Switzerland - where best viewing of Matterhorn?
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From: Troy Piggins on 23 Apr 2007 19:47 Travelling to Europe in September/October this year with my girlfriend. We are planning to train from Dijon to Venice via Switzerland. I was thinking Geneva is recommended a lot. My girlfriend has a preference for seeing the mountains - particularly the Matterhorn and had heard Zermatt is nearby. We don't have a lot of time. 2 nights only - so travel there from Dijon one day, stay that night, sightseeing next day, stay that night, then off to Venice next day. Couple of questions. - Are the peaks all visible that time of year? Is weather usually good, bad etc? - What would be your recommendation of town/city to stay? (Zermatt?) - Travel times (roughly) from above town to mountain viewing? - Any other recommendations given our tight time constraints? -- Troy Piggins | http://piggo.com/~troy
From: David Bennetts on 23 Apr 2007 22:59 "Troy Piggins" <usenet-0704(a)piggo.com> wrote in message news:20070424093358(a)usenet.piggo.com... > Travelling to Europe in September/October this year with my > girlfriend. We are planning to train from Dijon to Venice via > Switzerland. I was thinking Geneva is recommended a lot. My > girlfriend has a preference for seeing the mountains - > particularly the Matterhorn and had heard Zermatt is nearby. > > We don't have a lot of time. 2 nights only - so travel there > from Dijon one day, stay that night, sightseeing next day, stay > that night, then off to Venice next day. > > Couple of questions. > > - Are the peaks all visible that time of year? Is weather > usually good, bad etc? > - What would be your recommendation of town/city to stay? > (Zermatt?) > - Travel times (roughly) from above town to mountain viewing? > - Any other recommendations given our tight time constraints? > > -- > Troy Piggins | http://piggo.com/~troy You might be lucky enough in that location to get a good view, the south of Switzerland enjoys a normally sunny climate. You can see the mountain from the town of Zermatt, but for a closer view at a higher altitude, take the Gornergrat Railway. http://www.rail-info.ch/GGB/pics/gornergrat.jpg Since you're pressed for time, I'd stay overnight in Brig, where the Zermatt Railway starts. Regards David Bennetts Australia
From: Troy Piggins on 23 Apr 2007 23:44 * David Bennetts is quoted & my replies are inline below : > > "Troy Piggins" <usenet-0704(a)piggo.com> wrote in message > news:20070424093358(a)usenet.piggo.com... >> Travelling to Europe in September/October this year with my >> girlfriend. We are planning to train from Dijon to Venice via >> Switzerland. I was thinking Geneva is recommended a lot. My >> girlfriend has a preference for seeing the mountains - >> particularly the Matterhorn and had heard Zermatt is nearby. >> >> We don't have a lot of time. 2 nights only - so travel there >> from Dijon one day, stay that night, sightseeing next day, stay >> that night, then off to Venice next day. >> >> Couple of questions. >> >> - Are the peaks all visible that time of year? Is weather >> usually good, bad etc? >> - What would be your recommendation of town/city to stay? >> (Zermatt?) >> - Travel times (roughly) from above town to mountain viewing? >> - Any other recommendations given our tight time constraints? > > You might be lucky enough in that location to get a good view, the south of > Switzerland enjoys a normally sunny climate. > You can see the mountain from the town of Zermatt, but for a closer view at > a higher altitude, take the Gornergrat Railway. > > http://www.rail-info.ch/GGB/pics/gornergrat.jpg > > Since you're pressed for time, I'd stay overnight in Brig, where the Zermatt > Railway starts. Thanks David. I'll look into it. Regards, Troy (also Australia) -- Troy Piggins | http://piggo.com/~troy
From: justforpostings on 24 Apr 2007 02:02 On 24 Apr., 01:47, Troy Piggins <usenet-0...(a)piggo.com> wrote: > Travelling to Europe in September/October this year with my > girlfriend. We are planning to train from Dijon to Venice via > Switzerland. I was thinking Geneva is recommended a lot. My > girlfriend has a preference for seeing the mountains - > particularly the Matterhorn and had heard Zermatt is nearby. > > We don't have a lot of time. 2 nights only - so travel there > from Dijon one day, stay that night, sightseeing next day, stay > that night, then off to Venice next day. > > Couple of questions. > > - Are the peaks all visible that time of year? Is weather > usually good, bad etc? No - but usually weather is good Zermatt valley is well protected from dominant NW weather fronts (number of sunshine days above average for Switzerland), but for the few weather- fronts arriving from SW, Matterhon can be hidden by clouds for 1-3 days - with interesting pictures once in a while. Daily pictures back for a year at http://bergbahnen.zermatt.ch/d/web-cam/archiv/zermatt4.html (view from Zermatt) should allow you to get some idea on chances you might take regarding weather > - What would be your recommendation of town/city to stay? > (Zermatt?) Despite being a major tourist resort, Zermatt still is a kind of a large village, no cars allowed (just plenty of small electrical cars, lots of bicyle drivers, a few horse carriages). October might be quiet (Summer season almost over, Winter season starts late November) If time does not allow to stay in Zermatt: consider Montreux. But plenty of other places between Lausanne and Venice ..... And if money is not a concern: check 5-star hotel at Riffelalp (on the way to Gornergrat too) http://www.zermatt.ch/riffelalp/e/ > - Travel times (roughly) from above town to mountain viewing? > - Any other recommendations given our tight time constraints? >From Zermatt - zero If you stay there, try to get a hotel room with view on Matterhorn. There is also at least a hotel swimming pool with Matterhorn view. Best is a train ride up to Gornergrat - best view imho being from Riffelberg area (second last stop on the way to Gornergrat) http://bergbahnen.zermatt.ch/d/web-cam/riffelberg.html And if at Gornergrat: be aware that at 3'000 m above sea level air pressure is low - walk slowly, avoid running around (or you will feel quickly what lower oxygen supply means) Most impressive is Klein Matterhorn, but access less interesting, longer (two cable cars) and suited imho more for skiers (not having to return by cable car) http://bergbahnen.zermatt.ch/d/web-cam/sommerski.html For all rail-trips including Zermatt to Gornergrat check www.sbb.ch Dijon - Zermatt takes some 5 to 6 hours by train, so you might be able to reach Zermatt mid-afternoon when leaving Dijon with first TGV to Lausanne - adding Gornergrat the same day might be feasible, but staying the evening for some walking (and shopping) and riding up Gornergrat early next day is probably more appropriate
From: Tim C. on 24 Apr 2007 02:20
Following up to Troy Piggins <usenet-0704(a)piggo.com> : >Travelling to Europe in September/October > > Is weather usually good, bad etc? Weather wise, September is generally one of the more stable months in the Alps. -- Tim C. |