Monday, February 1, 2016

Winter in Andermatt, Switzerland


A serene Alpine lake at Innerthal


Naturally I’m back in Switzerland, staying in Zürich for as long as the authorities (and my family!) allow. The weather before New Year’s Day had been mild, but in mid-January the snow and cold of a real winter arrived.
Andermatt, the perfect Alpine resort

We decided to take a day trip to the Swiss Alpine town of Andermatt, one of the lesser-known ski resorts, certainly not as famous as Zermatt, Gstaad, or Davos, but just as gorgeous.  Andermatt, in the heart of the St Gotthard Massif, lies at an altitude of over 4700 feet on a crossroads between the mountain passes of St Gotthard, the Oberalp, the Furka, and The Göschenertal. This Alpine valley in the Canton Uri is the source of both the Rhine River, which flows into the North Sea, and the Rhone River, which flows into the Mediterranean.

St Michael Chapel in Andermatt, with an ancient Gothic baptismal font inside

Driving through the 10.5 mile long St Gotthard Road Tunnel, which opened in 1980, is a radical switch from the German Swiss to the Italian Swiss. One enters the north portal of the tunnel at the town of Göschenen, in the Canton Uri, and exits the southern end at Airolo in the Italian speaking Canton Ticino. As with many tunnels through mountain passes (such as the Eisenhower Tunnel in Colorado) the weather at one portal can be entirely different from the other, that is, one can enter during a blizzard, and exit into the sunshine.
A bridge in Andermatt over the Interalpreuss

Andermatt had always been an important staging post on the ancient St Gotthard Pass, resulting in the development of several hotels and transport services. In the 19th century a Swiss Federal Army barracks was located in Andermatt, further expanding the local economy. But with the opening of the St Gotthard Road Tunnel in 1980, which bypassed Andermatt, many hotel businesses closed or were converted to barracks for the remaining army training functions. However, Andermatt is well worth a detour if driving from Zurich to Lugano, or as its own destination, as it is an easy hour’s drive from Zurich.  And what breathtaking scenery!

Skiers and snowboarders at dusk
 
Of course, the two ski areas above Andermatt have ski lifts running up from the village, and the public transportation serves the lifts from the several hotels. This village is an authentic ski town, what the ski resorts of Vail and Aspen in Colorado were designed to emulate.


The Chedi Andermatt

Andermatt is undergoing significant upgrades with the recent addition of The Chedi Andermatt, a 5-Star hotel, conference center and spa. The Chedi opened in 2013 to some controversy, as introducing such a world-class attraction, even if a boost to the tourist industry, may cause excessive strain on a delicate alpine environment.  However, the developers made a great effort to create a facility with minimum environmental impact, and employ an architectural style that melds the traditional alpine ski chalet look with ultra-modern 5-star amenities.

Cozy time for aperitifs!
 
We had lunch in one of the many dining rooms, and after taking a walk around Andermatt, returned to The Chedi for aperitifs in front of one of the several roaring fireplaces. What luxury!  From the windows we could watch the sunset on the snowy peaks surrounding Andermatt, a joy to behold.

Breathtaking sunset
 
If planning to visit Andermatt, check out the village website:  www.andermatt.ch, and for a luxury lunch, try  The Chedi Andermatt at  www.ghmhotels.com

 

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