A Little slice of Zermatt in Jindabyne

There are so many incredible European snow destinations and after living extensively in Europe, Nina Salerno has skied at a lot of them. Nina took her family to Zermatt in January and here is why.

Why Zermatt this time? 

“I know Zermatt has the reputation for being one of the most expensive snow resorts in the world but it’s a picture perfect postcard town.  The town itself is is quaint and beautiful, you have the grace and grandeur of the backdrop of the iconic Matterhorn, it’s a very traditional town with timber chalets and buildings, century old barns turned into restaurants and elegant grand hotels with the nostalgia of how people used to do ski trips in days gone by, still ferried in horse drawn carriages from the train station.

Was it easy or hard to get to? 

“We transferred in a private car from Chamonix where my family spent Chrismtas and New Years but we flew out of Zurich, which was so easy but it’s also easy to fly in and out of Geneva. 

You take the Glacier express, which is one of the ‘famous train rides of the world’. If you buy a first class ticket you get a sky view, which is absolutely spectacular, and especially more spectacular heading TO Zermatt than it is leaving Zermatt because youre looking up the mountains as you travel”.

Glamorous town and scenery aside, what’s skiing like?

“It’s great terrain, not great for beginners but it’s excellent for intermediate and advanced. It’s a higher slope, which means it’s more reliable for snow and has year-round skiing on the glacier”. 

There are four key ski areas which are  interlinked and so many lifts have been upgraded since my last visit and are like riding something from the future. 

Any notable highlights?

The Gornergrat Train is incredible, buy a return trip for sightseeing,but as a skier it’s included in your lift pass. It takes you up to a hotel called Klum 3100, which has spectacular views of the mountain peaks. 

You can also take the Matterhorn Glacier paradise lift right to the top and there are ice sculptures, a nice cafe and great mountain restaurants. The atmosphere here is so charming, some of these restaurants are Michelin starred and owners take great pride in using local produce. 

Chez Vrony is of note, they stock preserved, cured, stored cheese and meats. Zumsee is a little barn or hutt where you can take your skis off and walk in and the food is incredible. It’s not that much more expensive than other places too”.

What about the town itself? 

“There is great shopping and great apres at night. The stores are high end fashion, lots of watches for purchase”. Walking the village for an afternoon stroll is an activity in itself. 

A little bit of Zermatt in Jindabyne

With Nina’s love of European snow resorts when she purchased Chalet Alpina it was this European snow lifestyle she had in mind for Jindabyne. The chalet is authentically styled as a European chalet and the perfect place for families or couples to spend a weekend or a week exploring the Snowy Mountain area. With 12 boutique rooms a mix of queens and quad beds mainly with ensuites, it is elegantly luxurious with stunning furnishings and thoughtful touches such as keep cups and slippers.  

In true European style with a nod to local and sustainable, bathrooms are kitted out with multi-use sustainable and local Snowy Mountains Soap Merchants products. Breakfast sourdough is sourced from the local Snowy Mills bakery with freshly made bircher muesli and homemade puddings. Grab-and-go breakfasts (bacon and egg wraps, fruit, muffin and juice box) are ready for early-bird skiers. 

 Nina is friendly and loves sharing info on where to ski, hike, shop or dine. It’s a relaxed fireside family environment, great for children in a kids entertainment room but also good for a romantic getaway. It is family-friendly luxury and this is something unique for the area.

If you’re not skiing the chalet’s book-filled lounges are the perfect place to relax and it’s just a 5 minute walk to the heart of town. Book directly through chaletalpina.com.au.

Fantastic stuff! See you out there.