Tour of the Matterhorn — Stage 7: St. Niklaus → Zermatt

A valley-floor stage along the Vispa: from St. Niklaus ascend the Mattertal via Randa — the 1991 rockslide still visible — and Täsch, to the triumphant arrival in Zermatt (1,608 m), where the Matterhorn pyramid seals the valley.

A valley-floor ascent that is anything but dull: the Mattertal is Switzerland’s deepest valley, and its villages tell of centuries spent living with a difficult mountain. At Randa the trail passes the colossal 1991 rockslide, thirty million cubic metres that reshaped the valley floor; at Täsch begin the car parks of those heading for car-free Zermatt. The last kilometres follow the rushing Vispa to the old barns of Zermatt, the Matterhorn growing with every step. Train and bus let you shorten the stage at will.