Most people arriving in Zermatt for the first time look at the piste map and feel overwhelmed. Three different mountain areas, dozens of lifts, two countries — where do you even start? This guide is the briefing I give clients at the beginning of every week: what each area is, what makes it different, who it suits and when to go.
I ski all three areas regularly throughout the season. They each have a distinct personality, and knowing that personality before you head up saves time, frustration and the experience of finding yourself on a run that's three grades harder than you expected.
Wind is the boss. The high links — particularly the Klein Matterhorn 3S cable car and the connection to Italy over Plateau Rosa — are the first to close when wind picks up. Always check the Matterhorn Paradise app or the resort website for live lift status before planning your day around the high mountain. If the forecast shows strong winds or Föhn, save Klein Matterhorn for another day and ski Sunnegga or Gornergrat instead.
Area 1: Sunnegga–Blauherd–Rothorn
This is the sunniest area of Zermatt — the name Sunnegga literally means 'sunny corner' in the local dialect. It faces predominantly south to south-west, which means it catches more direct sunlight than any other sector, especially in the morning. On cold January days when other areas are still in shadow, Sunnegga is already warm and brilliantly lit. This also means the snow softens faster in spring, which can be either a pleasure or a disadvantage depending on your timing.
The access is via a fast underground funicular from the village — the Sunnegga Express — which bores straight through the rock and delivers you to 2,288m in about four minutes. One of the more dramatic lift arrivals you'll experience anywhere. From Sunnegga you can take the combined Chondola (chairs and gondolas mixed) up to Blauherd and from there a rotating cable car to Rothorn at 3,103m.
The runs down from Rothorn include some of the best views of the Matterhorn in the entire ski area — particularly pistes 11 and 7, which give you the classic pyramid shot that appears on every Zermatt postcard. I never get tired of it.
Beginners at Wolli Park, early intermediates on Findeln blues, confident intermediates on Rothorn reds, and anyone who wants the best Matterhorn views. First day of the week start here for familiarity. Best for sunny mornings.
Sunnegga insider tips
- Piste 11 from Rothorn is the classic Matterhorn-view run. Do it once in the morning light when the mountain is lit from the east.
- The middle section of the Blauherd-Sunnegga blue run is steeper than it looks on the map — there is an easier escape route on the right side. I show all my clients this before they end up committed to the steep bit.
- Chez Vrony restaurant in Findeln is the best mountain lunch in Zermatt. Accessible from Sunnegga — book ahead.
Area 2: Gornergrat
The Gornergrat is reached by a famous cogwheel mountain railway — the Gornergrat Bahn — that departs from a station right next to the main village train station. The railway itself is a genuine experience: 34 minutes of rising through the trees and into open alpine terrain, arriving at 3,089m with a panoramic view of 29 four-thousand-metre peaks, the Gorner Glacier and the Matterhorn. Non-skiers take this railway just for the view.
The skiing on Gornergrat is predominantly for intermediates — long, wide, well-groomed red runs that give you the mileage and the views simultaneously. This is where I take clients who are solid on blues and ready for their first real reds. The runs from Gornergrat down towards Riffelberg and beyond are long, satisfying cruises with consistent gradient and excellent snow holding. Runs 28 and 29 around Riffelbord are particularly good — away from the main crowds with uninterrupted Matterhorn views.
For advanced skiers, the Stockhorn and Hohtälli areas above Gornergrat offer more serious terrain including some of the best off-piste access in Zermatt. The Stockhorn has a reputation for serious conditions and should only be tackled with a guide in appropriate snow.
Intermediates wanting mileage and incredible views. Advanced skiers accessing Stockhorn off-piste. Non-skiers doing the railway for the panorama. A full-day area — plan to spend at least one whole day here.
Gornergrat insider tips
- Take the early train — the first Gornergrat Bahn departure gets you to the top before the crowds and the snow is perfectly groomed. The light is also extraordinary in the first two hours.
- The runs back towards Riffelberg and Riffelalp can be linked back to the village on foot via the Riffelalp Resort area — a long but scenic route.
- Gornergrat connects to Sunnegga via a long traverse — doing both in one day is possible for confident intermediates and gives you a great variety of terrain.
Area 3: Klein Matterhorn — Matterhorn Glacier Paradise
This is the flagship area — the reason Zermatt is at the top of so many ski resort lists. The Matterhorn Express gondola from the village rises through Furi and Schwarzsee to Trockener Steg, then a series of cable cars takes you all the way to Klein Matterhorn at 3,883m — the highest lift-served point in Europe. The final 3S cable car (three-cable technology, the most advanced in the Alps) rises above a glacier on a single span. The view from the summit on a clear day is one of the great mountain perspectives anywhere in the world.
The glacier skiing from the top is some of the most reliable in Europe — the altitude keeps the snow consistent well into spring and the runs here are wide, long and relatively gentle for the altitude, which means confident intermediates can access the glacier and enjoy it without it being intimidating. The descent from Klein Matterhorn down to Trockener Steg is a brilliant top-of-the-world cruise.
From Schwarzsee lower down, the run back towards the village is a long, varied descent through changing terrain — steeper at the top, more forgiving through the mid-section, with some of Zermatt's better restaurant options along the way.
This is also the gateway to Italy. With the International pass, the connection from Plateau Rosa / Testa Grigia on the Swiss-Italian border drops you into Cervinia for one of the great alpine ski days. See my full Zermatt-to-Cervinia guide for all the details on doing that day properly.
Confident intermediates and above. Glacier skiing. The Italy day. Off-piste with a guide. Year-round snow. Anyone wanting to stand at 3,883m and look at the Matterhorn from level height. Save this for a clear, calm weather day — wind closes the high links first.
Klein Matterhorn insider tips
- Leave early. The Matterhorn Express gets very busy from 9am. Being at the bottom of the queue for the first gondola at 8:30am means you are on the glacier before the crowds arrive.
- The ice cave at Klein Matterhorn summit is worth five minutes of anyone's day — an extraordinary space carved inside the glacier.
- Check the app before planning an Italy day. The Plateau Rosa connection closes in wind and reopening is not guaranteed. Plan your Italy day for a calm, high-pressure forecast morning.
- The Schwarzsee area below Trockener Steg can be skied as a standalone on days when wind closes the upper mountain — still excellent terrain at a more sheltered altitude.
The Italian Side — Cervinia & Valtournenche
From the top of Klein Matterhorn at 3,883m, you can point your skis south and ski all the way down into Italy. This is one of the great ski experiences in the Alps — and one that most people visiting Zermatt never fully do because they don't know the route or run out of time to get back.
The descent from Klein Matterhorn down to Valtournenche is around 22km with a vertical drop of approximately 2,400m — arguably the longest red run in Europe. From the glacier at the top, the route sweeps down through wide open glacier terrain, past Plateau Rosà and Cervinia, and continues all the way down the valley to Valtournenche at 1,524m. It is a genuinely extraordinary run and one of the main reasons people come to Zermatt.
The Italian side has a completely different character to Zermatt. The slopes are wider, more open and more relaxed in gradient — red runs here would often be blue runs on the Swiss side. The sun is stronger, the food is Italian, and the atmosphere is noticeably different. Worth a full day at least.
Valtournenche itself — the village at the bottom of the valley — has its own lift system and ski area connected to Cervinia. The famous Ventina run is a 20km red from Plateau Rosà down to Cervinia, one of the most famous pistes in the Alps.
The crossing to Cervinia and Valtournenche sounds straightforward on a map, but it isn't. There are multiple junction points where taking the wrong turn will leave you going around the same loop of slopes you've already skied, drop you somewhere you didn't intend to be, or — if you miss the last connection back — strand you in Italy without the right lift pass to return. I've seen it happen to experienced skiers.
Booking me as a guide for a Cervinia day is genuinely worth it — I know every turn-off, the correct timing for getting back, and the best lines on both sides of the border. It's a day that people remember for years, and a day that's easy to get wrong without someone who's done it many times.
I post regularly about my Cervinia and Valtournenche crossings on Instagram — routes, conditions, what the descent actually looks like from top to bottom. Follow @jasonleftwrightleft for videos and regular updates from both sides of the mountain.
Zermatt's Ski Areas — Questions Answered
How many ski areas does Zermatt have?
Which is the best ski area in Zermatt?
Is Sunnegga or Gornergrat better for beginners?
What is Klein Matterhorn?
Can I ski from Zermatt to Italy?
How many days do you need to ski all of Zermatt?
Want someone who knows every run?
I've skied all three areas in every condition over multiple seasons. A private guide day is the fastest way to understand the mountain and ski the lines that don't appear on the map.
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