A great way to save money is to stay in Tasch, Switzerland. It is a 15 minute train ride away from Zermatt. It is the next closest town and rooms are 1/2 to 1/3 they are in Zermatt.
It's 15 mins by train, 15 mins from train station to the first lift, plus the walking in Tasch. While this might sound like a good option, loosing 40 mins each day to reach the first lift is really not fun.
@@perakojot6524 Not quite, the first lift, a train, Gornergratbahn, is across the station in Zermatt and it will take you to 3100 meters in 30 minutes. The fastest and best way to get up the mountain. From there you can ski to the other areas.
@@perakojot6524 The Gornergratbahn is just across thes street from the railway station in Zermatt and it will take you to 3100 meters in 30 minutes, faster than the lifts. But, of course, staying in Täsch will take out the magic of being in Zermatt.
As a Swiss, i highly appreciate that you've mentioned that every off-piste area (not counting the yellow marked "slopes" with 15m on either side of the poles) is NOT controlled! I've seen many people (not just north america tourists) ride through stuff they definitely shouldn't on their own without avy-gear...
As am Irish person who occayskirz in Austria I would not expect off piste areas to be controlled at all + not sure why anyone would expect to be controlled. Go off piste and it is your tiskt
@@amblincork in nirth america, they basically controla the whole larger area of a skiidng area. Alot of those named freeride runs, which you can see alot of videos from, are considered "in bounds" in north america. So if someone thinks it works the same over here you get people that put themselves (and others) in unnecessary danger.
The best part of zermatt is the view of the ever present matterhorn and the mid mountain restaurants and cottages. Never seen anything like it in the US. It's cool to just be skiing and all of a sudden a little cottage that happens to be a restaurant pops up and you can get fondue and drinks.
Most European ski areas are pretty scenically attractive - was not sure why the reviewet was making such a big deal about the Matterhorn...good to great mountain ski restaurant and cafes are standard in Europe
This is for sure. But adjusted for patrolled/off piste acres. North am patrol puts in significant work to open challenging terrain and that acreage should count. Probably also recalibrate crowd flow & lifts…. Nothing in North America except Targhee, Ajax, & Revy should be like above a 5 lol
@@cmacblue42 Not sure about the rules, but I always thought that going off pise was actually forbidden in Europe. Although many do it to the sides of groomed pistes or near ski lifts were it's clear to plan the route in advance.
this is a legit review of going to Zermatt. I went last year and couldn't agree more. If you are American and are use to hard charging all day and getting into really spicy situations you will be disappointed. The goods exist but you have to pay a lot of money to have someone take you there. We got lucky and found powder up on the glacier but there's not enough snow to really ski any of their lower mountain free skiing zones. We tried and it was beyond terrifying lol. That being said it was still a fun trip in a travel sense and you will be eating better quality food and drinks than anywhere in america which will make you just feel better over all. If it snowed like it does in Utah there id never ski anywhere else.
I spent two weeks snowboarding in Zermatt in 2008 and loved it, but would agree with most of this video. Actually, my guide (from the region), was telling me that I should check out Laax and even Saas Fee, which I did this year (Saas Fee). Anyhow, if you are an avid snow sports fan, Zermatt is a pilgrimage you have to do once in your life, but there are plenty of "better" resorts for actual ski/snowboard in the Alps.
I went for 9 days last year. Skied my legs off. I loved everything but the electric taxis that have no regard for people's safety. Navigation was easy for me. I always knew exactly where I was just by looking at the Matterhorn. BTW I had the absolute best sandwich of my life on Cervinia. The bread was outstanding. Next winter I am thinking about a month in a apartment. I love it so much. The downside it would be my second trip there and there are other mega resorts I haven't been too.The other downside is a season pass is high cost and that hurts.
@@amblincork i wouldn't know, there aren't that many French in Verbier. Mostly locals and Brits The Brits are either insanely good or insanely sh*t, there's few inbetween
I’ve seen many reviews of Zermatt & this is by far the most useful. That said, I believe that Zermatt’s total score reveals the deep flaws of this unweighted ranking criterion. Zermatt is for a typical ski-goer a world class experience. Only underwhelming to those exclusively seeking the “gnarliest” terrain.
yeah, the challenge rating doesn't tell enough. Maybe he should make a seperate rating for beginners, intermediats and experts. f.e., I wouldn't care much about expert runs. I do them sometimes, but I prefer red and blue pistes. Similarly someone new to skiing would likely want good beginner pistes and not care as much about the rest.
Awesome video! American here and just went to Lech / St Anton. Loads of snow and off piste open. You need to check it out. Has the majesty and solid snow accumulation.
Very comprehensive review! While I rarely skied on the Swiss side, I've spent many a days in Cervinia and I always loved it! Very budget friendly too. Just a small addition. Turin would ne the closest airport and it's a major airport too, with Ryanair, especially, operating many routes. Thanks again for the review!
I can not understate how much snow quantity and quality have dropped over the past 10 years in the alps. Every year the season gets bleaker and bleaker, the pistes are usually well maintained, but sometimes you feel like you're skiing in the summer because only the pistes have artificial snow and the rest of the terrain is green/grayish. Even when it starts snowing more in early jan, after a week everything is extremely icy. In a few more decades, there won't be many glaciers left in europe and even during the winter, most pistes will only be skiable after heavy use of artificial snow.
I did wonder this. I learned to ski in Zermatt and Saas Fee in the mid 1990s and last visited on a trip to Chamonix, Courmeyeur and Zermatt in 2014. The snow in this video and the one on the Vallee Blanche looks awful compared to the standard conditions in the 1990s and 2000s. Even Jan/Feb 2014, we had powder conditions everywhere in Zermatt, Cham and even Courmeyeur. I don’t think I’ve ever seen such little snow in Zermatt.
@@mkronos02that’s shocking. Was the lake even frozen?? I remember as a kid going skiing in Zermatt at half term in February, there would usually be snow all the way down to Visp and Brig if not Geneva.
@@bigslydoc yeah the nights were cold enough. At noon it was usually 45F on at the sea so it was pretty mushy by the end of the day. I know a week after I left, there was enough snowfall to get the Ice St mortiz cancelled though, so maybe they had a good end of the season
Two things: 1) It's Valtournenche, and 2) if you're on the Ikon pass you don't need an entirely separate ticket for the Italian areas, you can purchase a "supplement" ticket for a lower price. Great review!
This is an outstanding review - well done! It perfectly covers the pros and cons of Zermatt. This is not the most challenging ski mountain and the snow coverage is not great. However, it's probably the most beautiful and memorable I've been to. The overall scale, size and views is mind-blowing. The Swiss lift system is unparalleled. The town and apres is phenomenal. Cant wait to go back.
aha Just went there in January, pretty much my exact thoughts. Gonna hit arlberg next year and if it's a flop too i'm out on Skiing in europe. Too much variability with snow.
Snow seems to be arriving late in Europe over the last few years. Often a big dump early December then nothing much for 6 weeks. It's getting warmer, too sadly.
I have been to Zermatt this February (2024) and the snow was at the lowest level seen in many many years. I think this had impacted negatively your review done in January/February (2024). Yellow slopes were almost all closed (3 open out of 14) when I was there. I think you should have mentioned that in the review as your job is obviously thorough and well informed, you must have known conditions were way worse than usual. This video is however very well done and informative.
Part about navigations and stucking in wrong country is sweet... Especialy that you do not show it on maps :) It is easy to navigate in your own living room. Just preapre before and it will be great :) Btw great video, keep skiing in Alps then you will change your view on that sport.
The signage problem is the same all across the Swiss resorts. Compared to the French Alps they have completely removed the Green piste designation (really helpful for amateurs) and the signs don't count down the length of the piste so you're not sure when you're getting close to the end.
It’s better than a “mediocre” resort, that’s just a stupid title. It’s not my favourite Ski area, but it is stunning, the village is charming, and traffic free, the Matterhorn is hypnotic and the ski area combined with Cervinia is easily enough for a week, without getting bored. The mountain restaurants are lovely and the food excellent. The trains up the mountains are also a pleasant and different experience to other resorts. It is a great place to go and anyone who hasn’t been should visit. You won’t be disappointed.
Seriously if the coloured and numbered signs in Europes ski areas are a problem for any skier then maybe those skiers should stick to nursery slopes. Not sure why intermediate reds should pose a problem for any skiers other than complete beginners....
Icy slopes and slopes being "run out quickly" is a general thing for Europe. It snows much less and with climate change often rains to pretty high altitude. rain + artificial snow = ice track. This is great if you own a race carver ski and like skiing that way (I do) but if you prefer power and off-piste,not so great. And if it's not hard and icy it pays off even more to get up early and be on the first gondola. 8-10 is the best time to get your runs in, then people start coming in at it gets crowded. "in general" the Alps are not the best location for power / off-piste. In your average winter there are usually only 1-2 big drops of snow and avalanches are still always a risk. And yes, if it's cloud and fog comes in, visibility will be near zero. You can simply forget skiing then as it's not fun at all.
Skiing in europe is for fun, panorama, and simple enjoyment. Not especially hard challenges. Most people don't even want that. That's why there are mostly easy pistes. However, the hardest pistes/slopes in the world are still in europe. Mur de suisse, or swiss wall, is the steepest slope in the world, and has bumps that are sometimes up to 3 meters high, so almost twice the size of a human. And le tunnel in alpe d'huez is also one of the most difficult slopes in the world. America doesn't have any "hard" slopes, they only have some a bit dangerous ones like corbet's couloir, which is not hard but you can get hurt if you do it wrongly.
also no passport is needed to be shown to purchase the international pass or on the mountain to cross the border either. but you do need one should you get stuck and need to taxi back.
come on - aspen highlands ranked above zermatt. i think these rankings are a bit fucked particularly reg size and aesthetics - also where is vibe/apres/nightlife. It's all part of the experience.
Some of these rankings just show a bias. The signs definately aren't bad and the thing about numbers vs names is just ridiculous. Why on earth would you think that a name (which would be in German or Italian NOT English) would be easier to understand and remember than a number? It is so much easier to remember: 45 then 39 then 41 then 42 Than: Iglupiste then Riffelalp then Landtunnel then Schweigmatten
One thing this review does ignore, and maybe rightfully so since it applies to 0.1% of skiers, is the surrounding area of Zermatt has some of the most daunting touring/heli accessed terrain. ua-cam.com/video/u_GnIMxHY7M/v-deo.html
@@kalle7741 Yeah. It's best to go with a few friends, or you can join a group. Engelberg is my favorite resort I've skied in Switzerland. Liked the mountain/lift accessed terrain a lot more than Zermatt.
Absolutely do not agree with your ranking of the resorts I know. I went to whistler and although I liked it a lot it is a different league compared to Zermatt which is way better.
Not sure that you understand European skiing… Snow cover in Europe is very different to North America. In Europe it snows twice a month - in North America twice a week. Zermatt is not barren. Expert Advanced - in Europe there is no concept of ‘official challenge’. If you want challenge working out the line is half of the challenge. Zermatt has many areas where you can work out your own 2000ft off piste line. Trails in Europe don’t have name’s - the destinations have names. Unlike North America, the mountains have history and there are named small villages and named features across the mountains. There is zero congestion on pistes. Zermatt is probably the least congested resort in the alps. Really appalling review …. As I said, do you really understand European skiing?
I don't understand why the Americans are so hung up about trail names. Aren't trail numbers easier to spot from distance, remember and sort? Also, if you notice, piste 1-20 are on the Sunnegga sector, 21-50 on the Gronergrat sector and 51-85 on the glacier sector. If you say, meet at piste no 11, I immediately know that you are at Rothorn in the Sunnegga sector. Isn't that better than the convoluted names in the NA resorts?
You are comparing pears with apples, skiing in Europe is very different than in the US. In Europe you go to ski to spend a good time with friends and family, and to take a very good meal , (no urban food, hamburgers etc), a good meal and good wine. In the US the people go to ski as a challenge to be able one day to down a double black run. In Europe all the people ski well the red runs, you made the video thinking like an American that is not bad, rather than an European. US and European ski resorts both have pros and cons, I prefer the European ones.
Wellwellwell... The First Euro-review ? Typical NorAm skier. Typical local. How do I know ? Six years ago I finally made it to Chamonix and ValD'Isere. I asked all my ski-bum friends: so very few had current knowledge of The Euro-Zone; that I was flying blind... I've lived in Whistler for 25 years and been a serious ski-bum for ~ 50-100 day seasons; from Lake Louise in the '70's when there were wolverines wandering through 'downtown' ...to Whis back in the day of The Boot Pub and the old Dusty's... Back in the day when we actually had Snow and Dead Seasons before Christmas and after Easter... Back before the W/B 'merger' ...And the " Vail: Ruining Whistler Since 2017 " bumper sticker. Whistler is fart in a wind-storm compared to these areas. I had to return/redeem myself so: Just got back from LesArcs/LaPlagne and ValD'/Tignes. $85Cdn per day lifts. Airbnb etc cheap rooms. Train to Bourg-St-Maurice. Bla-Bla-Bus/Car transfers I was solo and thought about finding a guide; but I was having too much fun just pinning it on superb groomers and ripping many 'au natural' zones = Bombed but not patrolled. ( ski-compacted zones: use 'your considerable experience' on 'making the call'). Five minute lines ...and the food: did I telll you about 'the food'. Because there are Adult Locals actually living here; really nice people to talk to; including the ESF Instructors: who actually get paid real money for there chosen career. It was a Real Good Trip. Returned to Whis' Roundhouse: Noisy, Dirty and gas-station food for a snack... Thank god early this year Easter has shrunk lift lines. Anyway: I watch too many Euro-ski vids and Zermatt has always looked less than decent skiing. The other problem is yootoob vids shot by 'intermediates en holiday' or 'about vids' which devote way too much attention to 'skidding around and going fer lunch'.. So thanks for a real description. I would say that you should adopt a more conversational ad-lib Tone. If I met a guy who talked like you I would flee... Just sayin' have a Jagger or two and trade witty remarks with your ski-buds as you voice over... ciao.
You might have to start a separate ranking for European ski destinations. The concept of bowls doesn’t exist like it does in the US. There are some so called ski-routes, which are minimally maintained slopes. Otherwise,once you leave the groomers, you are off piste and completely on your own. You can totally hike mountains all around Zermatt using the ski infrastructure as an access point. Just be careful, you easily end up on a glacier, above a cliff or in dangerous terrain. There are so called ski tour maps and routes but you better get a guide and know your back country basics!
We've skied Zermatt twice and are headed back next year. Perhaps my age is showing but I find it way better than Vail, Breckenridge, Steamboat and, yes, even Whistler (all of which we absolutely loved). I guess I never realized how much I favor long cruisers, massive terrain, zero lift lines, world-class mid-mountain dining and great apres ski. Having said that, thanks for the thorough and fair review!
You are not old, Zermatt way better then all the resorts you mentioned. I live in Tahoe and would go to Zermatt before even thinking about going to Vail or Whistler.
Honestly I'm 25 ski in the Canadian Rockies my whole life and i love technical challenging terrain and abundant snow but I also love just cruising down long groomers and I want to make it my goal to ski in Europe this winter.
As a European skier I see no problem with Zermatt's navigation and signage. There are basically only a few runs down from any ski lift, and you just have to stick to piste numbers that you have studied when riding the lifts, for example, pistes 11, 7, 1 and 3 from Rothorn to town or piste 7 all the way from Testa Grigia to Cervinia. There are number signs at each junction. And imo numbers are much easier to recognise than convoluted names, and I also found it easier to get into the wrong runs in Vail than in Zermatt.
I agree - I suspect the authors are not used to the “logic” of European signage and more familiar with the “logic” in the US. There is room for improvement, but a 2 is far too harsh
I can't wait to see you guys review more of Europe. I've been deciding where in the apps I want to go next season. I especially can't wait to see you review Courchevel and Verbier.
i remember looking out over the glaciers from the gornergrat once in summer, thinking "wow, beautiful view", until i spotted a couple hikers on a trail below that didn't look too far away at first glance. those hikers looked so incredibly tiny that it really reset the perspective on just how majestic and massive these mountains are. there are bigger mountains and crazier views in the world, but they usually require mountaineering to get to and certainly aren't accessible by train. that gornergrat view imo tops anything in the alps short of maybe the jungfrau region
You can get as (will use American terms) rad / sick as can be got here. Including mild altitude actual sickness just from riding up a cabke car. But you need to be able to ski all conditions, you probably need a guide and if you have the skills and knowledge of the mountaineering side of things and glacier travel those lifts get you a good way into serious terrain. You wont need 112 underfoot for 6 turns next to a piste. But in terms of the pistes the review has a point but would suggest the mediocre in the title has a good element of click bait to it. Worth a wander around town to see the mountaineers cemetery and the old huts that hold livestock. Great in summer for hiking and when you see the glaciers then you understand the warnings about leaving the piste. The glacier pistes have large diggers filling in the crevaces. Pretty nice to ski in the summer. When in the States I was all for a sandwich in the pocket, but a few years and having experienced food in the Alps leave at least a couple of days for a sit down lunch... or perhaps pocket bacon on the lift and call in for desert.
Yup. Instant pass for me. You can have a great area that doesn't get huge snowfall (Lake Louise, Crested Butte) but they maximize the snow they get and have tons of great off "piste" when it does dump.
If these european review will become the norm you should at one point review Via Lattea. Its relatively close to Zermatt and its made of 5 different resorts all connected together via trails. The slopes may not be the best or the most interesting, and some lifts are somewhat outdated, but its a really fun place. (And its really cheap when you take into account how big it is)
Thanks for the review, nice to see the clips. Been to Zermatt 5 or 6 times as a skier and boarder and it's in my top 3 ski areas along with Val D'Isere/Tignes and Courchevel/Val Thorens (3 valleys). Zermatt is a must visit place for the Matterhorn alone. The 'village' seems more like a town to me, with the electric taxis buzzing around it's a bit charmless apart from the amazing views up the valley. There is plenty of off-piste which can be as challenging as you like (at your risk) so a ton of terrain to do aside from the pistes which you don't explain. If you are an advanced off pister the terrain is ten times what you said easily. There is a lot of off piste in Cervinia too. Yes, the mountain restaurants are the best I've been to. I don't recall navigation issues. I think you are not used to large European resorts where it is necessary to study the piste map and not just rely on signs. The snow was late this season so you definitely didn't see it as at least I remember it.
Great video! Love all the footage. I'd probably love Zermatt on a clear day, but on a cloudy day the lack of trees would drive me nuts! Glad you hit it on a beautiful day.
@@el_moooooTo put this in perspective, some of the US ski areas have had for them very bad seasons. Reality is weather patterns have changed and we must recognise this
Spot on and fantastic review. I had the good fortune of being able to stay at the Gornergrat Kulm Hotel at the top of the cog train during the holidays. Just an astonishing set of views, phenomenal infrastructure and food that puts North America’s to shame. Thanks for putting this out there and can’t wait to see the rest of your European reviews coming soon!
Zermatt is a fantastic resort but the real problem for an advanced skier is that the resort is so huge it is virtually impossible to know where to ski without a mountain guide which is quite expensive. Different parts of the resort have different weather conditions which affects the snow conditions which vary with snowfall. If you are looking to ski black diamonds or off piste powder you can't just arrive, pick an area to ski and expect to have good skiing. In addition skiing off piste is extremely dangerous, far more so than anywhere in the US without a mountain guide. I have over 500 days of skiing in Zermatt, all with the person generally considered the areas best mountain guide and still have had many close calls. Despite knowing the area very well, I would never ski off piste without a mountain guide. But with a guide the skiing in Zermatt can be out of this world.
I would not agree. There is lots of freeriding, but hiring a guide is a must if you don't know the area very well. The slopes are not challenging for an experienced rider, but you get really long runs (up to 7500-8000 vertical feet in one run). It doesn't get as much snow as many North American Resorts but above 8000 feet you'll allways find good snow.
The most important thing to be prepared is as was said slopes run out quickly and can be very icy, like world-cup piste icy due to artificial snow and climate change (thaw-freeze cycling). Race carver >>> freeride skis.
This video is soooo accurate. I couldn't have said it better myself. After skiing Zermatt last year I had the same conclusion. Every skier should visit Zermatt... but not for the skiing. Skiing is mediocre at best, and for experts bad, but the place is still magic.
@@kevinl8440 I watched about half of it and found some of the crisps puzzling. Example the criticism of the piste signs made no sense to me . I haven't skied in Zermatt but am familiar with a number of ski resorts in adjacent Austria which had similar signage and the signage is good in Austria.. The complsi t about the la k of easy routes for novice skiers also did not make sense, moderate reds are suitable for every skier bar those learners in the first few days of learning to ski. If you are an expert skier, fine but videos like this are for general skiers. I am not an expert skier but would call myself good.If the cost of Switzerland were not a factor, then based on this video I would visit Zermatt. As for the occasional patch of bare ice, my attitude would be so what - I have skied quite a few times on tbe Hintertux glacier in Austria in very easy and late season and grew accustomed to a steep slope with a lot of the glacier ice exposed.One of the advantages of skiing in Europe is a reasonably wide variety of ski areas with varying terrain and conditions are available even without the use of a car for transport.
I skied 10 days at Zermatt and never skied a groomer except to get to the bottom at the end of the day a few times. Every run, every day was un- tracked powder. The village is quite fun with interesting places to eat and you stay in 19th century dovetail lodges. It is fantastic!
As someone who has more than 100 ski days in Zermatt, I could agree with most of the stuff, but some marks are unrealistic. Navigation is not nearly as bad as you are pointing out, one has to take the size into account when judging the navigation (it is significantly easier to make good navigation in 2000 acres resort than in 9 or 14k acres). So realistic mark there should be at least 4 if not 5. The other thing you are totally wrong in Challenge. It is obvious you haven't tried Stockhorn area which by itself is better than 90% of challenging US resorts (for example you give Vail 7 for challenge and Vail is frankly a joke compared to Zermatt). There is plenty of challenging terrain on Rothorn and even on the lower side of the mountain, but it is true this is heavily affected by the lack of snow. However, you are already penalizing resort for the lack of snow. I would say the actual mark for Challenge should be 7 and you can maybe bring it down to 6 due to lack of snow, but mark 4 is a disgrace. Finally, while quality and quantity of snow is indeed lacking throughout the season, even in the very late season the total opened area available for skiing is larger than the most of US resorts in total, so 6 mark again is unrealistic. You seems to be heavily US biased. For example, you give bunch of US resorts 10 for aesthetics and they are at least couple of levels below Zermatt. Or for example giving 8 to Snowbird for size while compared to European resorts it's totally mediocre in size, even small. Or lift infrastructure, if Whistler is 10, then Zermatt is 12 for lifts. There are also other important stuff that ppl in Europe appreciate, for example quality of slope preparation which is better than anything you can find in US, or length of single decent and the mileage you can travel descending on skis in a day or total altitude difference you can make in a day which is again incomparable to anything in US or North America. I managed on multiple occasions a vertical difference of 12km (that's over 40k feet!!!) in a single day in Zermatt. Finally, since you are comparing overpriced crappy infrastructure and wild North American resorts to cultivated and technologically advanced, far better organized and above all affordable European resorts you should at least introduce a category of "value for the money".
I actually think the navigation in Zermatt is much better than Vail (I assume you have also been there based on your comments). It is so easy to go down the wrong runs in front side Vail while I have never gone down a wrong run in Zermatt. Also agree that that the aesthetics of the European Alps is generally unmatched in the Rockies. I also rarely find bubbles lifts with heated seats in the North American resorts that I have been to, such as the Epic resorts in Colorado, Tahoe and Whistler.
I agree with you that Vail is harder to navigate but Zermatt doesn't have the challenging terrain like Vail does just because it's closed most of the time. It's easy to fine challenging terrain in Vail, but in Zermatt, it's hard to find it. That's what the video was referring to, in my opinion. Good observation on the navigation part!
Stockhorn area? The cable car there has been down for years, the Triftji and Stockhorn T-bars as closed. And to Rote Nase, thy will only let you with a ski instructor or guide. You can ski Hohtäli, but it is full of rocks.
@@kalle7741 Well, this and last years were bad. Before 2021 I've never seen rocks on Hohtäli. Triftji and Stockhorn T-bars were open just 3 weeks ago. Cable car to Stockhorn has been closed for good since 2007, however Rote Nase cable car is typically working even though not the last two years and is more than sufficient. And regarding ski instructor or guide for Rote Nase, I call it BS. Skied there a bunch of times even without backcountry gear, never ever being asked for a ski instructor or a guide.
@@perakojot6524 1. So the T-bar to Stockhorn was open in March? (It would be happy news.) 2.The Triftji T-bar? (Same applies.) 3. The cable car to Rote Nase is with instructor only. May be without in March. When did you ski there?
This is the best and most correct description of Zermatt I have ever seen. Do not go to Zermatt before Christmas, they keep many lifts closed when there are less people in town, but charge you full price. They also take every opportunity to close lifts at the slightest "weather" pretext. Especially, they will charge you full price for a day skipass when 90% of the lifts are closed. They have closed the best off piste area, Triftji, and send you to Hohtäli, which is full of rocks... The lift company management is spoiling the place. If you have lots of money, the title is perfect.
@@JakobSvensson55 Every winter for the last 30 years, on average 4-5 weeks. Last time March 23. I still go to Zermatt, because I have friends there, but NOW I recommend people to go to Cervinia. Of course, if you can afford a guide, do tours and heliskiing, it is still great. But how many people can afford it?
Thanks! We have been visiting Zermatt from mid to late January and have always enjoyed good weather, great conditions, better pricing and no crowds. We've considered visiting a little earlier or later in the ski season but, based on your comments, it's sounds like that would be a terrible idea.
Would the second week of january be a bad pick then? I was there at the end of march (when everything was closed every day), but that was just bad luck I guess.
I found the Monte Rosa Douforspitze Dom, Dent Blanche, Grand Combin and distant Mont Blanc just as spectacular! Yes the Matterhorn haunts, dominates the setting.
European ski culture is so much better than the US. Love a good apre, and ski patrol not being pass pullers is nice. I did Bad Gastein recently and loved it, would recommend it to anyone.
I saw an Air Zermatt rescue while sipping a beer at Trockener Steg. That was pretty cool. The town is what every ski town in the US tries to look like. There’s too much uphill skiing for my taste. Gotta go once.
I like snow, Europe looks awesome if you’re looking for wildly epic views and awesome amenities , but i want steeps and big dumps of snow . Great video though and its still on the list to visit
I love your channel and have been a subscriber here and on another account. I believe you should have another category for convenience. For example, there are no ski-in, ski-out accommodations in Zermatt (except for one on the Gornergrat side). It takes you a minimum of 20 - 45 mins to get to the slopes if you're lucky. You know what I mean. Let me use Vail as a comparison, you can ski in town if you're lodge is down there. Walk a minute to the lifts and you're off. Zermatt having the most beautiful scenery falls short due to this and is just a pain to get to the slopes! I agree with your ranking and I enjoy it a lot. Thank you once again, and please consider adding the convenience rating. One thing you forgot to mention, Zermatt has an okay terrain park at best!
@@PeakRankings Thank you for the response. Correct, however I meant if you miss the train to Gornergrat by a minute you'll have to wait 24 mins for the next one. That ride lasts around 20 mins to the top. So 44 mins of delay to get to the slopes. The Matterhorn gondola is like 40 mins to the top station and then another 10 mins to the glacier area. 50 mins to the slopes or 40 mins top station of that gondola. You mentioned wind factor and I've been to Zermatt 3 times this past 12 months and wind is always closing down the glacier area. Like 70% of the time. You were really lucky on that trip! Keep those videos coming!!! THANK YOU!!
@SAS-by4bt thats all correct but the vernacular is the best option. Goes regulary and is fast. From there can access where the train goes and get over to GMP too by skiing, which is the whole point right. We started there at 9 doing a few runs until they told us Cervinia was open at 10, and then still made it over to Italy by 11.30.
Interested to hear this , pedestrianisation is probably the cause of it and sounds like the experience we uad in Chamonix having to rely on public transport to get anywhere was a pain .
@@scollyutube That's great! Thanks to @peakrankings for making this video and many videos to come! I only commented on Zermatt because I feel I'm an expert here. I've ridden just this year in Zermatt (twice) Vail, Beaver Creek, Mammoth, Whistler, Sun Peaks, Big White, Park City, 5 resorts in Austria and going to the 3 Valleys and Val d'Isere to close the season. I just don't find Zermatt convenient, that's all. HOWEVER, once on the top it's really nice! It's more convenient to stay in Cervinia, honestly!
If you decide to stay in Cervinia, you won't really be able to get to do much of Zermatt's skiing in one day. If you stay in Zermatt you can do most of Cervinia in a day (and still have time for a nice pasta lunch)
Honestly, this video is really not fair. Clearly during their visit conditions were not the best, a week later or 2 before and the experience would be totally different. This season has been tough for below 2500 meters.
The points you criticized apply to many European ski resorts. Off-piste “runs” aren’t even closely as popular as in the United States. Therefore, there are less slopes per lift, what ultimately leads to more congested slopes. It can be little tough to navigate those more crowded slopes, but usually people are aware of others and you can pass without much distance as long as you’re not too fast. Furthermore, it is common here for Ski resorts to be quite big and involving numerous villages far apart in the valley, for example Skiwelt, Kitzbühel, Skicirkus, 3/4 Vallees or Sella.
I would think the reason off piste runs are not as popular in Europe is that a big proportion of skiers in Europe are at best pnce a year skiers and a lot would be not be expereinced off piste at all..and a lot of skiers go as much for the apre ski as for the skiing ! And of course Europe has a very bog selection of ski areas.
Decent review, but a few things are completely incorrect. You gave a 7 for crowd flow, but having been there 6 times, the crowd doesn’t even come close to American resorts. So that score is completely incorrect. The other thing you mentioned which is incorrect IMO is Navigation. The resort has an app witn a state of the art map which makes navigation fairly easy. Navigation in places like Vail or Breckenridge is no better or worse. Lastly, the footage in the video looks like it was taken in late winter. The grooming in Zermatt is second to none and much better in my experience than at American resorts. I have never experienced “east coast” conditions in the 6 times I have skied there. Zermatt is an absolute winner compared to most resorts. You should adjust some of these scores.
Thanks for your comment Sander and appreciate the feedback. We visited Zermatt in late January and early February this year, and all our footage is from those time periods. We are going to stand by our scores for now. While the lift lines themselves are significantly less of an issue than in the US, Zermatt’s issue is the congestion on the pistes. Since our crowd flow category measures both lift lines and crowds on the slopes, we deducted points from Zermatt due to its experience with the latter. In terms of navigation, the app can be helpful when riding the lifts or before starting a run. However, in our view it’s tough to use while actively skiing or riding, making it difficult to make important game-time decisions when it comes to choosing the right trail / going in the direction of a certain lift or attraction. Hope this helps clarify things!
@@PeakRankingsyou should have an Idea of what ski runs you are doing before your descent and the slope numbered sign in Europe are generally good..can't see why they need to be bigger !
@@PeakRankings Navigation in Zermatt is better than Vail and Breckenridge, all piste are clearly marked by a number while in the US you get loads a convoluted names for really short runs...
Two things: Precipitation is lower in the Alps, because the next ocean is thousands of kms away and not literally "next door" as in the Rockies and there's also less humidity transported. I am not sure if it is fair to compare Europe and North America in this regard. And the second thing is about the off-piste experience: It's not that good because you're not supposed to go off-piste in a ski resort and nobody cares therefore about these parts of the resort. If you go off-piste, you should either use the yellow "slopes" or do it as part of a ski tour and know what you're doing. Zermatt offers some great descents by ski, only reachable when you use touring skis and have two, three days for spare, e.g. Schwarztor, Theodul Glacier, Stockij/Zmutt Glaciers or, the longest and toughest, from the Signalkuppe. They're all on glaciers, though, so you should never go without being very experienced or a mountain guide. A note about all the lifts: I am a bit surprised that it is worth mentioning how modern they are, as this is normal in Europe and nobody bats an eye about it here. Are the lifts in North America really that old?
@@amblincorkSome are and that's the ones with the yellow poles, usually. Everywhere else is at your own risk. You can go where you want, but it will be costly if they have to rescue you. Verbier is better for freeriders, even better are Arolla and La Grave. Or you hire a mountain guide, use ski touring equipment and go far away from any ski resort.
Somebody just died falling in a crevasse off piste in Saas Fee. With glaciers, you have to be extremely careful. A kid also died in an avalanche in Zermatt off piste after a huge snow dump. Know your conditions and be safe!
This is the most accurate review I have seen. We went last winter and it was a really neat trip, but the skiing was just...boring. Actually, 90% boring and 10% icy, mostly at the bottom. It was worth a visit, once.
Thanks for taking the time to put this great video together. I hope to make it out there as a bucket list vacation and can use this video to help with planning.
We were there a week before you filmed this. Great resort, just hindered by wind and subsequently restricted up high, which limits the decent runs. So mediocre might be harsh but agree is pretty limited skiing without all the upper lifts going.There is really only 3 ways to access the mountain too counting the train, all going in different directions. I disagree it is difficult to navigate though. It isn't complicated really as there aren't that many options. I recognised where every shot you showed was and we only skied 7 days. Went to 3 Valleys the week after, at VT, and got to say, the terrain, snow quality, overall lift layout and run variety etc was way better there.
By that I mean extensive terrain that's solid yet unremarkable, fantastic lift system yet crowded runs, along with a lively and active town. Both are great for the person who wants to ski a little alongside shopping, eating, and going out.
You failed to notice the biggest problem of Zermatt: ski in a bad weather day. Because the entire mountain has no single tree in sight, the visibility is terrible when weather is bad. Worse, they close most of lifts during windy or snowing days. Among 9 days I was there a few years ago, only 3 days the mountain was fully opened.
That's a pretty fair assessment of Zermatt. The Trifji mogul run is worth a mention. Off-piste fans should definitely look elsewhere, but you won't get the same level of scenery.
Best Zermatt Cervinia review I have seen - detailed, objective and really well thought through - really, really helpful. Maybe add that Milan Malpensa (not Milan Linate) is the airport of choice and whilst Turin is closer than Milan there are less flights and due to altitude flights have been known to be redirected. Also, there is a lot of talk of more on the Italian side of a link with the Monterosa ski area (Champoluc etc) which will create one of the largest linked areas there are - and add a greater variety due to the Monterosa characteristics. Many thanks and will look forward to other European reviews.
A great way to save money is to stay in Tasch, Switzerland. It is a 15 minute train ride away from Zermatt. It is the next closest town and rooms are 1/2 to 1/3 they are in Zermatt.
Thanks
It's 15 mins by train, 15 mins from train station to the first lift, plus the walking in Tasch. While this might sound like a good option, loosing 40 mins each day to reach the first lift is really not fun.
@@perakojot6524 Not quite, the first lift, a train, Gornergratbahn, is across the station in Zermatt and it will take you to 3100 meters in 30 minutes.
The fastest and best way to get up the mountain. From there you can ski to the other areas.
@@perakojot6524 The Gornergratbahn is just across thes street from the railway station in Zermatt and it will take you to 3100 meters in 30 minutes, faster than the lifts.
But, of course, staying in Täsch will take out the magic of being in Zermatt.
If you are on budget, Cervinia is a better option.
As a Swiss, i highly appreciate that you've mentioned that every off-piste area (not counting the yellow marked "slopes" with 15m on either side of the poles) is NOT controlled! I've seen many people (not just north america tourists) ride through stuff they definitely shouldn't on their own without avy-gear...
As am Irish person who occayskirz in Austria I would not expect off piste areas to be controlled at all + not sure why anyone would expect to be controlled. Go off piste and it is your tiskt
@@amblincork in nirth america, they basically controla the whole larger area of a skiidng area. Alot of those named freeride runs, which you can see alot of videos from, are considered "in bounds" in north america. So if someone thinks it works the same over here you get people that put themselves (and others) in unnecessary danger.
Yellow pistes are secured before opening, but no daily controls.
@@WaechterDerNacht I dont really see how it is practical to control very big off piste areas
The best part of zermatt is the view of the ever present matterhorn and the mid mountain restaurants and cottages. Never seen anything like it in the US. It's cool to just be skiing and all of a sudden a little cottage that happens to be a restaurant pops up and you can get fondue and drinks.
common at every alps ski resort
US ski resorts have no soul, it feels like I am eating in a school canteen.
Most European ski areas are pretty scenically attractive - was not sure why the reviewet was making such a big deal about the Matterhorn...good to great mountain ski restaurant and cafes are standard in Europe
Chez Vrony and Adler Hitta are our favorites.
@@eddiemalvin I´d say Enzian, Findlerhof, Zum See are much friendlier than Adlerhitta.
If you start adding European ski resorts, you are going to need to re-calibrate "size" on the American side.
😂 we shall see
This is for sure. But adjusted for patrolled/off piste acres. North am patrol puts in significant work to open challenging terrain and that acreage should count.
Probably also recalibrate crowd flow & lifts…. Nothing in North America except Targhee, Ajax, & Revy should be like above a 5 lol
And need to recalibrate mountain aesthetic too. No way you can rank Whistler on a par with Zermatt.
@@hoffmann6520 YES! The Alps destroy the Rockies in mountain aesthetic, no doubt!
@@cmacblue42 Not sure about the rules, but I always thought that going off pise was actually forbidden in Europe.
Although many do it to the sides of groomed pistes or near ski lifts were it's clear to plan the route in advance.
this is a legit review of going to Zermatt. I went last year and couldn't agree more. If you are American and are use to hard charging all day and getting into really spicy situations you will be disappointed. The goods exist but you have to pay a lot of money to have someone take you there. We got lucky and found powder up on the glacier but there's not enough snow to really ski any of their lower mountain free skiing zones. We tried and it was beyond terrifying lol. That being said it was still a fun trip in a travel sense and you will be eating better quality food and drinks than anywhere in america which will make you just feel better over all. If it snowed like it does in Utah there id never ski anywhere else.
I spent two weeks snowboarding in Zermatt in 2008 and loved it, but would agree with most of this video. Actually, my guide (from the region), was telling me that I should check out Laax and even Saas Fee, which I did this year (Saas Fee). Anyhow, if you are an avid snow sports fan, Zermatt is a pilgrimage you have to do once in your life, but there are plenty of "better" resorts for actual ski/snowboard in the Alps.
It is a bit like the UTMB ultras races - famous around the trail running world but there are eqaully good and far cheaper trails races in Europe -
I went for 9 days last year. Skied my legs off. I loved everything but the electric taxis that have no regard for people's safety. Navigation was easy for me. I always knew exactly where I was just by looking at the Matterhorn. BTW I had the absolute best sandwich of my life on Cervinia. The bread was outstanding. Next winter I am thinking about a month in a apartment. I love it so much. The downside it would be my second trip there and there are other mega resorts I haven't been too.The other downside is a season pass is high cost and that hurts.
come to Verbier
@@IStMl I was told french skiers are very soggy! Is that so ?
@@amblincork i wouldn't know, there aren't that many French in Verbier. Mostly locals and Brits
The Brits are either insanely good or insanely sh*t, there's few inbetween
@@IStMl I might. I booked Zermatt for a month next year and been thinking Verbier
@@amblincork i wouldnt know, there aren't many French in Verbier
I’ve seen many reviews of Zermatt & this is by far the most useful.
That said, I believe that Zermatt’s total score reveals the deep flaws of this unweighted ranking criterion.
Zermatt is for a typical ski-goer a world class experience.
Only underwhelming to those exclusively seeking the “gnarliest” terrain.
yeah, the challenge rating doesn't tell enough.
Maybe he should make a seperate rating for beginners, intermediats and experts.
f.e., I wouldn't care much about expert runs. I do them sometimes, but I prefer red and blue pistes. Similarly someone new to skiing would likely want good beginner pistes and not care as much about the rest.
Awesome video! American here and just went to Lech / St Anton. Loads of snow and off piste open. You need to check it out. Has the majesty and solid snow accumulation.
I have skied St Anton a few times and loved it - Ischgl was great also
Very comprehensive review! While I rarely skied on the Swiss side, I've spent many a days in Cervinia and I always loved it! Very budget friendly too. Just a small addition. Turin would ne the closest airport and it's a major airport too, with Ryanair, especially, operating many routes. Thanks again for the review!
DUDE‼️ I cannot stress to you how much I love your vids‼️‼️‼️
took my last turns of the season today, glad to have one of your vids to send the season off right!
I can not understate how much snow quantity and quality have dropped over the past 10 years in the alps. Every year the season gets bleaker and bleaker, the pistes are usually well maintained, but sometimes you feel like you're skiing in the summer because only the pistes have artificial snow and the rest of the terrain is green/grayish. Even when it starts snowing more in early jan, after a week everything is extremely icy. In a few more decades, there won't be many glaciers left in europe and even during the winter, most pistes will only be skiable after heavy use of artificial snow.
I did wonder this. I learned to ski in Zermatt and Saas Fee in the mid 1990s and last visited on a trip to Chamonix, Courmeyeur and Zermatt in 2014. The snow in this video and the one on the Vallee Blanche looks awful compared to the standard conditions in the 1990s and 2000s. Even Jan/Feb 2014, we had powder conditions everywhere in Zermatt, Cham and even Courmeyeur. I don’t think I’ve ever seen such little snow in Zermatt.
@@bigslydoc i was in st moritz this year in feb, the roadsides were green. I remember years where there were 8+ feet of snow at the roadside
@@mkronos02that’s shocking. Was the lake even frozen?? I remember as a kid going skiing in Zermatt at half term in February, there would usually be snow all the way down to Visp and Brig if not Geneva.
@@bigslydoc yeah the nights were cold enough. At noon it was usually 45F on at the sea so it was pretty mushy by the end of the day. I know a week after I left, there was enough snowfall to get the Ice St mortiz cancelled though, so maybe they had a good end of the season
The last 3 years have generally been great in the Alps
Thanks for doing Zermatt! I agree with your review, but it’s still my favorite cause I don’t need the extreme terrain, and we had good snow!
Was there 3/29 to 4/5/24, loved it. Been to Val Thorens, Val D'isere, and St Anton and enjoyed Zermatt the most.
Two things: 1) It's Valtournenche, and 2) if you're on the Ikon pass you don't need an entirely separate ticket for the Italian areas, you can purchase a "supplement" ticket for a lower price. Great review!
Thanks- appreciate those clarifications!
You did not tell us the price for the "supplement"...😆
This is an outstanding review - well done! It perfectly covers the pros and cons of Zermatt. This is not the most challenging ski mountain and the snow coverage is not great. However, it's probably the most beautiful and memorable I've been to. The overall scale, size and views is mind-blowing. The Swiss lift system is unparalleled. The town and apres is phenomenal. Cant wait to go back.
aha Just went there in January, pretty much my exact thoughts. Gonna hit arlberg next year and if it's a flop too i'm out on Skiing in europe. Too much variability with snow.
Snow seems to be arriving late in Europe over the last few years. Often a big dump early December then nothing much for 6 weeks. It's getting warmer, too sadly.
I have been to Zermatt this February (2024) and the snow was at the lowest level seen in many many years. I think this had impacted negatively your review done in January/February (2024). Yellow slopes were almost all closed (3 open out of 14) when I was there. I think you should have mentioned that in the review as your job is obviously thorough and well informed, you must have known conditions were way worse than usual. This video is however very well done and informative.
Part about navigations and stucking in wrong country is sweet... Especialy that you do not show it on maps :)
It is easy to navigate in your own living room. Just preapre before and it will be great :)
Btw great video, keep skiing in Alps then you will change your view on that sport.
I have been wanting to go to Zermatt for years. You just convinced me not to go anyway 😂😂. Very good informative video 👍🏻
Good footage 😊
The signage problem is the same all across the Swiss resorts. Compared to the French Alps they have completely removed the Green piste designation (really helpful for amateurs) and the signs don't count down the length of the piste so you're not sure when you're getting close to the end.
You ranked Mont Tremblant? I can't find the video. Could you give me the link? Much appreciated!
Video isn’t up yet, but should be soon!
Written review: www.peakrankings.com/content/tremblant
@@PeakRankings thx
It’s better than a “mediocre” resort, that’s just a stupid title.
It’s not my favourite Ski area, but it is stunning, the village is charming, and traffic free, the Matterhorn is hypnotic and the ski area combined with Cervinia is easily enough for a week, without getting bored. The mountain restaurants are lovely and the food excellent.
The trains up the mountains are also a pleasant and different experience to other resorts.
It is a great place to go and anyone who hasn’t been should visit.
You won’t be disappointed.
Seriously if the coloured and numbered signs in Europes ski areas are a problem for any skier then maybe those skiers should stick to nursery slopes. Not sure why intermediate reds should pose a problem for any skiers other than complete beginners....
fantastic video, are you going to review other european resorts?
Yes, thank you!
Icy slopes and slopes being "run out quickly" is a general thing for Europe. It snows much less and with climate change often rains to pretty high altitude. rain + artificial snow = ice track. This is great if you own a race carver ski and like skiing that way (I do) but if you prefer power and off-piste,not so great. And if it's not hard and icy it pays off even more to get up early and be on the first gondola. 8-10 is the best time to get your runs in, then people start coming in at it gets crowded. "in general" the Alps are not the best location for power / off-piste. In your average winter there are usually only 1-2 big drops of snow and avalanches are still always a risk.
And yes, if it's cloud and fog comes in, visibility will be near zero. You can simply forget skiing then as it's not fun at all.
Skiing in europe is for fun, panorama, and simple enjoyment. Not especially hard challenges. Most people don't even want that. That's why there are mostly easy pistes. However, the hardest pistes/slopes in the world are still in europe. Mur de suisse, or swiss wall, is the steepest slope in the world, and has bumps that are sometimes up to 3 meters high, so almost twice the size of a human. And le tunnel in alpe d'huez is also one of the most difficult slopes in the world. America doesn't have any "hard" slopes, they only have some a bit dangerous ones like corbet's couloir, which is not hard but you can get hurt if you do it wrongly.
Great report. I wish you’d use the Italian pronunciation for Cervinia. Hint: it’s not “Servinia”.
I’ve skied Zermatt in a low snow year… even at that, it’s anything but mediocre… place is amazing
More Europe ski area reviews please
Coming!
@@PeakRankings I'd be intrigued on your take on LAAX. Personal favourite of the Alps and the all the Swiss highly recommend it
Why is "overall" not the average of Swiss vs Italian sides? Odd scoring
Closest airport to cervinia is Torino, 1h
Jeeeezus, you ever get the feeling a place is *too* big.
Lol I ski Jay, We have had 360+ inches this year.
This place I am not sure of the appeal.
its much cheaper to buy passes on italian side, 85 euro for international pass
accommodations are cheaper as well, its more worth it to stay in italy and travel over the mountain into zermatt and then return by the end of the day
also no passport is needed to be shown to purchase the international pass or on the mountain to cross the border either. but you do need one should you get stuck and need to taxi back.
If you buy a pass in Italy, you have to start your day there.
Chaaaaaa-vinia :)
come on - aspen highlands ranked above zermatt. i think these rankings are a bit fucked particularly reg size and aesthetics - also where is vibe/apres/nightlife. It's all part of the experience.
fyi the way snow is reported in Europe seems to be very different than the us and Canada. that figure may be for the town not the mountain.
Some of these rankings just show a bias. The signs definately aren't bad and the thing about numbers vs names is just ridiculous. Why on earth would you think that a name (which would be in German or Italian NOT English) would be easier to understand and remember than a number?
It is so much easier to remember:
45 then 39 then 41 then 42
Than:
Iglupiste then Riffelalp then Landtunnel then Schweigmatten
One thing this review does ignore, and maybe rightfully so since it applies to 0.1% of skiers, is the surrounding area of Zermatt has some of the most daunting touring/heli accessed terrain. ua-cam.com/video/u_GnIMxHY7M/v-deo.html
Yes, Zermatt is for the wealthy mediocre or very good skier. The guide is about 650-700 CHF.
@@kalle7741 Yeah. It's best to go with a few friends, or you can join a group. Engelberg is my favorite resort I've skied in Switzerland. Liked the mountain/lift accessed terrain a lot more than Zermatt.
Absolutely do not agree with your ranking of the resorts I know.
I went to whistler and although I liked it a lot it is a different league compared to Zermatt which is way better.
what the hell is this picture I see on the front
Not sure that you understand European skiing…
Snow cover in Europe is very different to North America. In Europe it snows twice a month - in North America twice a week. Zermatt is not barren.
Expert Advanced - in Europe there is no concept of ‘official challenge’. If you want challenge working out the line is half of the challenge. Zermatt has many areas where you can work out your own 2000ft off piste line.
Trails in Europe don’t have name’s - the destinations have names. Unlike North America, the mountains have history and there are named small villages and named features across the mountains.
There is zero congestion on pistes. Zermatt is probably the least congested resort in the alps.
Really appalling review …. As I said, do you really understand European skiing?
Just came back from Val D'Isere (France). All the runs have names.
THANK YOU !
I don't understand why the Americans are so hung up about trail names. Aren't trail numbers easier to spot from distance, remember and sort? Also, if you notice, piste 1-20 are on the Sunnegga sector, 21-50 on the Gronergrat sector and 51-85 on the glacier sector. If you say, meet at piste no 11, I immediately know that you are at Rothorn in the Sunnegga sector. Isn't that better than the convoluted names in the NA resorts?
You are comparing pears with apples, skiing in Europe is very different than in the US. In Europe you go to ski to spend a good time with friends and family, and to take a very good meal , (no urban food, hamburgers etc), a good meal and good wine. In the US the people go to ski as a challenge to be able one day to down a double black run. In Europe all the people ski well the red runs, you made the video thinking like an American that is not bad, rather than an European. US and European ski resorts both have pros and cons, I prefer the European ones.
Wellwellwell... The First Euro-review ? Typical NorAm skier. Typical local. How do I know ? Six years ago I finally made it to Chamonix and ValD'Isere. I asked all my ski-bum friends: so very few had current knowledge of The Euro-Zone; that I was flying blind...
I've lived in Whistler for 25 years and been a serious ski-bum for ~ 50-100 day seasons; from Lake Louise in the '70's when there were wolverines wandering through 'downtown' ...to Whis back in the day of The Boot Pub and the old Dusty's... Back in the day when we actually had Snow and Dead Seasons before Christmas and after Easter... Back before the W/B 'merger' ...And the " Vail: Ruining Whistler Since 2017 " bumper sticker. Whistler is fart in a wind-storm compared to these areas. I had to return/redeem myself so: Just got back from LesArcs/LaPlagne and ValD'/Tignes. $85Cdn per day lifts. Airbnb etc cheap rooms. Train to Bourg-St-Maurice. Bla-Bla-Bus/Car transfers
I was solo and thought about finding a guide; but I was having too much fun just pinning it on superb groomers and ripping many 'au natural' zones = Bombed but not patrolled. ( ski-compacted zones: use 'your considerable experience' on 'making the call').
Five minute lines ...and the food: did I telll you about 'the food'. Because there are Adult Locals actually living here; really nice people to talk to; including the ESF Instructors: who actually get paid real money for there chosen career. It was a Real Good Trip.
Returned to Whis' Roundhouse: Noisy, Dirty and gas-station food for a snack... Thank god early this year Easter has shrunk lift lines.
Anyway: I watch too many Euro-ski vids and Zermatt has always looked less than decent skiing. The other problem is yootoob vids shot by 'intermediates en holiday' or 'about vids' which devote way too much attention to 'skidding around and going fer lunch'..
So thanks for a real description. I would say that you should adopt a more conversational ad-lib Tone. If I met a guy who talked like you I would flee... Just sayin' have a Jagger or two and trade witty remarks with your ski-buds as you voice over... ciao.
please do not come skiing in Europe
You might have to start a separate ranking for European ski destinations. The concept of bowls doesn’t exist like it does in the US. There are some so called ski-routes, which are minimally maintained slopes. Otherwise,once you leave the groomers, you are off piste and completely on your own. You can totally hike mountains all around Zermatt using the ski infrastructure as an access point. Just be careful, you easily end up on a glacier, above a cliff or in dangerous terrain. There are so called ski tour maps and routes but you better get a guide and know your back country basics!
We've skied Zermatt twice and are headed back next year. Perhaps my age is showing but I find it way better than Vail, Breckenridge, Steamboat and, yes, even Whistler (all of which we absolutely loved).
I guess I never realized how much I favor long cruisers, massive terrain, zero lift lines, world-class mid-mountain dining and great apres ski.
Having said that, thanks for the thorough and fair review!
You are not old, Zermatt way better then all the resorts you mentioned. I live in Tahoe and would go to Zermatt before even thinking about going to Vail or Whistler.
Honestly I'm 25 ski in the Canadian Rockies my whole life and i love technical challenging terrain and abundant snow but I also love just cruising down long groomers and I want to make it my goal to ski in Europe this winter.
i’m with you all the way! going for my first time in February
This video really shows your ability to critically and comprehensively review a mountain. Really helpful info as always!!
Independently owned on-mountain huts is the biggest reason for me that Europe slaps NA for skiing. Culture through the roof.
Snow is the main issue in europe atp
@@grogsand4102Yes, fortunately the other stuff (kinda) makes up for it
All I need is a lift, a parking spot, a brown bag lunch, and some good terrain with snow on it. That bougie crap is a distraction.
@@JohnDoe-my5ip yeah, zermatt sounds more like south beach on snow.
Are you there to ski or to party?
As a European skier I see no problem with Zermatt's navigation and signage. There are basically only a few runs down from any ski lift, and you just have to stick to piste numbers that you have studied when riding the lifts, for example, pistes 11, 7, 1 and 3 from Rothorn to town or piste 7 all the way from Testa Grigia to Cervinia. There are number signs at each junction. And imo numbers are much easier to recognise than convoluted names, and I also found it easier to get into the wrong runs in Vail than in Zermatt.
The signs in Zermatt are miserable but slowly improving. For years many skiers from Cervinia had to stay overnight in Zermatt because of bad signs.
I agree - I suspect the authors are not used to the “logic” of European signage and more familiar with the “logic” in the US. There is room for improvement, but a 2 is far too harsh
Totally agree. It is easy as long as you use your brains😊
Hell yah, keep the European content coming please!
I can't wait to see you guys review more of Europe. I've been deciding where in the apps I want to go next season. I especially can't wait to see you review Courchevel and Verbier.
Both are coming!
@@PeakRankings Verbier, 3 vallees in France, Ischgl and Solden in Austria, we have some really good ski resorts here :D
@@Shumitu If you liked Is Ischgl you would like St Anton am Arlberg as well - I only spent 3 days in Ischgl but will definitely return
@@amblincork added to the list!
Please review tignes and Val d’isere, always lots of snow and incredible off and on piste terrain
Yes the après and tourism scene looks awesome. But hard to justify flying to Europe from Western Canada to ski cat tracks with nice views
i remember looking out over the glaciers from the gornergrat once in summer, thinking "wow, beautiful view", until i spotted a couple hikers on a trail below that didn't look too far away at first glance. those hikers looked so incredibly tiny that it really reset the perspective on just how majestic and massive these mountains are. there are bigger mountains and crazier views in the world, but they usually require mountaineering to get to and certainly aren't accessible by train. that gornergrat view imo tops anything in the alps short of maybe the jungfrau region
You can get as (will use American terms) rad / sick as can be got here. Including mild altitude actual sickness just from riding up a cabke car.
But you need to be able to ski all conditions, you probably need a guide and if you have the skills and knowledge of the mountaineering side of things and glacier travel those lifts get you a good way into serious terrain. You wont need 112 underfoot for 6 turns next to a piste.
But in terms of the pistes the review has a point but would suggest the mediocre in the title has a good element of click bait to it.
Worth a wander around town to see the mountaineers cemetery and the old huts that hold livestock.
Great in summer for hiking and when you see the glaciers then you understand the warnings about leaving the piste. The glacier pistes have large diggers filling in the crevaces. Pretty nice to ski in the summer.
When in the States I was all for a sandwich in the pocket, but a few years and having experienced food in the Alps leave at least a couple of days for a sit down lunch... or perhaps pocket bacon on the lift and call in for desert.
Bla bla bla Snow quality and quantity is all that matters. Everything else is feckless.
Yup. Instant pass for me. You can have a great area that doesn't get huge snowfall (Lake Louise, Crested Butte) but they maximize the snow they get and have tons of great off "piste" when it does dump.
If these european review will become the norm you should at one point review Via Lattea. Its relatively close to Zermatt and its made of 5 different resorts all connected together via trails. The slopes may not be the best or the most interesting, and some lifts are somewhat outdated, but its a really fun place. (And its really cheap when you take into account how big it is)
Thanks for the suggestion!
Thanks for the review, nice to see the clips. Been to Zermatt 5 or 6 times as a skier and boarder and it's in my top 3 ski areas along with Val D'Isere/Tignes and Courchevel/Val Thorens (3 valleys). Zermatt is a must visit place for the Matterhorn alone. The 'village' seems more like a town to me, with the electric taxis buzzing around it's a bit charmless apart from the amazing views up the valley. There is plenty of off-piste which can be as challenging as you like (at your risk) so a ton of terrain to do aside from the pistes which you don't explain. If you are an advanced off pister the terrain is ten times what you said easily. There is a lot of off piste in Cervinia too. Yes, the mountain restaurants are the best I've been to. I don't recall navigation issues. I think you are not used to large European resorts where it is necessary to study the piste map and not just rely on signs.
The snow was late this season so you definitely didn't see it as at least I remember it.
Great video! Love all the footage. I'd probably love Zermatt on a clear day, but on a cloudy day the lack of trees would drive me nuts! Glad you hit it on a beautiful day.
Thanks Grant!
You usually will find trees lower down
@@amblincork coverage and snow quality in trees looks quite poor however
@@el_moooooTo put this in perspective, some of the US ski areas have had for them very bad seasons. Reality is weather patterns have changed and we must recognise this
Spot on and fantastic review. I had the good fortune of being able to stay at the Gornergrat Kulm Hotel at the top of the cog train during the holidays. Just an astonishing set of views, phenomenal infrastructure and food that puts North America’s to shame. Thanks for putting this out there and can’t wait to see the rest of your European reviews coming soon!
You’re gunna get so much heat for this video 😂 bravo
Zermatt is a fantastic resort but the real problem for an advanced skier is that the resort is so huge it is virtually impossible to know where to ski without a mountain guide which is quite expensive. Different parts of the resort have different weather conditions which affects the snow conditions which vary with snowfall. If you are looking to ski black diamonds or off piste powder you can't just arrive, pick an area to ski and expect to have good skiing. In addition skiing off piste is extremely dangerous, far more so than anywhere in the US without a mountain guide. I have over 500 days of skiing in Zermatt, all with the person generally considered the areas best mountain guide and still have had many close calls. Despite knowing the area very well, I would never ski off piste without a mountain guide. But with a guide the skiing in Zermatt can be out of this world.
so it looks like zermatt is for views, vibes, and groomers but not much else
I would not agree. There is lots of freeriding, but hiring a guide is a must if you don't know the area very well. The slopes are not challenging for an experienced rider, but you get really long runs (up to 7500-8000 vertical feet in one run). It doesn't get as much snow as many North American Resorts but above 8000 feet you'll allways find good snow.
This is very helpful - I will be using this guide when planning my trip to Europe. Thanks so much for making this information available!
The most important thing to be prepared is as was said slopes run out quickly and can be very icy, like world-cup piste icy due to artificial snow and climate change (thaw-freeze cycling). Race carver >>> freeride skis.
The size and view should get 12 for zermatt
This video is soooo accurate. I couldn't have said it better myself. After skiing Zermatt last year I had the same conclusion. Every skier should visit Zermatt... but not for the skiing. Skiing is mediocre at best, and for experts bad, but the place is still magic.
If the skiing is mediocre then why ski there ?
@@amblincork Seriously?? Did you not even watch the video?
Agreed. Although as a person who simply likes long slopes this place was nice enough.
@@kevinl8440 I watched about half of it and found some of the crisps puzzling. Example the criticism of the piste signs made no sense to me . I haven't skied in Zermatt but am familiar with a number of ski resorts in adjacent Austria which had similar signage and the signage is good in Austria.. The complsi t about the la k of easy routes for novice skiers also did not make sense, moderate reds are suitable for every skier bar those learners in the first few days of learning to ski. If you are an expert skier, fine but videos like this are for general skiers. I am not an expert skier but would call myself good.If the cost of Switzerland were not a factor, then based on this video I would visit Zermatt. As for the occasional patch of bare ice, my attitude would be so what - I have skied quite a few times on tbe Hintertux glacier in Austria in very easy and late season and grew accustomed to a steep slope with a lot of the glacier ice exposed.One of the advantages of skiing in Europe is a reasonably wide variety of ski areas with varying terrain and conditions are available even without the use of a car for transport.
@@shanmaomao4156 So name a few areas you consider great
Great job as always! Setting the standard for consumer guides...
Just tell me where the moguls and 3 ft of powder are at.
Alberta and BC
I skied 10 days at Zermatt and never skied a groomer except to get to the bottom at the end of the day a few times. Every run, every day was un- tracked powder. The village is quite fun with interesting places to eat and you stay in 19th century dovetail lodges. It is fantastic!
Are you going to do a video about the 3 Valleys in France? I think that us the largest resort in the world.
Yep!
@@PeakRankings would be amazing if you did one for Verbier/4 vallées too. There was the RedBull Homerun just yesterday
As someone who has more than 100 ski days in Zermatt, I could agree with most of the stuff, but some marks are unrealistic. Navigation is not nearly as bad as you are pointing out, one has to take the size into account when judging the navigation (it is significantly easier to make good navigation in 2000 acres resort than in 9 or 14k acres). So realistic mark there should be at least 4 if not 5.
The other thing you are totally wrong in Challenge. It is obvious you haven't tried Stockhorn area which by itself is better than 90% of challenging US resorts (for example you give Vail 7 for challenge and Vail is frankly a joke compared to Zermatt). There is plenty of challenging terrain on Rothorn and even on the lower side of the mountain, but it is true this is heavily affected by the lack of snow. However, you are already penalizing resort for the lack of snow. I would say the actual mark for Challenge should be 7 and you can maybe bring it down to 6 due to lack of snow, but mark 4 is a disgrace. Finally, while quality and quantity of snow is indeed lacking throughout the season, even in the very late season the total opened area available for skiing is larger than the most of US resorts in total, so 6 mark again is unrealistic.
You seems to be heavily US biased. For example, you give bunch of US resorts 10 for aesthetics and they are at least couple of levels below Zermatt. Or for example giving 8 to Snowbird for size while compared to European resorts it's totally mediocre in size, even small. Or lift infrastructure, if Whistler is 10, then Zermatt is 12 for lifts.
There are also other important stuff that ppl in Europe appreciate, for example quality of slope preparation which is better than anything you can find in US, or length of single decent and the mileage you can travel descending on skis in a day or total altitude difference you can make in a day which is again incomparable to anything in US or North America. I managed on multiple occasions a vertical difference of 12km (that's over 40k feet!!!) in a single day in Zermatt.
Finally, since you are comparing overpriced crappy infrastructure and wild North American resorts to cultivated and technologically advanced, far better organized and above all affordable European resorts you should at least introduce a category of "value for the money".
I actually think the navigation in Zermatt is much better than Vail (I assume you have also been there based on your comments). It is so easy to go down the wrong runs in front side Vail while I have never gone down a wrong run in Zermatt.
Also agree that that the aesthetics of the European Alps is generally unmatched in the Rockies. I also rarely find bubbles lifts with heated seats in the North American resorts that I have been to, such as the Epic resorts in Colorado, Tahoe and Whistler.
I agree with you that Vail is harder to navigate but Zermatt doesn't have the challenging terrain like Vail does just because it's closed most of the time. It's easy to fine challenging terrain in Vail, but in Zermatt, it's hard to find it. That's what the video was referring to, in my opinion. Good observation on the navigation part!
Stockhorn area? The cable car there has been down for years, the Triftji and Stockhorn T-bars as closed. And to Rote Nase, thy will only let you with a ski instructor or guide.
You can ski Hohtäli, but it is full of rocks.
@@kalle7741 Well, this and last years were bad. Before 2021 I've never seen rocks on Hohtäli. Triftji and Stockhorn T-bars were open just 3 weeks ago. Cable car to Stockhorn has been closed for good since 2007, however Rote Nase cable car is typically working even though not the last two years and is more than sufficient. And regarding ski instructor or guide for Rote Nase, I call it BS. Skied there a bunch of times even without backcountry gear, never ever being asked for a ski instructor or a guide.
@@perakojot6524 1. So the T-bar to Stockhorn was open in March? (It would be happy news.)
2.The Triftji T-bar? (Same applies.)
3. The cable car to Rote Nase is with instructor only. May be without in March. When did you ski there?
This is the best and most correct description of Zermatt I have ever seen.
Do not go to Zermatt before Christmas, they keep many lifts closed when there are less people in town, but charge you full price.
They also take every opportunity to close lifts at the slightest "weather" pretext. Especially, they will charge you full price for a day skipass when 90% of the lifts are closed.
They have closed the best off piste area, Triftji, and send you to Hohtäli, which is full of rocks...
The lift company management is spoiling the place.
If you have lots of money, the title is perfect.
True
When were you there?
@@JakobSvensson55 Every winter for the last 30 years, on average 4-5 weeks. Last time March 23.
I still go to Zermatt, because I have friends there, but NOW I recommend people to go to Cervinia.
Of course, if you can afford a guide, do tours and heliskiing, it is still great. But how many people can afford it?
Thanks! We have been visiting Zermatt from mid to late January and have always enjoyed good weather, great conditions, better pricing and no crowds.
We've considered visiting a little earlier or later in the ski season but, based on your comments, it's sounds like that would be a terrible idea.
Would the second week of january be a bad pick then? I was there at the end of march (when everything was closed every day), but that was just bad luck I guess.
If you get stuck on the wrong side, it is suggested to pay 600-700 euro per helicopter ride.
I found the Monte Rosa Douforspitze Dom, Dent Blanche, Grand Combin and distant Mont Blanc just as spectacular! Yes the Matterhorn haunts, dominates the setting.
European ski culture is so much better than the US. Love a good apre, and ski patrol not being pass pullers is nice. I did Bad Gastein recently and loved it, would recommend it to anyone.
An excellent review and delighted to see that you are now starting to review European resorts as well. Looking forward to watching these!
I saw an Air Zermatt rescue while sipping a beer at Trockener Steg. That was pretty cool.
The town is what every ski town in the US tries to look like.
There’s too much uphill skiing for my taste. Gotta go once.
Looking forward to see most of the austrian ski resorts on the top of that list
No, don’t peek mid, there is an awp holding the angle
I like snow, Europe looks awesome if you’re looking for wildly epic views and awesome amenities , but i want steeps and big dumps of snow . Great video though and its still on the list to visit
go to verbier, st. anton, andermatt. plenty of steep powder skiing in the alps
I love your channel and have been a subscriber here and on another account. I believe you should have another category for convenience. For example, there are no ski-in, ski-out accommodations in Zermatt (except for one on the Gornergrat side). It takes you a minimum of 20 - 45 mins to get to the slopes if you're lucky. You know what I mean. Let me use Vail as a comparison, you can ski in town if you're lodge is down there. Walk a minute to the lifts and you're off. Zermatt having the most beautiful scenery falls short due to this and is just a pain to get to the slopes! I agree with your ranking and I enjoy it a lot. Thank you once again, and please consider adding the convenience rating. One thing you forgot to mention, Zermatt has an okay terrain park at best!
Thanks for the comment and suggestion! We didn’t find the walk to the lifts to be too bad, although it certainly depends on where you’re staying.
@@PeakRankings Thank you for the response. Correct, however I meant if you miss the train to Gornergrat by a minute you'll have to wait 24 mins for the next one. That ride lasts around 20 mins to the top. So 44 mins of delay to get to the slopes. The Matterhorn gondola is like 40 mins to the top station and then another 10 mins to the glacier area. 50 mins to the slopes or 40 mins top station of that gondola. You mentioned wind factor and I've been to Zermatt 3 times this past 12 months and wind is always closing down the glacier area. Like 70% of the time. You were really lucky on that trip! Keep those videos coming!!! THANK YOU!!
@SAS-by4bt thats all correct but the vernacular is the best option. Goes regulary and is fast. From there can access where the train goes and get over to GMP too by skiing, which is the whole point right. We started there at 9 doing a few runs until they told us Cervinia was open at 10, and then still made it over to Italy by 11.30.
Interested to hear this , pedestrianisation is probably the cause of it and sounds like the experience we uad in Chamonix having to rely on public transport to get anywhere was a pain .
@@scollyutube That's great! Thanks to @peakrankings for making this video and many videos to come! I only commented on Zermatt because I feel I'm an expert here. I've ridden just this year in Zermatt (twice) Vail, Beaver Creek, Mammoth, Whistler, Sun Peaks, Big White, Park City, 5 resorts in Austria and going to the 3 Valleys and Val d'Isere to close the season. I just don't find Zermatt convenient, that's all. HOWEVER, once on the top it's really nice! It's more convenient to stay in Cervinia, honestly!
The lack of signage is the same across every resort in Switzerland. It’s just how it is.
If you decide to stay in Cervinia, you won't really be able to get to do much of Zermatt's skiing in one day. If you stay in Zermatt you can do most of Cervinia in a day (and still have time for a nice pasta lunch)
Honestly, this video is really not fair. Clearly during their visit conditions were not the best, a week later or 2 before and the experience would be totally different. This season has been tough for below 2500 meters.
The points you criticized apply to many European ski resorts. Off-piste “runs” aren’t even closely as popular as in the United States. Therefore, there are less slopes per lift, what ultimately leads to more congested slopes. It can be little tough to navigate those more crowded slopes, but usually people are aware of others and you can pass without much distance as long as you’re not too fast. Furthermore, it is common here for Ski resorts to be quite big and involving numerous villages far apart in the valley, for example Skiwelt, Kitzbühel, Skicirkus, 3/4 Vallees or Sella.
I would think the reason off piste runs are not as popular in Europe is that a big proportion of skiers in Europe are at best pnce a year skiers and a lot would be not be expereinced off piste at all..and a lot of skiers go as much for the apre ski as for the skiing ! And of course Europe has a very bog selection of ski areas.
Decent review, but a few things are completely incorrect. You gave a 7 for crowd flow, but having been there 6 times, the crowd doesn’t even come close to American resorts. So that score is completely incorrect. The other thing you mentioned which is incorrect IMO is Navigation. The resort has an app witn a state of the art map which makes navigation fairly easy. Navigation in places like Vail or Breckenridge is no better or worse. Lastly, the footage in the video looks like it was taken in late winter. The grooming in Zermatt is second to none and much better in my experience than at American resorts. I have never experienced “east coast” conditions in the 6 times I have skied there. Zermatt is an absolute winner compared to most resorts. You should adjust some of these scores.
Thanks for your comment Sander and appreciate the feedback. We visited Zermatt in late January and early February this year, and all our footage is from those time periods.
We are going to stand by our scores for now. While the lift lines themselves are significantly less of an issue than in the US, Zermatt’s issue is the congestion on the pistes. Since our crowd flow category measures both lift lines and crowds on the slopes, we deducted points from Zermatt due to its experience with the latter.
In terms of navigation, the app can be helpful when riding the lifts or before starting a run. However, in our view it’s tough to use while actively skiing or riding, making it difficult to make important game-time decisions when it comes to choosing the right trail / going in the direction of a certain lift or attraction.
Hope this helps clarify things!
@@PeakRankingsyou should have an Idea of what ski runs you are doing before your descent and the slope numbered sign in Europe are generally good..can't see why they need to be bigger !
@@PeakRankings Navigation in Zermatt is better than Vail and Breckenridge, all piste are clearly marked by a number while in the US you get loads a convoluted names for really short runs...
I disagree, the grooming is miserable. I spend about 4 weeks a year in Zermatt, because I have friends there.
Two things: Precipitation is lower in the Alps, because the next ocean is thousands of kms away and not literally "next door" as in the Rockies and there's also less humidity transported. I am not sure if it is fair to compare Europe and North America in this regard.
And the second thing is about the off-piste experience: It's not that good because you're not supposed to go off-piste in a ski resort and nobody cares therefore about these parts of the resort. If you go off-piste, you should either use the yellow "slopes" or do it as part of a ski tour and know what you're doing. Zermatt offers some great descents by ski, only reachable when you use touring skis and have two, three days for spare, e.g. Schwarztor, Theodul Glacier, Stockij/Zmutt Glaciers or, the longest and toughest, from the Signalkuppe. They're all on glaciers, though, so you should never go without being very experienced or a mountain guide.
A note about all the lifts: I am a bit surprised that it is worth mentioning how modern they are, as this is normal in Europe and nobody bats an eye about it here. Are the lifts in North America really that old?
😊Not supposed to go off piste? Seriously? Some alpine areas are marketed as having great off piste areas....and routes will be suggested
@@amblincorkSome are and that's the ones with the yellow poles, usually. Everywhere else is at your own risk. You can go where you want, but it will be costly if they have to rescue you.
Verbier is better for freeriders, even better are Arolla and La Grave.
Or you hire a mountain guide, use ski touring equipment and go far away from any ski resort.
Somebody just died falling in a crevasse off piste in Saas Fee. With glaciers, you have to be extremely careful. A kid also died in an avalanche in Zermatt off piste after a huge snow dump. Know your conditions and be safe!
I urge you to look at a map brother
This is the most accurate review I have seen. We went last winter and it was a really neat trip, but the skiing was just...boring. Actually, 90% boring and 10% icy, mostly at the bottom. It was worth a visit, once.
Thanks for taking the time to put this great video together. I hope to make it out there as a bucket list vacation and can use this video to help with planning.
Great review! Can’t wait to see what other int’l resorts you will cover. 🎉
We were there a week before you filmed this. Great resort, just hindered by wind and subsequently restricted up high, which limits the decent runs. So mediocre might be harsh but agree is pretty limited skiing without all the upper lifts going.There is really only 3 ways to access the mountain too counting the train, all going in different directions. I disagree it is difficult to navigate though. It isn't complicated really as there aren't that many options. I recognised where every shot you showed was and we only skied 7 days.
Went to 3 Valleys the week after, at VT, and got to say, the terrain, snow quality, overall lift layout and run variety etc was way better there.
Agree with your point on navigation and I too recognise where every on piste shots are made.
Wow. The Tillie of the video is to me king of ignorant
It's the Vail of Europe
By that I mean extensive terrain that's solid yet unremarkable, fantastic lift system yet crowded runs, along with a lively and active town. Both are great for the person who wants to ski a little alongside shopping, eating, and going out.
Please reconsider your pronunciation of Cervinia
Noted 😅
You failed to notice the biggest problem of Zermatt: ski in a bad weather day. Because the entire mountain has no single tree in sight, the visibility is terrible when weather is bad. Worse, they close most of lifts during windy or snowing days. Among 9 days I was there a few years ago, only 3 days the mountain was fully opened.
Go to Val d'isere!
That's a pretty fair assessment of Zermatt. The Trifji mogul run is worth a mention. Off-piste fans should definitely look elsewhere, but you won't get the same level of scenery.
Best Zermatt Cervinia review I have seen - detailed, objective and really well thought through - really, really helpful. Maybe add that Milan Malpensa (not Milan Linate) is the airport of choice and whilst Turin is closer than Milan there are less flights and due to altitude flights have been known to be redirected. Also, there is a lot of talk of more on the Italian side of a link with the Monterosa ski area (Champoluc etc) which will create one of the largest linked areas there are - and add a greater variety due to the Monterosa characteristics. Many thanks and will look forward to other European reviews.