch yields spicy Pinot noirs, fruity
dôles and mineral Fendants. Many cellars open their doors for tastings.
A real must for wine buffs is the scenic Sentier Viticole (wine trail; 6km) that leads through vineyards from the
wine museum inside Sierre's Château de Villa to the gabled Weinmuseum (Wine Museum; adult/child Sfr6/free,
free with Sierre wine museum ticket; 2-5pm Tue-Sun Apr-Nov) in Salgesch - allow 2½ hours for the walk,
which takes in 80 explanatory panels about the vines, local winegrowing techniques, the harvest and so on.
Hourly trains link Salgesch and Sierre (Sfr3, three minutes), which are in the geographic centre of Valais.
Since the mid-19th century, Zermatt has starred among Switzerland's glitziest resorts.
Today it attracts intrepid mountaineers and hikers, skiers who cruise at snail's pace spell-
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