Zermatt:
How to get there: From Basel drive towards Bern. Then turn towards Montreux or take a small detour towards Lausanne. The drive is breathtaking and worth the time.
What to do:
Lausanne: Explore the the town and take in the stunning views.
Montreux: Enjoy the drive, the stunning vistas and Lake Geneva.
Zermatt: Take the Gornergrat train up the mountain and enjoy views of Gornergrat. Spend some time shopping in the Zermatt village.
A trip to Zermatt was on the cards come sometime.
We charted a route to Zermatt via Lausanne and Montreux and lake Geneva from Basel.
We took the Bern highway and stopped at Lausanne. The road to Lausanne is gorgeous with us driving on the cliffs with lake Geneva to gape at below. Beautiful! Earlier we had a quick stopover for gas and snacks near what looked like a small airfield or museum with panoramic views of the mountains not too far away,
On reaching Lausanne, we stopped at the Marina at lake Geneva to take in the views (Pirates D’Ouchy). It started to rain just a bit but not to deter us to take in the views. The road to Montreux was on the coast of Lake Geneva with the Alps on the other side on Lake Geneva on this. Amazing sight. We stopped at several places to take in the views and literally meditate!
Another specific place where a rail track was between the road and the lake was quite a sight!
We then crossed the lake and reached a place called ‘Randa’ close to Zermatt where we had done our hotel booking. Tried hard to locate the hotel, but could not. Randa is a really small town with very limited hotels. We probably stayed at Alpenvlick, but not very certain of that.
We had reached Randa a little before sundown and hence did not do much. The hotel is located very much in a valley surrounded by mountains from all sides. Wildflowers dot the lush wild lawns around and a small rail track for the Glacial Express passes near the hotel.
We got good rooms in the hotel was had a nice night’s sleep.
Woke up the next day morning to a great breakfast of Cheese Fondue in the restaurant. The owners family were dressed in traditional swiss costumes. The fondue was simply great! Got back to the room to get ready. The TV in the room was playing Shahrukh Khan’s “Main hoon na” albeit dubbed in German!.
We got downstairs to start the short drive to the village in Zermatt when the Glacial express passed by.
We parked the car in the village and strolled around in the village towards Gornergrat bahn to take the train up. The train passes through awesome ski sloped and we hear the England’s Price Charles used to be up here to ski!
Zermatt is a car free city indeed with the river Vispa (as I learnt later) passing through.
The panoramic views from the train gave way to a nice heavy snowfall and we were prepared. On landing at the mountain top we were just about in time to capture panoramic views of Gornergrat before the snowfall became heavy. But in that fraction of a second it has gone and a heavy mist took over. We clambered up in the heavy snow and mist to a small hut and then clambered back almost losing our footing or with the fear of losing our way in the heavy snowfall.
We had to get the track back but had to hold on under a shed due to the heavy snowfall. However, a large billboard of Aishwarya Rai was put up in front of us near the shed sporting a Rado. She was a brand ambassador for Rado then, it seems.
The snowfall slowed down and we caught the train back. The sky eventually cleared just a bit to provide us with a treat of the valley below. We got off a station and took in the view and then continued our journey with the next train. after 30 minutes or so.
We got off down at the village finally where it was not snowing. Wandered about in the village. Stopped over at a sour show that was listing some ‘Swiss military’ watches.
However, I prefer the leather strap to the Metal one and hence did not buy. the ones listed were all with Metal straps.
It was now time to leave after strolling about. Went to the car park and got the car and headed back to Basel. On the way back we caught the Alpine car train that took us below the Alps.
Took about 40 minutes, I think. We had to pay a ticket and park the car up on the train car. Interesting experience!
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