#46 Climbing to Zermatt
After a welcome dinner and meeting our fellow travelers, we got some much-needed rest at our hotel in Lausanne. Early the next morning we checked out and travelled east of Lausanne through the Lavaux wine region and the manicured terraces. Our first sight-seeing stop was at the famous and infamous Chateau de Chillon.
Chateau de Chillon
The Château de Chillon is an island castle located on Lake Geneva on the narrow shore between Montreux in Switzerland and Villeneuve, France. The site started as an ancient Roman outpost. Over the centuries, it was occupied by the House of Savoy then by the Bernese from 1536 until 1798, it now belongs to the State of Vaud and is classified as a Swiss Cultural Property of National Significance.
Lord Byron made Château de Chillon, a celebrated château on the shores of Lake Geneva, famous in his epic poem, The Prisoner of Chillon. Over the centuries the castle went from serving as a summer home, to a garrison headquarters, to the site of a brutal prison. Today, Chillon is amongst the most visited medieval castles in Switzerland and Europe.
Gruyeres main street
After our visit and tour of the castle, we visited the medieval town of Gruyères, which is known for, you know, its cheese. The tour buses park here an allow visitors to roam the cobblestone streets, eat lots of fondue, and shop. The town developed beneath the castle, which the Count of Gruyeres had built on top of the hill as a defensive position.
From Gruyeres, we motor-coached to the town of Taesch. A cogwheel train from Taesch takes you into the mountains to the car-free resort town of Zermatt. The town lies at the foot of several alpine peaks, most famously, the Matterhorn. We checked into a lovely hotel and found our hot rooms. Of course, there is no air conditioning in this town and the windows were open to let in the air and a few bugs. At 2:00 in the morning, we were treated to the shouting of people going home from the local taverns. 😊
Early the next morning, we took a short walk to a different train station that took us higher into the mountains near Zermatt. The cogwheel train took us to Gornergrat (elevation is 10,225 ft.) for spectacular views of the legendary Matterhorn and neighboring peaks. The viewing platform at the top gave us some outstanding photo opportunities. Clouds covered the summit of many of the peaks but telescope installations helped identify the peaks and the elevations.
Joan and Toby with Monta Rosa
Instead of taking the train all the way down, we walked part of the way down with a local guide. He was sure to include a shot of the local tipple, Genepy and a kind toast to our fellow hikers. The top of the Matterhorn was still obscured by clouds, but we got a better look at the terrain and a small reflective pond. Hiking down warmed us up and put a bit of stress on my feet and ankles. I can only imagine what the actual trekkers must feel.
Once we returned to the town, we visited the Swatch Watch store located just below our hotel room. What better place to find cute little matching Zermatt souvenirs? We got his and hers matching Matterhorn wristwatches. They told us they were only available in Switzerland and I did not see them anywhere else but Zermatt.
Our travels the next day would take us out of the Alps and across the border into Italy, I will look forward to sharing those memories soon.
