The Tour of the Matterhorn is a superb alpine trek with a huge variety of scenery and culture. As the Matterhorn straddles the Swiss–Italian frontier, the trek visits both countries, each with its own unique traditions, way of life and scenery. The tour goes over high passes reached by delightful footpaths and through charming alpine villages where life has hardly changed for centuries, providing a precious insight into local life. Not only is the Matterhorn seen from all sides, but there are also superb vantage points for views of many of the other high summits of the region.
The Tour of the Matterhorn is regarded as a relatively ‘new’ tour as it has been documented only in the last few years. The paths it uses, though, are generally anything but new – these are often ancient ways over passes leading from one valley to another. The tour includes two glacier crossings and usually takes about eight to ten days to complete.
An overview of the Tour of the Matterhorn
Described by Ruskin as the ‘most noble cliff in Europe’, at 4478m the Matterhorn is neither the highest Alpine summit, nor the most difficult, but worldwide this peak represents the classic mountain. Even if people don’t know its name, they’ve seen its shape replicated on anything from chocolate boxes to corporate adverts. Ask a child to draw a mountain and that’s what they’ll draw – a pointed pyramid reaching to the sky. The Matterhorn – or Monte Cervino as the Italians call it – represents what is inaccessible, beautiful, the spirit of the summit, the ultimate goal.
Many people aspire to climb it, and some succeed. However, the best views of the Matterhorn and its surrounding summits are to be had not from the flanks of the mountain but from the hillsides that face it. The Tour of the Matterhorn will take you to the most stunning viewpoints from which to marvel at this most unique summit.
To circumnavigate the peak involves quite a long route through the Swiss and Italian Alps. Three cultures will be visited:
It is worth taking the time to enjoy the unique aspects of the region, exploring the villages, the local specialities, the differences in architecture and farming. Each area has its own peculiarities, and these deserve to be discovered. The Tour of the Matterhorn enables the walker to immerse himself in the region in a way that is impossible for anyone who just passes through by car. This is a region of stark visual contrasts: high peaks, ice and snow buttresses glinting in the sun, their glaciers formed by unfathomable depths of ice; lush green meadows where cattle graze as they did centuries ago; deep wooded valleys dotted with small villages and towns, ranging from the most
The history of the Tour of the Matterhorn
The Tour of the Matterhorn was originally the idea of the Swiss organisation Valrando (Association Valaisanne de la Randonnée Pédestre). Following the 50th anniversary of the Tour du Mont Blanc (set up in 1952), the president of Valrando, Willy Felay, envisaged the Matterhorn Tour. This tour was seen as providing a liaison between the two neighbouring mountain regions of Valais and the Val d’Aosta. The route was worked out with the help of Palmira Orsières, director of La Traccia, an organisation that – amongst other things – is responsible for walking in the Aosta Valley region.
The Tour of the Matterhorn route
Stage 1: Zermatt to St Niklaus
Alternative: Zermatt to St Niklaus valley route
Stage 2: St Niklaus to
Stage 3:
Stage 4: Zinal to Les Haudères
Link route: Les Haudères to Arolla
Stage 5: Arolla to Prarayer
Stage 6: Prarayer to
Stage 7:
The Tour of the Matterhorn
The communes encountered on the tour have committed to the waymarking and upkeep of the paths and to welcoming walkers who pass through. This tour is envisaged as bringing life to the villages on both sides of the mountains.
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