#helvet magazine Zermatt | Winter 2017-2018 | EN

living the high life

Zermatt

Zermatt / Winter 2017-2018

The majestic Alps and the ultimate ski experience loom ahead and, under the snow-covered rooftops, time stands still.

Living the high life

HAPPY DREAMS

HAPPY DIAMONDS

Bahnhofplatz, Zermatt

Elegance is an attitude Mikaela Shiffrin

Conquest

#ThisIsYourTime

T I S S OT B O U T I Q U E , BAH N H O FPL AT Z 2 , 39 2 0 ZER MAT T

Tissot T-Touch Solar Zermatt Special Edition.

T I S S OT WATC H E S . C O M TISSOT, INNOVATORS BY TRADITION

Editorial Zermatt sits snugly in its valley, surrounded by the most stunning array of Alpine peaks, 38 of which rise to more than 4,000m above sea level, with the Matterhorn and Monte Rosa standing the highest of all. This is more than just a landscape. It is a proclamation, an invitation and, for me personally, the early childhood memory of my first tumble and a happy wintertime ritual of parties and celebrations amid the irresistible lure of the mountains. Recollections of long snowy walks fill the mind, along with fun-packed descents of powdery slopes, crazy snowball fights, ice skating in the village centre, cable-car rides, and streets and balconies wreathed in lights, all of which are timeless moments in my life.

Whenever I am in Zermatt today, I am forever rediscovering all the most beautiful, stylish and cherished things that Switzerland has to offer, all in a matchless setting brimming with sensations, emotions and values. And when snowflakes fill the sky and shroud the roofs of the chalets, when the sound of horse-drawn carriages alone fills the air as night falls far away from the cities and their cars, I can feel the magic again, and again.

It is all of that and so much more that Helvet magazine sets out to encapsulate. Through this new name and new layout, which is more Swiss than ever, the 30° degrees magazine team aims to express its continuingly steadfast passion for the mountains in a loving and vibrant tribute to this outstanding resort, a shining star in the firmament of world climbing and skiing. In our ongoing quest for aesthetic beauty and purity, and in seeking to fuse the present with eternity, we have brought together the finest images, the finest texts and the most beautiful objects. Our destination is the soul of Zermatt and, through it, all the things that make Switzerland one of the world’s great havens.

Christian Bugnon

Publisher & Editor-in-chief

Contents 16

86

News

Backstage Loft

Winter 2017-2018

The artistic side of luxury Alpine real estate

22

Sport A ski area in a class of its own 30

Overlook Lodge The next generation of rooms with a view 38

Portfolio Thomas Crauwels 48

Interview Zermatt Bergbahnen AG CEO Markus Hasler 52

Chalet McKinley Reaching peaks of elegance 60

Christiania Residence Old Zermatt revisited 68

High Jewellery, liberated 76

High Jewellery Watches Time at its most precious, by the great watchmakers 82

92

Interview Beat H. Perren, CEO and founder of Air Zermatt 96

The Monte Rosa hut On seal skins 102

Unplugged Festival Made in Switzerland 107

Patrouille des Glaciers A superlative ski mountaineering event 108

Kai Lenny Surf king bewitched

by Zermatt peaks 112

Trends Watches 119

Trade fairs and Wonders Fairs and Wonders 122

Gornergrat Bahn The mountains by narrow gauge railway 126

Interview

Trends

Julen Steiger & Cie

Luxury

Editing, administration and adversiting CB Communication sàrl I Place de l’Hôtel de Ville 2 – 1110 Morges - Suisse I info@cbcommunication.swiss I www.cbcommunication.swiss I Tel: +41 21 312 41 41, Fax: +41 21 312 41 11 | 30° degrees magazine special issue Editor-in-chief Christian Bugnon: christian@cbcommunication.swiss Assistant Mélissa Hertzeisen: melissa@cbcommunication.swiss Writers (in order of appearance) Daniel Bauchervez, Claude Hervé-Bazin, Laurent Grabet, Nathalie Cobos, Marie de Pimodan-Bugnon, Serge Greter Photographers (in order of appearance) David Carlier, Michael Portmann, J ­ eremy Bernard, Thomas Crauwels, Yves Garneau, Marc Kronig, Joe Condron, Air Zermatt, Unplugged Festival, François Perraudin, Gornergrat Bahn Branding Alexandre Henriques Layout Sandy Chanel: sandy@cbcommunication.swiss, Sophie Cattin: sophie@cbcommunication.swiss, Christian Bugnon (DA): christian@cbcommunication.swiss English translation Simon Till, Paul Subrenat, Laurène Cabaret German translation Sabine Dröschel Photo-offset printing Images 3 Pubicity info@cbcommunication.swiss Copyright © 2017-2018 helvet magazine, Unauthorized duplication/copying of all or any part of this magazine is strictly prohibited without the express prior permission of the rightful owners. Cover: David Crauwels | Next issue: winter 2018 I www.helvet.swiss Living the high life

Anniversary

news Winter 2017-2018

Zermatt hails its

ter company Air Zermatt was founded in 1968. Half a century on, it has become a world leader

Shopping

Bucherer

inent part in Valais life, while

reopens

also offering a wide range of

Following a three-and-a-half-

skies

services to private individuals.

month refit, Bucherer’s Zermatt

To mark its 50th anniversary,

store (6 Bahnhofstrasse) will be

the company will be holding

reopening its doors on 13 De-

open days on 19-20 May, fea-

cember. It is now linked to the

Famous for performing moun-

turing helicopter flights, demos,

Rolex store, which was itself

tain rescue operations in the

and much more besides.

renovated last year. Everything

trickiest of conditions, helicop-

www.air-zermatt.ch

else is largely as it was, with the

heroes of the

in the field and plays a prom-

finest watch brands and the Bucherer Fine Jewellery range all

Eating out

on sale in a setting that is more

Heinz

sparkling than ever. www.bucherer.com/en/locations/ zermatt-bahnhofstrasse

Rufibach

returns to the Zermatterhof

Event

Party Time Winter sports

Skiing the affordable Alpine Gourmet Prato Boni, the gourmet restaurant at the

wa y

Zermatt Bergbahnen has ex-

Dom Pérignon

P2

ultra chic Hotel Zermatterhof,

tended its product range with

has welcomed back Heinz Ru-

the Easy SkiCard, which allows

fibach. The Berne chef, who

users to load up with points on-

was in charge at the eatery

line and pay for only the ski lifts

between 1996 and 2002, is pas-

they use. It’s just the ticket for

combines winemaking kno-

sionate about high quality lo-

people who don’t ski all day

whow at its very best and the

cal and seasonal produce and

long. For under-9s, meanwhile,

many attributes of the 2009 vin-

brings Valais flavours to the

who have free access to the net-

tage. It was a brilliantly sunny

fore through cuisine that is cre-

work, there’s the Wolli Card,

year that delivered champagne

ative yet not excessive. Boasting

which gives them free travel

with an exceptional bouquet

a 15/20 rating in Gault&Millau,

on the Gornergrat Bahn for a

and complexity, qualities that

the restaurant is open every

year and free accommodation

are showcased here in a bottle

evening (except Wednesdays)

at several of the resort’s hotels

and case especially created

from mid-December to mid-

and holiday homes.

by Japanese designer Tokujin

April (7pm-10pm).

www.matterhornparadise.ch

Yoshioka.

pratoborni.zermatterhof.ch

www.zermatt.ch

www.domperignon.com

There’s champagne and there’s

champagne. This particular one

Eating out

A new

deli in town

Eating out

App

Zum See: The new, the soul improved of Valais Skiguide app

Ski area

There’s a very good reason for

Zermatt Bergbahnen AG’s free

paying Max and Greti Mennig a

Skiguide app has some new

The Hotel Mirabeau is set to

visit at their Zum See restaurant,

features to help users find their

open a new Marie’s Deli store

which is housed in a warm and

bearings: avalanche bulletins

on the site of the old Restaurant

welcoming 17th-century chalet

for freeriders, directions for

Corbeau on 9 December. Open

with a panoramic terrace. The eat-

getting from A to B, and an op-

first

seven days a week from 7am to

ery is nestled in the hamlet from

tion for concealing closed runs

ing a little earlier and make

midnight, it will serve hot and

which it takes its name (1,766m),

and lifts. Users can also take

the most of the slopes at their

cold food, local specialities

just below Furi. The key to its

part in the Ski Trophy compe-

quietest? Every Wednesday and

such as fondue and raclette,

success is the use of the freshest

tition. The interface has also

Thursday between 22 December

and a selection of international

local produce in dishes that hap-

been upgraded and the app is

and 20 April, early birds will be

dishes and home-made cakes

pily combine Valais cuisine with

available now for iOS and An-

gathering before daybreak at

and tarts, all to eat in or take

Mediterranean touches. Open-

droid.

the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise

away. A fine selection of wines

ing hours are 12pm-5pm, from

http://app.matterhornparadise.

departure station for a guided

will also be on offer.

mid-December to mid-April.

ch/fr/

and liberating descent between

www.hotel-mirabeau.ch

www.zumsee.ch

Hit the slopes Why not start your day’s ski-

Trockener Steg and Furi. The pass includes a revitalising breakfast at the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise restaurant. www.matterhornparadise.ch/en/ webshop/event/first-track~17563

Ski area

Smile,

Eating out

New brasserie

you’re on camera

at the Beau

Site

Two cameras have been rolling on run 65 for several winters

Overlooking the old town cen-

now, filming skiers and snow-

tre, the Parkhotel Beau Site now

boarders from the top of the

boasts a new French brasserie

run to the bottom and record-

serving dishes mainly inspired by local and seasonal produce and specials that vary from day to day (four dishes, including a vegetarian option, and salad and cheese buffets). A variety of themed buffets are also served in the evening, from Wednesdays to Fridays and on Sundays. www.parkhotel-beausite.ch

Eating out

Let’s

toast the Matterhorn

ing their descent times too. The The pride of Zermatt, the Grand

footage is available almost im-

Hotel Zermatterhof has convert-

mediately and free of charge on

ed the terrace of the Lusi bras-

the Skiline website, where users

serie into a lounge area. Open

can share their films and photos

from midday to late afternoon

by email and Facebook.

and offering views of the Mat-

www.matterhornparadise.ch/fr/

terhorn, it’s the perfect spot for

hiver/domaine-skiable/skiline/

a drink and a bite to eat.

skimovie

www.zermatterhof.ch

www.skiline.cc

17

Mobility

Taxis

news

for Zermatt

Zermatt is happily a car-free place, but how do you get around when you’re weighed down with bags or you don’t feel up to

Eating out

Great views

and good

food at Chez Vrony

walking? Taxi Christophe has

Winter sports

A passion for

free ride

the answer, thanks to its elec-

Shopping

What’s new at Schlossberg’s

tric vehicles, which glide silently along the resort’s streets. The company also transports goods (for the Unplugged Festival, for example) and provides transfers

In fall/winter 2017, Swiss bed

to and from Täsch (the gateway

linen manufacturer Schlossberg

to Zermatt) and the region’s air-

Sitting in the meadows of Fin-

Switzerland will be displaying

ports. It even offers a door-to-

deln, at an altitude of 2,100 me-

the diverse and fascinating

door service for the residents of

tres, Chez Vrony is a favourite

beauty of nature with the new

French-speaking Switzerland.

with resort regulars, not least

LIVING COLORS collection.

www.3535.ch

because the terrace affords

Five new and unique designs,

close-up views of the Mat-

lovingly drawn by hand, have

terhorn. That does not mean

been created for this collection,

to say, however, that they do

and these have been printed

not appreciate the restaurant’s

on elegant fabrics. These new

gourmet cuisine, which makes

products are now available in

excellent use of local organ-

the Schlossberg boutique in

ic produce and also caters for

Zermatt. In addition, the ex-

vegetarian tastes. Star dishes in-

ceptional service provided by

the Encordés

clude the restaurant’s own dried

Schlossberg in terms of cus-

Who are the thrill-seekers who

meat and the Vrony burger,

tom-made bed linen in special

dare throw themselves into the

while specialities are changed

sizes ensures that the wishes of

adventure that is the Patrouille

twice a month.

all customers are catered to.

des Glaciers? And why do they

If black runs are no longer a

www.chezvrony.ch

www.schlossberg.ch

do it? These are the questions

challenge for you, then why

asked by filmmaker Frédéric

not climb up to the Stockhorn,

Favre from Sion, who tackles

the Rothorn or the Schwarzee

the subject of this legendary ski

and sample the deep snow and

mountaineering race through

steep corridors of Zermatt’s

the eyes of three ordinary par-

36 kilometres of yellow itin-

ticipants: a woman taking in the

eraries? The runs might not

mountain as part of a spiritual

be groomed but they are ac-

experience, a hard-core com-

cessible by button lift and are

petitor, and an atypical “oddball”.

avalanche-controlled too. High

It’s a psychoanalytical piece that

mountain guides from the Zer-

“blends fiction with reality”—the

matt Alpine Centre are on hand

favourite playground of its crea-

to help if you’re not sure of your

tor, who himself has participat-

step. They know every mogul in

ed in the Patrouille des Glaciers

the ski area.

three times.

www.alpincenter-zermatt.ch

Cinema

Frédéric Favre and

19

Ski area

A record

news

breaker Zermatt Bergbahnen is scheduled to open a second ski lift serving the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise in autumn 2018. Fast

Astronomy

Dining

and stable with it, the new facility will be the highest tri-cable lift in the world and will

Hotels

Winter sports

stars

The legendary

Strap your

Now for stars of a different

It’s not easy to be immaculately

Every Friday from 15 Decem-

CHF52million, the new lift will

kind: every Thursday evening

turned out at the ripe old age of

ber to 13 April, Zermatt moun-

increase transport capacity to

from mid-January through to

163, but the iconic Hotel Riffel-

tain guide Peter “Peppo” Bittel

2,000 passengers an hour, thus

late March, the tower of the

haus somehow manages it. Eu-

will, weather permitting, lead a

reducing waiting times.

Gornergrat Observatory, which

rope’s highest 4-star hotel (with

snowshoe hike along the Mat-

www.matterhornparadise.ch

sits at an altitude of 3,100m atop

spa), it sits in the heart of the

terhorn Glacier Trail, between

the hotel of the same name, will

Zermatt ski area at an altitude

the Trockener Steg and the

be inviting guests to explore

of 2,548m. Many years have

Schwarzsee. Leave your trace

space in the company of an as-

gone by since the first party to

on this high and remote plateau,

tronomer. Fusing knowledge

conquer the Dufourspitze set

while marvelling at the beauty of

with food, the evening contin-

off from here. Back then there

the neighbouring peaks, among

ues at the Gornergrat Restau-

was no outdoor jacuzzi from

them the Matterhorn, Dent-

rant with a Chinese fondue and

which to gaze at the Matter-

Blanche and Ober Gabelhorn.

ends with a trip back down to

horn, though the rooms retain

www.peppo-trekking.ch

the resort by train.

a traditional feel with their all-

www.gornergrat-kulm.ch

wood walls.

www.gornergratbahn.ch

www.riffelhaus.ch

with the

Riffelhaus

snowshoes on

Winter sports

Ski in every

cover the journey between the departure and arrival stations on Trockener Steg (2,923m and 3,821m respectively) in just nine minutes. Costing a cool

Cinema

What’s

on

at Le Vernissage?

In Le Vernissage, Zermatt

language

boasts a cinema like few oth-

In response to Zermatt’s in-

architect and artist Heinz Julen.

creasing popularity among

Sharing the bill with the usual

Chinese visitors, the Matter-

blockbusters are two local films

horn Diamonds and Stoked ski

made in the 1950s by Julen’s

schools both offer (private) ski

father: Whymper’s Weg auf’s

classes with Chinese-speaking

Matterhorn and Menschen am

instructors. Similar classes are

Matterhorn, screened on Tues-

also available in German, Eng-

days and Thursdays at 6pm. A

lish, French, Italian, Russian,

mountain guide and ski instruc-

Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch,

tor, he learned the trade from

Czech and Slovakian, etc.

none other than Walt Disney, a

www.stoked.ch

pupil of his.

www.matterhorn-diamonds.com

www.backstagehotel.ch

ers. A unique work of art, it was designed by the Zermatt-born

Zermatt a ski area in a class of its own Text: Daniel Bauchervez

23

2

1

Previous page: Seen from above, the mountains surrounding Zermatt embody an infinite stretch of ridges, slopes and snowy combs – an inviting scene for freeriders. At the top of the picture you can make out the Matterhorn, the Dent d’Hérens and the Dent Blanche.

Photo: David Carlier

1. Perched up at the top of the face, the riders from both teams of the Skiers Cup survey the playing field as shown to them

by Samuel Anthamatten, head of event safety and organization.

Let the duels begin. May the best win!

Photo: David Carlier 2. Zermatt freeride’s ace in the hole: (almost) wherever you ski, the jagged profile of the Matterhorn will offer itself as backdrop.

Photo: Michael Portmann

25

The Ferdinand Fondue Collection 100% pure & made in Switzerland

100% valais VALAIS CHEESE BLEND

b

The Ferdinand Fondue Collection 100% pure & made in Switzerland

Ferdinand by Cervo: Après Ski, Fondue, Raclette & BBQ Riedweg 156 | 3920 Zermatt | www.ferdinand.ch | +41 27 968 12 12

Sam Favret (FR) on the Big Mountain run.

Photo: Jérémy Bernard

When it comes to skiing, Zermatt has a lot going for it: 360 kilometres of slopes shared between Switzerland and Italy; the highest ski area in Europe at 3,899m; and the possibility of skiing 365 days a year. Zermatt is perfectly groomed slopes, the most beautiful views in the world, an authentic Alpine ambiance, and superb off-piste runs for skiers who like their snow powdery.

One of the great things about Zermatt is that it guarantees snow at a time when global warming leaves many resorts struggling to deliver on that front. Its vast ski area comprises three interconnected sectors: Sunnegga-Blauherd-Rothorn, Riffelberg-Gornergrat-Stockhorn, and Trockener Steg-Matterhorn Glacier Paradise, which peak at 3,103m, 3,532m and 3,883m respectively. The highest button lift even climbs up to a height of 3,899m, a mere 15 metres below the world’s highest, in Breckenridge, Colorado.

Zermatt has everything a beginner could dream of: plenty of snow all to themselves and well away from the major runs, as well as travelators, fun and games, and free passes for kids under 9 years old and even for under-15s on Saturdays.

Older skiers have the lion’s share of the runs, two-thirds of which are red and several others a dark red bordering on black. And how about exploring the Italian side, where the slopes are more sparsely populated and the scenery is every bit as amazing? Just make sure you don’t miss the last ski lift back to Zermatt though.

Skiing off the beaten track If you had to choose just one location it would be the Stockhorn. When large quantities of snow fell last January, blanketing rocks and crevasses, seasoned skiers turned out in numbers to sample its legendary “yellow” runs (36 kilometres of semi-managed back country runs), which were in perfect nick after the stormy weather. Lovers of moguls are in seventh heaven on this 1,100m face, which tumbles down to the Findelgletscher, while freeriders can express themselves by the side of the run.

On the other side of the glacier, the Rothorn boasts yellow runs of its own on a western face scored with rocky ravines, where the wind whips up large pillows of snow. They line the majestic black run through the trees from Blauherd and Petrullarve. If you wish, you can continue through the rock garden beneath the chairlift.

27

Schlossberg Boutique Zermatt l Bahnhofstrasse 7a l 3920 Zermatt Mo-Sa: 9:30 – 12:30 & 14:00 – 19:00 l Sunday (high season): 15:00 - 19:00 www.schlossberg.ch

The wow factor There are many memorable runs waiting to be explored, all with the assistance of a guide from the resort’s Alpine Centre and with the necessary safety equipment. You’ll have to strap the seal skins on and slog it out a little, though if you don’t want to work up so much of a sweat then head past the Breithorn and the Klein Matterhorn to the Col de Schwarztor. It is a route that features a long gentle rise offering stunning views of white peaks, a pristine carpet of snow and then a slalom between seracs. The route leads to the Gorner Glacier, from where it heads back out via a wall of rock. The sense of achievement on returning to Zermatt is huge, as is the desire to do it all over again. The Breithorn, Cima du Jazzi, Fluhhorn, Fillarhorn or Pfulwe? The choice of a point from which to start again is yours.

If you’re looking for something even wilder, then try a spot of heli-skiing on Monte Rosa (skiing only), the Alphubeljoch (snowboarding also) or the Aschihorn. The helicopter whips up a blizzard as it takes off but once it’s gone the silence deafens, the spirit soars and the adrenaline rushes.

The slopes are soft and inviting, your eyes drawn to the virgin landscape. Civilisation is so far away, 2,500m down below, and the descent a long and silent dance between four thousanders and glaciers. It’s a dream fulfilled.

The southeast face of Dent Blanche, covered in snow.

Photo: David Carlier

www.zermatt.ch/fr/skier www.alpincenter-zermatt.ch

29

Overlook Lodge the next generation of rooms with a view Text: Claude HervĂŠ-Bazin / Photos: Cervo

Riedweg 64. Remember this address. This is where the Cervo inaugurated its new apartments last December, just down the road from its six-chalet boutique resort. Scandinavian design, retro vibes and, of course, a panoramic view of the Matterhorn are the order of the day.

The Cervo is the most upmarket Design Hotels address in Zermatt, run by dynamic duo and former spouses Daniel and Seraina Lauber. With the success of their modern Alpine 5-star chalet boutique hotel firmly under their belt, the two partners decided to branch out. Not in the same place, to preserve the privacy of their guests, but a short distance away, 300 metres down the hill on the gentle winding road that leads into the centre of the resort.

Perched on the slopes of the Mattertal valley, the outward design of Overlook Lodge is minimalistic, featuring rows of sliding glass panels. The view is paramount here. All five apartments, from the studio to the penthouse suite tucked

1

Previous page: A faintly retro lounge with a Scandinavian feel, with bay windows looking out to the Matterhorn – the essence of the Overlook Lodge in a nutshell.

2

1. An open-plan kitchen fitted with high-quality appliances, a large-screen LCD TV and a contemporary fireplace: the Overlook’s apartments are very much of their time.

2. Hästens beds, snug quilts, invitingly soft pillows: guaranteed comfort and guaranteed style.

33

ARTISANAL TEA FOR MODERN LIFE

nunshen.com

1. Large blue gingham patterning brings a playful touch to a beautifully stylish bedroom.

1

2. Daniel Lauber, the owner of the Cervo and the Overlook Lodge, pictured in the wellstocked cellar supplying the Puro and Ferdinand restaurants.

2

away on the top floor (ranging in size from 51 to 152 m2), offer a stunning view that takes in the rooftops of Zermatt, the church spire, and the inevitable Matterhorn. It can be admired from an understated balcony or an individual loggia built into the façade, framing the postcard view to perfection.

Inside, it’s all large open spaces in subtle shades of pearl grey, taupe and light wood. The open-plan kitchen and living area - including a modern fireplace for the two largest apartments - is a harmonious sight. The Laubers have used Scandinavian influences punctuated with quirky retro items, with a 70s-style blue rotary dial telephone here and old school coat hooks there. There’s a portable Marshall speaker in the bedroom that looks like a 1950s’ radio, but is Bluetooth-enabled; modern tech with a vintage veneer.

Features are high-end, the (Hästens) beds plush, the finish impeccable. But that’s not all. Skiers have their own heated

boot room and get to use the spa at the Bellavista hotel next door, comprising sauna, steam room, and panoramic Jacuzzi. While the concept of these lodges hinges on the freedom of self-catering - which is great for families - a concierge is also on hand if you can’t quite muster up the effort. Whether you could do with a massage or fancy a chef coming in to cook for you, nothing could be easier.

So there’s really no need to trek up to the Cervo, unless you want to treat your taste buds at the Puro restaurant (14/20 in the Gault&Millau), enjoy a good old fondue at Ferdinand’s, partake in some après ski in the hotel lounge, or start the weekend off with a tipple of upmarket wines and gins at the newly-opened Grapes & Juniper Bar. We certainly wouldn’t blame you!

There’s plenty of time tomorrow to hit the slopes. www.overlook.swiss 35

Architecture: Baris Kansu - Design: Olivier Rambert - Š daniela et tonatiuh

Since 1821 in Morges, www.moyard.ch

The Cervo, the heart of Zermatt Same refined comfort, same exquisite design, same glorious view of the Matterhorn. With six separate chalets comprising a total of 36 rooms and suites, the Cervo headlines Zermatt’s hotel scene. The interior blends sleek lines with familiar Alpine hallmarks: a pair of skis from times gone by, hunting trophies, and a plethora of natural materials.

The result is cosy and contemporary. And the cherry on the Kirschstreusel: there’s a spa in every chalet! Choose from the simple cosy room through to the panoramic living suite.

Or, for the ultimate Zermatt bolthole, the owner’s lodge, 240 m2 of a very, very exclusive retreat. www.cervo.ch

37

Thomas Crauwels The lowlander making his name in the mountains Text: Laurent Grabet / Photos: Thomas Crauwels

39

Previous page: From the peak of Mont Blanc de Cheilon (3,870m), situated at the end of the Val des Dix, the giants of Valais loom large in a timeless landscape.

Standing 4,063m high and showing its northern face here, the Obergabelhorn stands in the so-called “imperial crown”, which comprises five of Switzerland’s most beautiful peaks. It was climbed for the first time in 1930.

41

Patience is a virtue for every photographer. Thomas Crauwels had to wait for two days in poor weather before the skies finally cleared to allow the Matterhorn and its surroundings to appear.

43

1

Hailing from the flatlands of Belgium, Thomas Crauwels discovered photography and the beauty of the Swiss Alps at the very same time.

He has now fashioned a career by combining the two.

Though Belgium is not exactly famed for producing mountain photographers, that has not stopped Thomas Crauwels from pursuing just such a career. Born in a village near Waterloo, the 34-year-old moved to Geneva in 2009, after falling for a Swiss girl. A computer engineer by trade, he then fell head over heels in love again, this time with the beauty of the Alps.

“I can still remember the sense of wonder I felt when I first took the Route du Valais,” recalled Crauwels. “As someone who had not been anywhere more exotic than the seaside by age 25, I was totally blown away by the sight of the mountains stretching down to the lake.” Before long, he became an avid hiker, devoting his weekends to exploring the Jura and Chablais before stumbling across “real” mountains, as he puts it: “I saw them from far away. Mont Blanc, which you can see from Geneva, really stood out for me. The fact that it’s covered in snow all year round intrigued and appealed to me.”

Smitten by the Alps Crauwels is fascinated by snow, that strange state of water that gently envelops the world and elevates trees and fields to a different plane. Memories of the rare and special snowy days of his childhood come flooding back to him. “I used to take the day off so I could be the first to make tracks in the forest,” he said. A year after his arrival in Switzerland, he bought a reflex camera: “All I wanted to do was take photos that would make my friends back home want to come here and go out walking with me.”

His motivations took a more artistic turn when he decided to push on one day to a mountain hut. When he saw what was up there, it was love at first sight: “When I got to the foot of the first glacier I had ever seen in my life, I knew there and then that what I wanted to photograph was high mountain landscapes, with the sense of eternity that they project.”

As he became more familiar with the peaks, the budding photographer came to realise that bad weather only added

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1. A roped party, lost in the white vastness, tackles the highest point in Switzerland, the Dufourspitze (4,634m), at the top end of the Vallée de Zermatt.

2. Amid shadows and light, the Matterhorn, seen from the Val d’Hérens, plays hide-and-seek on the other side of the MontMiné Glacier.

3. Cutting through a pale sky, the Matterhorn and Dent d’Hérens stand smothered in powdery snow following a winter storm.

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The imposing Monte Rosa massif, here encircled by seracs and snow, alone comprises ten peaks that are more than 4,000m above sea level.

to their beauty. He began poring over weather forecasts and tracking storms and unsettled weather. He also explored the area around Torgon, in Valais, in an effort to get closer to the mountains, which he describes as his “models”.

The majesty of mountains Crauwels’ “mountain portraits”, as he describes them, possess a painting-like quality. Most of them are in black and white or monochrome, and focus on matter, light and contrasts rather than people, who are rarely present. When they are, they are merely there to highlight the vastness that surrounds them. “I love rare and fleeting moments, like when a snowstorm smothers the face of a mountain and magnifies it for an instant, before everything melts away,” he said. “Or when the mist clings to a ridge to reveal serrations that were hidden to the eye.”

Now an experienced hiker and something of a mountain dweller too, Crauwels bivouacs for several days at a time amid the landscapes that inspire him, with his trusty Nikon D810 by his side. “I’ve always had the feeling that I’m on holiday when I’m in the Alps,” he said. His favourite photo right now is an eye-catching shot of the Dent d’Hérens. In it a cloud breaks away to reveal a ray of sunlight falling on the mountain. “It projects a dramatic ambiance that I absolutely love,” he said. “You can’t expect to go home with the photo you’ve envisaged in your mind. It’s more realistic to try and capture an interesting atmosphere.”

While he has yet to make a living entirely from his art, the Belgian, who admits to feeling more and more Swiss, is a man on a mission: “Deep down I feel as if I haven’t got here by chance. The Alps are changing. They’re being destroyed by global warming and I’ve seen with my own eyes how much the glaciers have shrunk in the last seven years alone.

Maybe the reason why I’m here is to capture that beauty for posterity before it vanishes.” www.tcrphotos.ch

Putting pen to paper Crauwels has had his fair share of success already, winning a number of prizes since 2015 and staging a series of exhibitions too. His photos are on display this winter at the Hotel Nevai in Verbier, the Hotel Basecamp in Zermatt and the Galerie Regards Art Photos in Crans-Montana. He is also working on a book that takes the Matterhorn as its theme and which will be published by Lammerhuber of Austria in the winter of 2018/19. “It’s a mountain that fascinates me and I’ve been working on it since 2013,” he explained. “I don’t want to climb it just yet, though, because I’m worried it might lose its mystique for me.”

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Headed up by Markus Hasler, Zermatt Bergbahnen AG – the company that operates Zermatt’s ski lifts – invests an average of CHF25 million a year in its development.

Markus Hasler “Our objective is to remain among the best in the world�

Last season saw Zermatt post record results in what is a stagnant European ski market. Zermatt Bergbahnen AG CEO Markus Hasler tells us how the resort has managed to stay on top.

Text: Laurent Grabet / Photo: Thomas Crauwels 49

CERVO Mountain Boutique Resort www.cervo.ch

Switzerland has not been immune to the recent slump in the global ski market. Ski-day figures at the country’s resorts have fallen by an average of 26.7% since 2008/09, with some industry professionals fearing that as many as 30% of resorts in French-speaking Switzerland will go out of business in the next three years, statistics that would appear to herald the end of the golden age of winter sports. While skier numbers are falling and their spending habits changing, resort owners are also having to contend with global warming, which is occurring twice as fast in the Alps than elsewhere in the world, leading to both reduced snow cover and a later start to winter. Yet, in spite of it all, Zermatt remains one of the best known resorts in the world and the most-visited in Switzerland, ahead of Verbier. Local skilift operator Zermatt Bergbahnen AG posted a turnover of nearly CHF70m in 2016/17, a season in which it recorded a grand total of 1,318,000 ski days. But what are the strategies that have enabled the company to flourish in hard times, and what does the future hold for it? Answering those questions for us is Zermatt Bergbahnen AG CEO Markus Hasler.

Zermatt generated record turnover last season, which is a little surprising given the state of the ski market. How did you manage that?

Skier numbers for 2016/17 were up 44,000 on the previous winter, which made it a profitable season for us despite the lack of snow. A single ski day costs us CHF300,000 on average and we need 7,000 to 8,000 skiers to get a return on that money. We recorded 43.8% cash flow and 49.4% EBITA (earnings before interest, taxes and amortization– ED). That’s a bit technical obviously, but they’re pretty remarkable figures for a ski-lift company. I should also point out that 75% of our turnover of CHF69.7m came in the winter months. The reason for our success is that we’ve stuck to our philosophy of delivering the high quality that is expected of an international high-altitude ski resort such as Zermatt. When you offer that level of excellence, customers don’t have a problem with paying the right price.

Your snowmaking system is an integral part of that quest for quality. Can you tell us more about it?

Skiers who come to Zermatt are going to come across snow of a certain quality, and that’s not just because we’re a high-altitude resort situated at 3,883 metres above sea level; there’s also the fact that our snowmaking system is very efficient. Despite the very evident lack of snow last winter, we kept all our runs open. Snowmaking is our life insurance policy and enables us to enjoy busy pre-seasons from November onwards. Since 2002, we’ve invested no less than CHF100m in snow making. Our next major project involves fitting out the 2.5km Tufternkumme run from top to bottom. In general terms, the aim is to produce more

snow in less time all over the resort, as soon as the temperatures allow it. At the same time, we’ll be keeping an eye on global warming by monitoring our glaciers.

What major investments will you be making in terms of ski lifts?

A new facility will be operating on Klein Matterhorn from October 2018. It will cost CHF55m and work on it began in 2015. This state-of-the-art 3-cable gondola is very important because it’s going to enhance the highest point of our ski area. We’re also working on another major project in the very same area: the construction of a cable car running to Cervinia, between Testa Grigia and Klein Matterhorn. Work on the facility, which has an estimated cost of CHF25m, should begin in 2019. It’s a new gateway that will provide a speedy and panoramic means of crossing the Alps, and it should also attract Asian visitors travelling on the classic 10-to-15-day circuit between Milan and Paris. It’s going to be the highest crossing in the Alps. If we’re going to remain one of the best in the world, it’s essential that we maintain the standard of our infrastructure.

Your results are good but that doesn’t detract from the fact that skiing is losing ground. How do you plan to address that?

Our main markets are Switzerland, Germany, the UK and the USA. The strength of the Swiss franc has not had much of an impact on them and they still account for around 65% of our overnight stays. It’s true, though, that the overall number of Swiss and European skiers has stagnated. We’re going to enhance what we have to offer in terms of freeride because the figures show that it’s enjoying a boom right now, which is something we’ll need to bear in mind when it comes to choosing where to put future ski lifts. We’ll also be trying to develop new markets with a lot of potential, among them Japan, China, Thailand, Taiwan, Hong Kong and India.

Customers from those countries are bumping up our numbers in the summer season. They currently represent 25% of our turnover, a figure we’d like to take up to 30% by 2022 by diversifying beyond hiking and mountain biking. One thing we’re looking at, for example, is the construction of an Alpine coaster, a sort of sled run that will be open all year round. We’ll also be extending what we have to offer at the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise. www.matterhornparadise.ch

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Chalet McKinley Zermatt Text: Claude HervĂŠ-Bazin / Photos: Yves Garneau

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1. Behind the wood, with its natural aged patina, and the time-honoured stone, this is a resolutely contemporary space, with a high ceiling, large bay windows and a tall glass and steel fireplace.

2. Another of the attractions of a superchalet is the promise of a wonderful dinner with friends in a superb setting. To make your meals even more memorable, Haute Montagne offers an ­ in-home chef service.

Previous page: At Haute Montagne it is not only the chalet and the level of comfort that count, but also the ambience of the place, which has a timeless feel that is also very much connected to the present.

The most beautiful places invariably seem to have names redolent of more distant and improbable lands. The 7 Heavens property development is a case in point. Opened in 2016 in the centre of Zermatt and built by a group of talented architects and designers, it does not do things by half, and comprises seven equally outstanding but subtly nuanced chalets inspired by the mountain trilogy of wood, stone and panoramic views (of the Matterhorn, bien sûr).

These seven Alpine paradises all echo what is one of the world’s highest and most beautiful peaks by embodying the height of luxury, the nec plus ultra of mountain living in the digital age. But what lies behind the many doors of the Mckinley chalet?

We have not come here in a romantic frame of mind, though now we mention it… With nearly 500m2 of floor area on four floors, the Mckinley is one big and very snug nest. It has everything you could possibly need, though if by any chance there is something missing, the very obliging people at Haute Montagne do all they can to fulfil even the most unexpected requirements, in both an efficient and discreet way. A chalet manager, concierge, personal chef and room attendants are on hand on a permanent basis, while masseuses and ski and yoga instructors can be there at a moment’s notice.

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1. Breakfast on the fourth and highest floor of the chalet, complete with views of Zermatt, grand beams and the contemporary fireplace: the ideal setting for an unforgettable stay.

2. The kitchen, which opens out on to the dining area, reflects the Chalet McKinley as a whole: simple yet sophisticated, and warm with it, despite the building’s size.

If the Mckinley has a centrepiece, then it is, undoubtedly, the cavernous lounge, which seems big enough to swallow up a whole mountain. The warmth of the wood, encapsulated by the beams – with their natural aged patina – and solid parquet flooring, mirrors that of the glazed fireplace, the room’s passionately beating heart. On one side of the lounge stands a long table patiently awaiting diners. On the other sits a long and luxuriously inviting sofa. This is a room that reflects the essence of the Alps, reworked with an ethereally light, global concept in mind.

The views of snowy peaks and the Matterhorn from the expansive balcony are simply inspirational. While some will be drawn to the slopes, which are served by the nearby Sunnegga cable car, others will refuse to budge, deeming any decision to leave such a warm and inviting haven as sacrilegious. The chalet’s private spa boasts a plunge pool for awakening the senses, a jacuzzi for warming your toes, a sauna and a hammam for getting a sweat on, and a chillout area for guaranteed relaxation. And if you really have to work out, then the 7 Heavens gym is within easy reach.

Alternatively, you can remain snuggled up under the duvet, paying no mind to the sun beating on the blackout curtains, or enjoy a leisurely afternoon chilling in the cinema and games room. It’s snowing? Then so much the better. www.hautemontagne.com/zermatt/chalet-mckinley

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1. The English have the perfect word to describe the atmosphere of this luxurious yet snug bedroom: ‘plush’. It’s hard to resist picturing yourself lying here.

2. Breakfast in bed? That’s what the staff of Haute Montagne are there for. Massages and ski classes can be laid on too.

3. The warm ambiance of the chalet extends through to this wood-lined bathroom.

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Christiania Residence Old Zermatt revisited Text: Claude HervĂŠ-Bazin / Photos: Yves Garneau

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Outside stands the timeless mountain. Inside the present is reworked. While its understated wooden shell suggests it has been part of the Alpine scenery for many a year, the Christiania Residence is resolutely contemporary in spirit.

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Situated in the heart of old Zermatt, this four-floor chalet stands in the shadow of the slender spire of St Mauritius Parish Church, or as near to it as possible. The church’s bells discreetly mark out the time, rising on Sundays to a crescendo in praise of the Eternal, their mere repetition celebrating the timelessness of this corner of the world.

The Christiania’s location makes its transformation seem all the greater. All that remains of the building erected in the middle of the 19th century – a time when the first British visitors swooned at the sight of the Matterhorn – is the wooden framework, made lustrous by many winters. The windows have disappeared, to be replaced by bay windows offering views of the iconic mountain and the surrounding landscape. Balconies now run all the way along the southern façade and also face westwards, looking out to the cluster of old wooden houses that are the pride of the resort.

These days the Christiania is home to eight apartments that offer, as you might imagine, luxurious comfort. It is the

1. The wine cellar stands at the end of the lounge/dining area. Beyond lies the kitchen, overlooking the town, with its steel grey breakfast bar, bold lines and light wood.

On the upper floor of the Christiania Residence, the cavernous lounge and the dining area merge as one beneath the penthouse’s huge beams.

2. Stretching comfortably beneath the suspended light fittings, the long wooden table can seat up to 24 diners.

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1. While a massive headboard is no guarantee of a good night’s sleep, the soft lighting, mattress and comfy pillows all help.

2. With its lounge area and contemporary fireplace, this suite lacks nothing in style or high ceilings.

3. A dark grey colour scheme, wall-hung double-basin vanity unit, large LED mirror, bathtub and even a sauna: this bathroom ticks all the boxes when it comes to modern interior design.

top floor that attracts our interest in particular, however, comprising as it does a vast apartment with seven huge bedrooms, each containing beds as big as oceans. The colours, materials and proportions of the interiors are unmistakably modern, right down to the bathrooms with their black earthenware tiling.

Frequently rented to both private and corporate groups, the penthouse boasts an extensive open-plan living area with room enough for 24 guests beneath a pine ceiling supported on massive beams. There is a refrigerated wine cellar built into the wall, a long dining table just waiting for guests to arrive, and a lounge area which features extensive grey settees that form a snug square looking on to a contemporary fireplace.

As you might have guessed, the Christiania fulfils all your leisure needs. Aside from a cinema room, there is a sauna on the third floor, a large gym room and a massage room on the ground floor and two outdoor hot tubs, the perfect spots from which to marvel at Le Valais’ starry skies by night. www.brambleski.com/zermatt/christiania-residence 65

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High jewellery, liberated The era of formal high jewellery is over. It is giving way to creations that are worn like a second skin, to fun-loving jewels that tell of metamorphosis, and to wonders full of symbolism that whisper their secrets. Such jewels no longer stay tucked away in drawers, awaiting the next grand occasion.

Instead they are worn and become part of everyday life, audaciously mixing genres and styles, much to the delight of onlookers’ eyes.

Text: Nathalie Cobos

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Previous page: Chopard Silk Road Collection, Claudine necklace Bridging the worlds of high jewellery and haute couture, this Claudine necklace possesses all the fine elegance of lace – the difference being that this guipure of light is made entirely of diamonds. Delicate and precious, this unique creation is adorned with a pear-shaped emerald that can be removed as desired. Wear it with or without, as the mood dictates!

Graff Carissa Collection, Carissa Bracelet A cascade of flowers, the Carissa bracelet takes its name from a five-petalled wild flower native to South Africa. With its delicately interlacing and exquisitely cut pear-shaped and marquise gemstones, Carissa contrasts the ephemeral beauty and fragility of the eponymous flower with the power of diamond and sapphire.

Cartier Resonances Collection, ­Eurythmie bracelet For this eclectic bracelet, Cartier opted for a dynamic, highly visual look that embodies a sense of movement. One flick of the wrist and the jewel transforms: a bracelet that shines with azure reflections by day, and sparkles with a thousand flames by night. Eurythmie embraces this contrast with a natural duality, alternating lapis-lazulis with diamonds. A creation with a vibrant personality and a fun-loving feel.

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Bulgari Divas’ Dream Collection, Peacock necklace

Van Cleef & Arpels Le secret Collection, Fleur bleue Ring

Like a precious talisman, this creation from the Italian high jeweller is a superb standard bearer for the highly glamorous Diva’s Dream collection.

Inspired by the effervescence of Caracalla marble and the meticulous details of antique mosaics, this necklace employs its colours and the shape of its gems to evoke the peacock with its sumptuous fan-like tail. [A symbol of splendour and sophisticated elegance, this piece is well suited to any occasion.]

Never has a ring carried its name so well. La Fleur Bleue holds a secret, which it reveals only to she who is able to tame it. The top part of the jewel pivots and can be lifted to reveal a quote from Oscar Wilde engraved into the gold: “A life without love is like a sunless garden.” Van Cleef & Arpels has made mystery one of its signature touches. Its dual reading creations hide a treasure or surprise that one cannot help but be drawn to discover.

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Chanel Flying Cloud Collection, ­Endless Knot necklace and earrings In many cultures, knots hold a strong symbolic importance that reflects attachment, promises, commitment. Chanel illustrates this theme with a necklace and earring combination inspired by the rope rigging on sailing ships – a world dear to the heart of Gabrielle Chanel.

It pays homage to the life at sea while alluding to a sense of eternity.

Messika Paris est une FĂŞte Collection, Flappers necklace “Flappersâ€?, the term popularised by Scott Fitzgerald, was used to describe avant garde women of the Roaring Twenties.

It is to those liberated, brazen women, that Messika dedicates this choker, with a streamlined, contemporary style worn against the neck for a sensual look.

Made with a very thin frame that hides tiny springs, this string of diamonds fits like a lightweight, flowing second skin. A necklace with a well-established character of its own.

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Time at its most precious, by the great watchmakers Watches or pieces of jewellery? Set with the finest stones, these are some of the boldest high jewellery creations.

Text: Nathalie Cobos

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Previous page: Chopard Imperiale Joaillerie Watch This enchanting creation evokes the fairy tales of our childhood, dressed in the colours of the rainbow and proclaiming the exquisite fineness of its craftsmanship. Its luminescent robe is made up of 581 sapphire stones arranged in a multicolour gradient pattern. An aesthetically delightful gem with a mechanical heart.

Left page : Cartier Resonances Collection, ­Panthère Lovée Secret Watch Wound around an oval cabochon ruby with bewitching depths, this Panthère piece from Cartier protects a well-guarded secret: the time that passes is displayed on a dial entirely studded with diamonds. This feline fixes her emerald eyes on a distant horizon that holds a promise of eternity.

Right page : Van Cleef & Arpels Secret Bracelet Watch The tradition of secret watches at Van Cleef & Arpels reaches back nearly a century. At the crossroads of watchmaking and haute couture, this rare, flowing piece, enrobed with white gold and diamonds, graciously winds its way around the wrist, with a scintillating knot on top that pivots to reveal its dial.

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Whether they play it discrete, hiding their dial with the most exquisite of sleight-of-hands, or loudly proclaim their love of colour by displaying all its hues, these pieces will leave no one indifferent. The magic of the gems that adorn them is enchanting, and the burden of the hours that pass by is transcended by the timelessness of these eternal keepers of time, where hands discretely become one with their surroundings, as if to make themselves forgotten.

Right page : H. Moser & Cie Swiss Alp Watch on the Rocks This watch’s dial, covered entirely with gradient blue sapphires, evokes images of ice cubes. The shape of the case and the size of the stones celebrate rectangular aesthetics with a bold art deco design and a powerful personality.

Chanel Skeleton Première Camélia Watch The symbol of the camellia is interpreted through this watch’s delicate skeleton dial that reveals its manual movement, encased in the most sophisticated of ethereal geometries.

Its case, bezel, dial, crown and bracelet, made of white gold, are inset with diamonds which form an elegant pattern.

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Julen Steiger & Cie A high-end real estate ecosystem Text: Claude HervĂŠ-Bazin / Photo: Marc Kronig

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If there had to be only one Tonda MĂŠtrographe

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Noting that the high-end luxury real estate market was desperately lacking in services a few years ago, Florian Steiger set up a shape-shifting company with the ability to manage every project from A (for Alps) to Z (for Zermatt). Having since joined forces with Mario Julen, the company now operates in Le Valais’ three flagship resorts: Zermatt, Verbier and Crans-Montana.

It’s a lovely story. Though Florian Steiger boasts 12 solid years of experience in the high-end luxury real estate market, he hails from an entirely different world, having cut his teeth in the music industry. After retiring from the business, he took a little time off in the mountains before realising that was where his future lay.

The real estate venture he set up was different from the outset. “I had a slightly offbeat view of things, and the company quickly set about adopting an alternative and more inclusive approach,” he explained. Its modus operandi is to support its customers and respond to their many needs before, during and after the creation of their real estate projects.

Rather than focus on the sale and nothing else, he developed a comprehensive range of services through a vast network of partnerships: legal and tax information, construction site supervision for building and renovation projects, coordination with project managers and architects, asset maintenance, rental management and the provision of hotel-related services; in short, everything that, to some extent or other, is involved in the whole real estate life cycle.

The Verbier-based Steiger teamed up with the Zermatt-based Mario Julen in 2012. Together, they have developed a powerful strike force on the high-end – very high-end, for that matter – luxury real estate scene. In the process, they have become indispensable allies for wealthy clients looking for shelter in the very finest resorts Le Valais has to offer.

Florian Steiger, who are your privileged partners?

We’re working with a group of professionals who make up a whole ecosystem of luxury real estate. For architectural projects we work with Studio Comina, which is the biggest in Le Valais. For catering, it’s Haute Montagne, an industry benchmark, who provide the services. And as for brokerage services, we’ve developed an exclusive partnership with Cardis Sotheby’s International Realty in Zermatt, Verbier and now Crans-Montana. We also make it a priority to work with local specialist construction companies and we strive to promote local materials, all with the aim of being coherent and promoting sustainable development. Nearly all of our developments are Minergie-approved as well.

Previous page: Florian Steiger with Oliver Herweg, a Lausanne hospitality management school graduate and the manager of the Zermatt agency.

Can you tell us more about your projects?

It usually takes several years for a real estate project to come to fruition, from the original idea through to its execution. In Zermatt, we’re putting the finishing touches to the last of the seven 7 Heavens chalets, a complex that is ideally situated in the centre of the resort, right next to the Sunnegga cable car (all seven chalets have a floor area of over 500m2). We’re currently working on a new and utterly unique property in the heart of the village. It’s called the Chalet du Centre and it has a swimming pool, spa, hammam, home cinema room, wine cellar and studio for the staff. In conjunction with that we’re working with the Parisian interior designer Pierre Yovanovitch on the Nivalia project, which is a hamlet of nine mazots, each with a floor area of around 400m2. We’re also totally refurbishing the Alpina Savoy Hotel in Crans-Montana.

It’s a big project and it should be complete in four to five years’ time.

Who are your customers?

We’re lucky in that we have a stable customer base that is relatively immune to economic crises. It’s mostly European, though we also have clients from North and South America, the Middle East and Asia. With the current changes to business practices and communications, some entrepreneurs can spend two or three months in their properties, in the resort, and make a few round trips just to check that their business is going as it should. Switzerland offers a sense of security and they see it as a haven where they can get away from it all and spend time with their families, which is something they value.

So their motivation is essentially personal in nature?

Yes, out-and-out investors are in the minority. That said, most of the owners appreciate the fact that they can leave their properties in our hands when they’re away. Hybrid hospitality is a concept that’s growing here, as it is elsewhere in the world. The 7 Heavens is an example of just such a project, as it combines business and pleasure, luxuriousness and profitability.

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Backstage Loft The artistic side of luxury Alpine real estate Text : Claude Hervé-Bazin / Photos: Joe Condron

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Previous page: Light is an essential component at the Backstage Loft, flooding in through bay windows stretching from floor to ceiling.

1. Offering views of Zermatt, the dining area and kitchen merge as one beneath the bare concrete of the cathedral ceiling.

2. Tucked away out of sight, a cosy lounge has the luxury of affording an unobstructed view of the Matterhorn.

3. Overlooked by an eye-catching chandelier/mobile made from windows rescued from the old chalet and pendants, the large glass table has more to it than meets the eye: it can be winched up to the ceiling to create more space.

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1. Two of the loft’s five rooms can be found in a small 700-year-old chalet that has been stylishly refurbished. Completely reworked, the top floor is encased in wood with a natural aged patina.

2. The jacuzzi is enclosed in sliding glass screens. Brave the mountain air or soak up the warmth of the loft’s interior? The choice is yours.

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An architect, designer, gallery owner and artist in his own right, Heinz Julen has created a world all of his own in Zermatt. Following the Backstage Hotel and the Luxury Chalet, he has put the finishing touches to another extensive project by the name of the Backstage Loft. Covering a floor area of 600m2, this remarkable space echoes the indefinable style of its Swiss creator, and fuses the feel of a luxurious chalet with an industrial art deco style, to which Julen adds a dash of his own unique extravagance to create a heady cocktail.

It is perfectly situated between the church and the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise cable car, and the architectural features of ultimate mountain luxury are all in place: large open-plan spaces; a cavernous lounge/dining area/kitchen; stunning wallhigh bay windows that invite the mountains and light into the dining areas and the intimate surroundings of the bedrooms; wood with a natural aged patina recalling the mountain villages of old; pelisses; and a home cinema, sauna, hammam and a fitness room. There is even a ski room at street level.

It is all there right enough, and yet nothing looks the same.

From the moment you first set eyes on this very intentional clash between the old and the contemporary, between the utilitarian and the luxury of the unnecessary, between industrial fluidity and an impassioned artistic temperament, you will recognise the unmistakable imprint of Heinz Julen.

To begin with there was the little 700-year-old chalet, the source of inspiration for the architect/designer, housing a mere two bedrooms. The upstairs bedroom sits in

an old wooden alcove that has been entirely refurbished and reworked: the structure, which has been completely revamped, now lets the light in and allows the old attic to breathe. Seen from the outside, the top of the mazot remains, with its stones set between the main supporting pillars to prevent rodents from climbing up.

Sitting by its side, the main glass-panelled building is cloaked in stunning light wooden slats that form the most elegant of shells, which soaks up the sunshine. The bare concrete, the columns and the metal pillars, the fireplace in its cage, the kitchen in brushed steel and the excessiveness of the loft, with its interlocking spaces, all collide here with a raft of cheeky touches drawn from Julen’s imagination, his workshop and his contemporary art gallery (installed at the Backstage Hotel). Those touches include an old workbench transformed into a piece of furniture, a surfboard, a large mobile and a stunning chandelier made from pendants and the windows of the old chalet.

If you need some room to dance in, the large glass table can be winched up to the ceiling at the click of a button. And what of the jacuzzi that seems to be suspended between the apartment and the countryside? With the Matterhorn to gorge on, take the plunge in a sort of glass tower that has the feel of an ivory tower, the walls of which slide back so that you can enjoy the pleasure of being inside or out. Hot or cold? It’s up to you. In addition, all the services of the Backstage Hotel (spa and cinema included) are thrown in along with a two-star chef on demand and the most attentive service possible. All you have to do is kick back and relax amid the mountains. www.backstagehotel.ch www.heinzjulen.com 91

Preparing for use of the winch on the Hohliecht glacier, with a Bell 429 HB-ZSU rescue helicopter

Beat H. Perren, CEO and founder of the legendary Zermatt helicopter and rescue company, takes us through a half-century of mountain adventures and lives saved.

Beat H. Perren is known in Zermatt as the white wolf. Not because this pharmacist by trade, who at the ripe age of 88, still sells an incomparable remedy against herpes in his apothecary on the train station square, but because he launched the Air Zermatt helicopter company at a time when losing that bet seemed a foregone conclusion. Flashback.

Could you sum up Air Zermatt in a few figures?

Air Zermatt today has about 50 employees, including a dozen pilots spread between three bases (Rarogne, Gampel and Zermatt), who fly about 5000 or 6000 hours per year on a dozen helicopters. Our total revenue is about 18 million francs, of which 25% comes from search & rescue operations. Over half of our revenue is generated by transport operations (construction, mountain huts, hotels), and the rest from heli-taxi and heli-ski services.

How did the company come about?

In 1968, the only way to get to Zermatt was by train. In the event of an avalanche, the resort could find itself cut off from the rest of the world for up to a week. If a medical emergency evacuation needed to take place at night, someone had to wake up the train conductor to transport the poor soul in the mail car! So Constant Cachin, who was the director of the tourist office, and myself, who was on the town council, came up with the idea of launching a helicopter company.

What can you tell us about its beginnings?

They were modest indeed! We had a single Augusta-Bell 206A, one pilot, and yours truly who played the jack of all trades (laughs). The first year, we had less than a hundred rescue operations, compared with an average of 1700 a year today! It was no doubt a risky bet, but after the first year we were able to buy an Alouette 3 equipped with a hoist. We were the only company to have one at the time.

Air Zermatt “I’m overjoyed by all the lives that are saved!”

Text: Laurent Grabet / Photos: Air Zermatt

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At the age of 88, Beat H. Perren is the living memory of Air Zermatt.

A pharmacist by trade, he founded the company 50 years ago.

Air Zermatt has often been a pioneer. Can you tell us about that?

In 1971, we showed that it was possible to conduct rescue operations on difficult mountain facades, by landing five guides on the north face of the Eiger. This exploit earned us the first of our three “Heroism Awards” (editor: a kind of Oscars of aviation awarded in the United States). The same year we performed the first rescue operation at night. In 1972, we did the first rescue from a cable car, in Schilthorn, where 72 people were stuck at 240 m above the ground. In 1973, we were the first to have a doctor at our base.

And then, there were the technical advances.

Right. We invented a ski rack that mounts underneath the helicopter, as well as concave doors that provided pilots with greater visibility. We also perfected a tripod system equipped with two hoists that would allow us to retrieve injured persons from the bottom of some deep crevasses.

Tell us about the unique use that Air Zermatt makes of the pneumatic drill.

We found it impossible to retrieve individuals who had fallen into narrow crevasses. Their body heat would cause them to slowly sink deeper into the ice and eventually perish. I remember our attempt – without success – to save a Belgian schoolchild by lowering a guide without shoes, head first, using a hoist. A pneumatic drill allows us to dig a channel parallel to the victim in order to pull him or her out.

I remember an Italian fellow who was stuck at a depth of 42 m, who we were able to save in this way. When he arrived at the hospital, his body temperature was only 17.2ºC! You yourself have worked as a rescue worker, have you not?

For the first 25 years, I was involved in all the rescue operations. I remember one day in 1974 in particular when, unable to find a guide – all were out at a race – I had to take it upon myself to rescue four French climbers who were stuck on the north face of the Matterhorn. I was delighted we were able to save all those lives!

What is it that drives your company?

Striving for excellence, and our family-friendly atmosphere.

We all pull together, because we all know that death is only a few steps away. Since 1983, our teams include anesthesiologists trained in rescue operations, with at least ten years of experience as a physician and who also work at hospitals to keep their skills sharp. And then there are our pilots, who fly 500 to 700 hours a year each, which is far higher than the average. As a result, they’re always at the top of their game! www.air-zermatt.ch

Bruno Jelk’s successor aims high “My goal? Remain a global gold standard in terms of moun-

tain search & rescue operations.” Since January 2015, Anjan Truffer from Zermatt, 43 years old and father of 3, carries the heavy responsibility of filling the shoes of the highly renowned Bruno Jelk as head of the region’s search & rescue operations. His resumé includes working as a mountain guide since 1996, and heading up an expedition to Cho Oyu (8201 m). Anjan Truffer became a professional search & rescue guide in 1998, and joined the Zermatt rescue corps under the command of Jelk. He also worked abroad, including for a large Canadian heliski company. “My wide range of experience has allowed me to create a network that comes in very handy today”, explains Truffer, who often is led to confer with his peers in the Val d’Aoste, or those at the prestigious Peloton de Gendarmerie de Haute Montagne (PGHM) in Chamonix. His most memorable rescue operation took place this summer. “At 1 am we went to the summit of the Matterhorn to rescue the climbing partner of a climber who had been struck down by the mountain, leaving two young children behind. I recognized the man as one who I had saved once before, two years prior, on the Dent Blanche. What a strange coincidence! Each life that is saved brings an incredible sense of satisfaction, especially given that in this profession, we are too often called upon to collect those who did not survive.”

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The Monte Rosa hut On seal skins Text: Laurent Grabet

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NO MATTER THE WEATHER

Perched on a rocky outcrop in Plattje at 2883 m, the new Mont Rose hut (CAS) overlooks the immense Gorner glacier.

Photo: Martin Ruetschi

– Photos : © Sémaphore - Shutterstock. *1 seul écran, quel que soit le temps. **Le monde a besoin de votre regard.

1. When seen from Gornergrat (3089 m), the hut, lost in the vast frozen expanse, can hardly be made out to the left of the Grenzgletscher.

Photo: Emilie Chaix

WHEN THE WEATHER CHANGES, NO NEED TO CHANGE THE LENS! With Reactiv Photochromic by Julbo, discover a unique technology that will change the way you see things! Thanks to high-performance photochromic treatment, the lens automatically gets lighter or darker to match changing light conditions. The result: perfect vision, whatever the weather!

See all our photochromic technologies at julbo.com

2. The inside of the hut is panelled with light-coloured wood.

Photo : Tonatiuh Ambrosetti

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Opened in 2009 and virtually energy self-sufficient, the new Monte Rosa hut (CAS) turns heads with its revolutionary design. A superb ski-touring destination, it offers guests an unforgettable night’s stay.

Of all the Zermatt region’s many short ski touring trails, the one climbing up to the new Monte Rosa hut is in a league of its own. The route is not especially taxing and fairly accessible as a result, though if you are lacking in experience, you can always hire the services of a professional mountain guide. It winds its way through majestic scenery featuring many a glacier and legendary peak, and at the end of it stands a high-tech mountain hut. Built in 2009, it is a flagship of Alpine architecture.

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BE SMART - BOOK ONLINE. In the web shop of Zermatt Bergbahnen AG

matterhornparadise.ch/webshop

 All-in Web one shop  Ski : pass es  Eve nts  Ski renta l  Ski cour ses

Enjoy the runs on up to 360 kilometres of pistes with a spectacular backdrop of mountains between Zermatt and Breuil-Cervinia. Thanks to our web shop you can book your holidays in Zermatt from the comfort of your home and get on the piste without waiting in line. Furthermore, web shop customers benefit from limited special offers for even more fun on the slopes in the Matterhorn ski paradise.

Sitting at an altitude of 2,883 metres, the eight-sided Monte Rosa Hut is encircled by around 20 peaks of over 4,000 metres. Dubbed the “rock crystal” and standing 18 metres tall, it can withstand gusts of up to 200 km/h and boasts a Minergie-P rating, thanks in the main to its 180 m² of solar panels.

Photo: Tonatiuh Ambrosetti

More than just a mountain hut It is not a route that you have to fight your way up. While the whole journey takes five hours from Zermatt via the Gornergletscher, it takes only four from Furi, two and half from the Rotenboden stop on the legendary Gornergrat Bahn and one and a half from the top station of the Stockhorn cable car.

Looming in the distance is the truly impressive eightsided hut, situated at an altitude of 2,883 metres and magnificently encircled by a ring of around 20 four thousand-metre high peaks. Nicknamed the “rock crystal”, this architectural jewel is the result of a project launched in 2003 to mark the 150th anniversary of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich. Nestling at the foot of the Dufourspitze, it has been designed to withstand gusts of 200 km/h. Standing 18 metres high, it boasts an environmentally friendly, all-wooden structure that is Minergie-P-certified. Wrapped around it is an aluminium shell with windows and 180m2 of solar panelling, which makes the building 92% energy self-sufficient.

More than a mountain hut for climbers and skiers, it is also a life-size research station for energy and building technology engineers.

Destination Dufourspitze Out on the terrace, where the sun seems only too happy to invite itself in, the gaze is drawn to Castor and Pollux, the Breithorn, the Matterhorn and the Gorner and Grenz glaciers. While some drop in for the day to feast

their eyes on the views, others spend the night at the hut and push on the following day, up the long climb to the Dufourspitze, which overlooks Switzerland from a height of 4,634 metres.

It is best to book ahead to have the luxury of spending the night in one of the hut’s three-to-eight person bedrooms, which are equipped with comfortable mattresses measuring 75 cm wide. The Monte Rosa hut is only open from mid-March to mid-May and from July to mid-September and is hardly ever quiet. Light years away from the mountain huts of yesteryear, it even has hot showers and indoor toilets, which is the height of luxury in this mountainous part of the world. www.section-monte-rosa.ch/fr/cabanes/monte-rosa www.neuemonterosahuette.ch For more details to plan this excursion and others: www.alpincenter-zermatt.ch www.meteosuisse.admin.ch map.geo.admin.ch (topographic maps) www.slf.ch/fr (avalanche bulletins) 101

Unplugged a festival made in Switzerland Text: Claude HervÊ-Bazin / Photos : Unplugged Festival

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Zermatt’s very own acoustic music festival celebrated its tenth anniversary in style this year, with 30,000 people flocking to the peaks over five gloriously sunlit days to watch a galaxy of international stars perform.

1. Ticino performer Andrea Bignasca finds inspiration at the foot of the Matterhorn at the 2016 Unplugged Festival.

Photo: Joe Condron 2. Lyon-based singer Joe Bel, who made her breakthrough in the film Tout pour être heureux (Dad in Training), performs in glorious sunshine at Unplugged 2017.

“It’s just amazing when you discover a place as stunning as this through music,” said American singer/songwriter Laura Pergolizzi, aka LP, the breakout success of 2016. “I wasn’t expecting the Matterhorn to make such an impression on me.” Her words were echoed by many of the 50 or so acts who were invited to celebrate the tenth anniversary of the resort’s Unplugged festival. “Incredible,” said Graham Candy. “Very different. Unique,” added Canadian singer Nelly Furtado, who headlined along with Stephan Eicher, Paolo Nutini and Michael Bolton (“An amazing experience!”). “The most beautiful place I’ve ever seen,” added British singer Jess Glynne.

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#YOURMOVE

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1. Breakthrough Artist of the Year at the 2016 Swiss Music Awards, Lucerne’s Damian Lynn played his romantic ballads to an Alpine backdrop.

2. Embracing the great outdoors, the Unplugged Festival has a number of open-air stages, including this one at the Hotel Cervo, where Australian duo Jamie MacDowell and Tom Thum performed.

Zermatt Unplugged is simply acoustic music at its most intimate, music that is stripped back and shorn of all studio artifice. And only the most seasoned performers have what it takes to appear there. Zermatt Unplugged is not a tour date; it is a challenge that often involves rearranging songs especially for the occasion. The sound of music at its purest echoing around the Alpine peaks is a revelatory experience on both a professional and personal level.

Zermatt Unplugged is also a unique setting at the foot of the 38 four-thousanders that provide such a stunning backdrop to the resort. Some of the festival’s dozen stages can be found in the village, nestling between marquees, hotels and bars, while others are more daringly situated, right on top of the world at Sunnegga station (2,288 metres above sea level), for example, or on the extensive snowy embankment that stretches out before the venerable Gandegghßtte mountain hut, 3,030 metres above sea level.

Though many of them are small in size, these exceptional stages all add to the intimacy of a festival with a welcoming, friendly vibe, an event where you can dance your socks off and also savour the culinary delights on offer at the all-new Taste Village.

The 11th edition of Unplugged will take place, as per usual, at the end of the season, on 10-14 April 2018. The programme will be announced on 11 December. Save the date! www.zermatt-unplugged.ch 105

Patrouille des Glaciers A superlative ski mountaineering event

The PDG is a high-altitude race, taking competitors into the heart of the Alpine world.

Text: Laurent Grabet / Photo: Francois Perraudin

When asked to describe the Patrouille des Glaciers, or PDG, “legendary” is the type of word which just rolls off the tongue. The next edition will take place on 17 to 21 April 2018. The biggest ski mountaineering race in Switzerland has become a benchmark for the discipline as a whole. So why has this gruelling challenge become so popular?

200 m climb to Rosablanche with your skis on your back-

Its age

The magic of the Alps

First organised in 1943 by the Swiss army, the PDG is one of the oldest ski mountaineering races in the world. At the time, it served to test the troops’ capacities. Since, it has become part of Switzerland’s cultural landscape. It was stopped in 1949 for a long time after three patrollers fell to their death in a crevasse, and started up again in 1984.

Since then it has been held every two years and has become increasingly popular and there are now more candidates than places. The race is still organised by the Swiss army with its military precision.

The PDG starts out at night, and winds its way between the 4000 m high Valais mountain peaks and crevasses. The race peaks at 3,800 m. It’s very high altitude, with the panorama that goes with it: summits, sweeping snow-covered slopes, glaciers, the Berthold refuge, and the Grande Dixence Dam. Not forgetting that it starts and finishes in two of Switzerland’s most famous resorts, Zermatt and Verbier, setting off from one of the mountaineering capitals of the world and arriving in one of the Alps’ most outstanding freeride spots…

Its difficulty The course covers 53 km with an altitude gain of almost 4000 m, an effort equivalent to 110 km on the flat. As such, the PDG exceeds its two main rival races: the Pierra Menta, in Savoie, France and the Mezzalama Trophy held in the Aosta valley, Italy. “Technically, the PDG is difficult” considers Florent Troillet, who has won the race three times (twice on the long route, once on the shorter route). “The roped descent down the glacier from Tête Blanche and the

pack are particularly tricky to negotiate.” And to have a hope of arriving among the first, or, even better, beating the record of 5 hours 52 minutes set by Florent Troillet and his teammates Martin Anthamatten and Yannick Ecoeur in 2010, you’ll need to have climbed at least 200,000 m in training.

Its unique nature The PDG is unique in that it is undertaken in teams of three.

That means you have to know your team mates inside out, and be able to progress together. Despite the competitive edge, there’s a strong community spirit among the patrollers. The event is open to all – both elite athletes and common mortals alike – and as a matter of principle, there’s no prize money on offer for the winners. www.PDG.ch 107

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Kai Lenny Surf king bewitched

by Zermatt peaks Text: Laurent Grabet / Photos: David Carlier

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1. Defying icy water, Hawaiian surfer Kai Lenny pulls off a world first as he goes kitesurfing on the Riffelsee, with the Matterhorn in the distance.

2. Lenny and GĂŠraldine Fasnacht snowboard down the southern face of the Breithorn.

3. Leaving Zermatt behind, the team takes a helicopter to the Mauvoisin dam, giving Lenny the chance to see the glaciers from the air.

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Lenny and Fasnacht share a moment on the top of the Breithorn, with the Matterhorn as a backdrop.

Invited by his sponsor Tag Heuer, Kai Lenny went surfing in Zermatt in July, and we have the stunning photos to prove it. The famous Hawaiian surfer also took the opportunity to climb the Breithorn. He spoke to us about his fascination for the Valais Alps.

“I’m like a fish out of water here.” Even though he is struggling for air at an altitude he is in no way accustomed to, Kai Lenny – whose first name means ‘ocean’ in Hawaiian – has not lost his sense of humour. The famous surfer utters the words as he crawls his way up to the modest summit of the Breithorn (4,164m), in the company of wingsuit base jumper Geraldine Fasnacht (see inset). Invited by the sponsor they share, watchmaker Tag Heuer, the two athletes are in Zermatt for a promo tour entitled “Kai Lenny Rides Switzerland”. It is a first for the surf king. “I didn’t know anything about Switzerland. I’d only stayed for a few days before, near Zurich with my family when I was 15.”

The mountains of Zermatt are making a very big impression on the 24-year-old. Lenny, who never bats an eyelid when tackling enormous 20-metre waves on the Big Waves Tour armed with only his surf board, can barely believe his eyes.

As you might expect, it is the Matterhorn that catches his eye most of all. “That pyramid’s steeper than a wave,” he says on seeing it in the flesh for the first time. “I’ve seen a model of it in Disneyland, but this is a totally different story,” adds the athlete as he tucks into a Valais platter in typically relaxed American style.

“These mountain landscapes are so much more intense in real life than any video,” he says, putting it right out there.

“No matter how good they are, they’ll never capture their power.” A helicopter ride over the area takes his breath away, leaves him with goose bumps. Steeped in the culture of his native Hawaii, Lenny says he can feel the imposing mountains around him release their mana, a word used in Hawaiian culture to signify spiritual energy. “Feeling that force is just as important for me as the sporting challenge in itself. Whether you believe in God or you don’t, you can’t

avoid being spiritual when you’re faced with it. It’s a power that we simply cannot comprehend. It’s way bigger than us and makes us insignificant, not that that’s a problem.” So, what are the Valais Alps then? “Pohaku,” he replies, naming the primitive rock from which the world is shaped. As he goes on to explain, there are places that simply brim with mana, which spreads out around the world to people who can harness its force. One such place is the summit of the Hale’a’kala Volcano, on the island of Maui, where Kai lives.

As his father, who is also his manager, adds, these majestic Alpine peaks are another.

Kai tries his hand at some hydrofoil windsurfing and hydrofoil kitesurfing on the Riffelsee lake, at the foot of the Matterhorn. Though the water is a little cold for him, he loves the ride, describing it as “outstanding”. Here, just as in his beloved oceans, the great outdoors elicits a humble response from the surfer, which is touching given all the success he has had in his career.

And what about the risks? Casting a philosophical glance at the Mont-Rose and the 4,000m peaks clustered around it, Kai says he is prepared for the worst, not that he ever thinks it will come to that when he falls from his board.

Every risk is carefully weighed up thanks to a subtle blend of experience and intuition. And should something go wrong, he has every angle covered, or nearly every angle. He has also trained hard, so hard in fact that he can hold his breath underwater for a whole four minutes and 45 seconds. Wrapping things up, the surfer says: “I do a bit of snowboarding every now and again, but right now I prefer spending time on my ‘liquid mountains’.” www.positivelykai.com 111

watches

Piaget Limelight Gala Lovingly clasping the wrist with its soft curves, this piece’s stately asymmetry is forged by its flamboyant flower-shaped arrangement of 62 round-cut diamonds. Its magnificent 32 mm case in rose gold, with oversized roman numerals, exudes sensuality, originality and ultimate femininity. Its extraordinarily supple gold Milanese mesh bracelet is designed to feel as soft and silky as a close-fitting luxurious fabric strap. A true jewellery watch. www.piaget.ch On sale at Schindler’s jewellery store – Zermatt.

Parmigiani Parmigiani Kalparisma Agenda

IWC Da Vinci Calendrier Perpétuel Chronographe

The Kalparisma Agenda harmoniously expresses its beauty through the sensual curves of its round-cornered 18 carat rose gold tonneau case, which is flanked by diamonds that accentuate its femininity. Enhanced by white flinqué detailing, the dial conceals a self-winding mechanical movement and features all the essentials (hour, minute, small second and date), lending a pragmatic touch to a graceful watch that boasts an elegant white bracelet. www.parmigiani.com On sale at Schindler’s jewellery store – Zermatt.

Maximum complexity, exemplary readability. The Shaffhausen watchmaker takes up the challenge by, for the first time in its history, combining a chronograph with a perpetual calendar and a windowed display of phases of the moon at 12 o’clock.

To ensure precise time keeping, a new automatic movement was created, housed in a 43 mm case made of rose gold and paired with a brown alligator strap by Santoni. A classic look with sophisticated technique. www.iwc.com On sale at Schindler’s jewellery store – Zermatt.

Patek Philippe Annual Calendar Ref. 5396

Cartier Panthère

Exuding timeless and contrasting elegance, this model in rose gold underlines the craftsmanship of its mechanical complication with a luminous blue “sun” dial. Inside the classic 38.5 mm case, the tempo is kept by an automatic movement with a 45-hour power reserve. Annual calendar, phases of the moon, day, date, month, set in windows around a secondary 24-hour dial... rarely has such a collection of complications been executed with such pure simplicity. www.patek.com On sale at Schindler’s jewellery store – Zermatt.

A cult timepiece born in the 1980s, the Panthère watch continues to defy the passing of time by stylishly reinventing itself. The singular silhouette of its small square case in yellow gold is seamlessly extended by a bracelet with links that sensually embrace the wrist. This style icon and paragon of elegance is more contemporary than ever, tracking the passing of the minutes and hours with a quartz movement that hits its mark as precisely as the strike of a feline’s claw. www.cartier.ch On sale at Schindler’s jewellery store – Zermatt.

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3. Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Ultra Thin Date

The blue hour 2. Longines The Longines Master Collection

1. Carl F. Bucherer Manero Peripheral Designed for the Bucherer Blue Editions collection, the Manero Peripheral strikes a fine balance between tradition and innovation and does justice to the watchmaker’s philosophy. Its bespoke petrol blue dial, with its framed date aperture at 3 o’clock and sub-dial at 6 o’clock, contrasts elegantly with the dark blue alligator leather strap and the stainless steel 40.6mm case, which contains an automatic manufacture winding movement. This limited-edition timepiece pays tribute to the city of Lucerne, where the company has its roots and whose coat of arms features the colour blue. www.carl-f-bucherer.com On sale at the Bucherer Store – Zermatt.

Developed in parallel with the Longines Master Collection, as part of its collaboration with Bucherer, the anniversary watches created by the Saint-Imier-based watchmaker – the oldest trademarked brand still in operation in the world – sport a deep blue tone that represents elegance and timelessness. The Blue Editions models are available in ladies’ and men’s versions, in diameters of 36 and 40 mm respectively.

Boasting a stainless steel case and a diamond-set dial, they come complete with an automatic movement. www.longines.ch On sale at the Bucherer Store – Zermatt.

5. Tudor Heritage Black Bay Bronze Blue The partnership is a natural fit: blue has been Tudor’s colour of choice since it made its first appearance in 1969, on the dial of the Oyster Prince Submariner 7021. It is that very blue that has inspired the Heritage Black Bay Bronze Blue, the design, dial and domed glass of which are reminiscent of Tudor’s first diver’s watches. The striking 43 mm high-performance aluminium-bronze alloy case delivers a patina effect that is both understated and unique. www.tudorwatch.com On sale at the Bucherer Store – Zermatt.

Now five years old, the partnership between Jaeger-LeCoultre and Bucherer has brought us two outstanding models that encapsulate the know-how of the Le Sentier watch manufacturer to perfection. Slender and delicate, the Master Ultra Thin Blue Editions, which come in rose gold, fully express its watchmaking philosophy: the reduction of functions and their appearance to the bare necessities. While the result is understated elegance and discreet luxury, the quality of the manufacturing is unmistakably Swiss. www.jaeger-lecoultre.com On sale at the Bucherer Store – Zermatt.

6. Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore ­Chronograf In participating in the Blue Editions project, Audemars Piguet has once again taken the opportunity to unveil a stylishly unique watch. Entirely reworking its iconic Royal Oak Offshore with a robust, sporty design, the Le Brassus-based watchmaker has created a 37 mm timepiece that is full of contrasts, with blue counters on a white dial enhanced by a bezel set with 32 diamonds.

The rose gold and stainless steel finish has been created exclusively for Bucherer. www.audemarspiguet.com On sale at the Bucherer Store – Zermatt.

4. Panerai Radiomir 1940 The colour blue echoes both Bucherer’s roots in the city of Lucerne and the origins of Panerai, whose links to the sea were forged at a very early stage through its designs for the Italian Navy’s divers. On this occasion the company has come up with an entirely new combination: an exclusive brushed-blue dial mounted in the iconic Radiomir 1940 case. Connoisseurs will appreciate the presence of the P.4000 calibre, Panerai’s first automatic movement with an off-centre micro-rotor. www.panerai.com On sale at the Bucherer Store – Zermatt.

7. H. Moser & Cie. Venturer Small Seconds This is a timepiece that lacks nothing in character, with its ultra-sleek 39 mm case in white gold and its almost ethereal blue fumé dial, reminiscent of the night sky and on which the hands and sub-dial (at 6 o’clock) are discreetly inlaid.

This is a watch that has a touch of Bauhaus about it. Boasting a hand-wound calibre, it stands apart thanks mainly to its blue Straumann® hairspring and balance wheel. The choice of colour is very revealing, as blue is commonly associated with faithfulness. www.h-moser.com On sale at the Bucherer Store – Zermatt.

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watches

1. Hamilton Khaki X-Wind Day Date

2. Hublot Big Bang Unico Blue Sapphire

3. F.P. Journe Chronomètre Souverain

Even with their heads in the clouds, the heroes of the sky retain an innate sense of elegance. Proof of that comes with this classy watch, with its 45mm black PVD coated stainless steel case and its orange 24-hour markers. The steely nature of this timepiece is reflected by three chunky pushers, while the Calibre H-30 self-winding movement provides 80 hours of power reserve. www.hamiltonwatch.com

Now here’s a Big Bang that has nothing to hide. Its fully transparent case reveals all the technical prowess of Hublot, which has succeeded, using a unique watchmaking process, to shape the face, bezel and back of its 45 mm case out of blue sapphire.

The shock- and scratch-resistant case, born of a fusion of iron and alumina, houses a Unico self-winding chronograph flyback movement. This technological marvel is a limited edition of 250 pieces. www.hublot.com On sale at the Hublot Store – Zermatt.

Instantly recognizable, the emblematic model created by François-Paul Journe draws its inspiration from the marine chronometers of the early 19th century. Its design, with a 40 mm platinum case and a new dial in solid gold punctuated with extruding raised numerals, perfectly straddles the line between refined and timeless.

The movement, made of gold — as always with F.P. Journe pieces — includes two barrels that work in parallel to deliver optimum performance for the majority of its reserve power. www.fpjourne.com On sale at Schindler’s jewellery store – Zermatt.

4. TAG Heuer Carrera Heuer-01 Full Black Matt Ceramic

5. Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Flyback Chronograph BOC II

6. Tissot Heritage 1948

A distinguished contemporary look, inspired by car racing and exceptional mechanical motors, graces this signature chronograph model by TAG Heuer, released in a new all black matt version that will leave no head unturned. All the parts exposed to friction — 45 mm case, bezel, horns and face — have been shaped from ceramic, a material possessing unparalleled scratch-proof qualities. The bracelet, also of ceramic, is light and soft to the touch. www.tagheuer.com On sale at Schindler’s jewellery store – Zermatt.

Blancpain revisits its famous Fifty Fathoms with this limited edition of 250 pieces up to the challenge of exploring the ocean’s fathomless depths.

Its undeniable pitch? A blue ceramic case, waterproof down to a depth of 300 m, made using a complex technical process. Inside, time is kept by a chronograph movement with a column wheel beating at a frequency of 5Hz. Top notch performance, with a portion of its sales donated to support scientific expeditions. www.blancpain.com On sale at Schindler’s jewellery store – Zermatt.

As its name suggests, the new Heritage 1948 is inspired by an iconic timepiece originally designed for “engineers, technicians, doctors and sportsmen” to meet their need for reliability and accuracy. Faithful to that philosophy, the Heritage 1948 retains several of the design elements of its illustrious forerunner: the two pushers, minute track, studs and the unique shape of the lugs and the leafshaped hands. The result is a watch with a delightful backto-the-future look. www.tissotwatches.com On sale at the Tissot Store – Zermatt.

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22 – 27 March 2018

BASELWORLD.COM

Be there when the world’s most important watch and jewellery brands present their latest innovations and creations.

BASELWORLD: THE PREMIERE SHOW

Fairs and Wonders Text: Marie de Pimodan-Bugnon

The Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie in Geneva in January, and Baselworld in Basel in March, are two do-not-miss events that bring industry professionals and lovers of watches and jewellery from around the world together under one roof. Events where excellence and luxury shine like nowhere else.

The excitement is palpable. It begins to mount as the autumn progresses, explodes in the depths of the winter and makes its mark again with the arrival of spring. It’s the feverish elation of watchmaking fans, the endless murmuring of speculation and postulation, as all eyes turn towards Switzerland in heightened anticipation of the two most important watchmaking and jewellery trade fairs in the world.

What will be the trend that marks the months to come? To what tempo will the market beat this year? Will creativity rise to the occasion once more? In Geneva and Basel – the unmistakable and indisputable capitals of watchmaking and jewellery – this explosion of luxury sparkles in gold letters through thrilling creations that are the stuff of dreams.

Starting in January, the Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie (SIHH) kicks off the feast in Geneva. In an elegant setting punctuated with felted booths, thirty-five fine watchmaking maisons bring out their latest collections to meet the cameras of journalists from the four corners of the world, the expert eyes of collectors, and, starting in 2016, the general public — though admittance of the latter is limited to the last day of the fair. On the menu: mechanical excellence and the prowess of design, in a singular world première. “For 28 years, SIHH has stood as an exceptional platform that highlights the extraordinary creativity and innovation of the great watchmaking houses,” emphasizes Fabienne Lupo, SIHH Managing Director. “Held in the cradle of fine watchmaking – Geneva – it’s an indispensable event that sets the trends and fashions for the year ahead.”

The 2018 event, held from January 15 to 19, is expected to once again welcome an estimated 15,000 visitors.

Two months later, from March 22 to 27, it is Basel’s turn to roll out the red carpet for the stars of the watchmaking and jewellery universe. Baselworld’s numbers speak for themselves: with over 100,000 buyers of 100 different nationalities, and nearly 4,400 representatives of international media hailing from 70 countries, for a week the city transforms into the true nerve centre of the global luxury industry. The great houses of fine watchmaking, the signature jewellery makers of prestige, independent designers, diamond merchants, and a host of representatives from all sectors of the industry, come together in one place for a unique opportunity to admire and physically touch the magic of these precious creations. “It is here that, for over a century, watchmakers and jewellery makers have presented their creations to visitors from Switzerland and clients from other countries,” explains Sylvie Ritter, the fair’s Managing Director. “Baselworld is an essential fixture in the watchmaking and jewellery annual calendar, and each year’s event is anticipated with marked interest and earnest impatience.” The feverish excitement of watchmaking fans, the endless murmurings of speculation and postulation — the anxiousness to discover the new arrivals that will make 2018 shine is real indeed!

Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie Geneva, 15–19 January 2018 www.sihh.org Baselworld Basel, 22–27 March 2018 www.baselworld.com 119

TRIBUTE TO BLUE Bucherer has gathered some of the world’s most refined watches under one prestigious roof since 1888. Together with our partners in time, we are introducing the Bucherer BLUE EDITIONS. This collaboration has opened doors to new levels of creativity and originality. Discover exclusive timepieces in blue: an inspired colour for watches that are truly unique.

Available exclusively in Bucherer stores

Zermatt Bahnhofstrasse 6 | bucherer.com

Zermatt’s watch stores Among Zermatt’s many prestigious streets, the Bahnhofstrasse is in a class of its own. Amid its large wooden chalets and hotel villas, Swiss luxury and know-how are showcased in store windows by the country’s leading timepiece brands.

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Tissot à l’assaut de Zermatt www.tissotwatches.com

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At no. on the Bahnhofplatz Long live Wega www.wega-zermatt.ch Exhibiting the ultimate in Swiss and European luxury, this huge store comprises watch, jewellery, and leather goods sections, not to mention Swiss knives. Oris, Maurice Lacroix and Frédéric Constant timepieces feature prominently at this temple of shopping, as do Bally and Longchamp handbags and the extravagant glamour of Gucci and Swarovski’s jewelled designs.

Partenaire privilégié, en 2015, du 150e anniversaire de la première ascension du Cervin, Tissot n’a eu de cesse de renforcer sa présence à Zermatt en ouvrant ce magasin aux atours résolument actuels. On y découvre le nouveau design des boutiques Tissot et les différentes collections, dont l’innovante T-Touch Solar, édition spéciale Zermatt.

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Haute Horlogerie Schindler www.schindler-zermatt.ch Poised to celebrate its 40th anniversary, the brand with the Matterhorn logo has just given its flagship store a makeover from head to toe, installing cream armchairs and a fireplace.

Around 15 leading watch brands retail here along with prestigious jewellery houses Chopard, Schoeffel and Utopia. Tag Heuer and Zenith have their very own boutiques over the road at No. 14.

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The peerless Bucherer www.bucherer.com/fr/nos_ magasins/zermatt-bahnhofstrasse Famed for its collection of blue watches created in partnership with the very best timepiece brands, the Lucerne company has just finished refurbishing its Zermatt boutique, one of the 28 it has across Europe. The renovated premises offer access to a new Rolex store with an Alpine feel to it, the result of a partnership that has been going for nearly 100 years.

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Patek by Schindler www.patek.com Synonymous with watchmaking at its finest, Geneva house Patek Philippe now boasts a boutique that does justice to creations made with such precision and craftsmanship that they are nothing short of works of art.

Also available in store are original pieces by German jewellery makers Wellendorff.

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Hublot in residence www.hublot.com/fr/boutique/suisse/zermatt Opened amid much fanfare in 2016, the Zermatt store of the Nyon-based company can be found in a chalet, a setting that perfectly encapsulates the soul of the resort with its warm blend of understated elegance, wood, and black ceramics. Down in the basement is a discreet carnotzet for privileged customers.

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The Gornergrat Bahn The mountains by narrow gauge railway Text: Serge Greter / Photos: Gornergrat Bahn

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Partner of Zermatt e-bus

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mountaineers.

Previous page: All aboard! The Gornergrat Bahn prepares to set off from Zermatt Station. Standing majestically in the background, the white pyramid of the Matterhorn heralds the magnificent landscapes that lie ahead.

Nearly there: the train makes its way up to 3100 Kulmhotel, the highest hotel in Switzerland.

The Gornergrat Bahn is a record-breaking railway that takes its passengers to new heights.

Opened in 1898, it is Switzerland’s first electric cog railway and is also the highest openair railway in Europe. Setting off from Zermatt Station, it climbs up to the Gornergrat (3,089m), where the country’s highest hotel stands. The delightful 33-minute journey takes in breathtaking scenery and no fewer than 29 four-thousanders, with the Matterhorn taking pride of place among them.

The Gornergrat Bahn is more than just a rail journey; it is an unforgettable experience. With the Matterhorn towering in the distance from start to finish, the line’s little brown trains make their way through deep gorges, tunnels and lush forests of snow-covered Swiss pine and skirt past stunning bridges and gorgeous mountain lakes.

Run by Gornergrat Bahn SA (GGB) and linking up with the Glacier Express, the line begins at the Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn in Zermatt. Every day, its diminutive locomotives tackle the vast landscapes of the Alps at speeds ranging between 20 and 30 km/h. The higher they climb, the further their passengers are taken back in time, right back to 1898, the year the railway began operating. Switzerland’s first electric cog railway and a witness to the history of the pioneers of mountain rail, the Gornergrat Bahn owes its existence to the 2,400 or so workers who took just two years to carve out the route through the Alps. To begin with, the railway operated in the summer months only, but by 1928/29 a winter service was running as far as Riffelalp.

It was extended to Riffelberg within ten years and finally reached the summit of the Gornergrat in 1942. Firmly established as a year-round attraction, the railway now caters for a million and a half passengers every year.

The ultimate in panoramic views The line ends at the Gornergrat, 3,089m above sea level, where passengers alight after a 33-minute journey and a 9,339m climb. The views awaiting them are very much on a large scale: in the distance lie the Matterhorn and the Monte Rosa massif, over which stands the Dufourspitze, the highest peak in Switzerland (4,634m). The nearby viewing platform provides a vantage point from which can be seen the small matter of 29 four-thousanders and the Gorner, the third-longest glacier in the Alps. On seeing such sights, the American writer Mark Twain, who scaled the Gornergrat in 1878, wrote: “I had a magnificent view of Monte Rosa, and apparently all the rest of the Alpine world, from that high place. All the circling horizon was piled high with a mighty tumult of snowy crests… Among other noticeable things, there is a dazzling, intense whiteness about the distant Alpine snow, when the sun is on it, which one recognizes as peculiar, and not familiar to the eye… Authorities agree that there is no such tremendous “layout” of snowy Alpine magnitude, grandeur, and sublimity to be seen from any other accessible point as the tourist may see.”

All sense of proportion vanishes in this fairytale landscape and the imagination flits from one peak to another. To make the most of it all and let the dream last a little bit longer, why not check in at the nearby 3100 Kulmhotel Gornergrat, the highest hotel in Switzerland? www.gornergrat.ch 125

1. Caran d’Ache Léman Caviar

trends

Reminiscent of the bronze waters of a lake at daybreak, the Léman Caviar fountain pen is coated in a fine lacquer and engraved with motifs resembling caviar beads. www.carandache.com 2. Rolex Oyster Created in 1926, this pioneering wristwatch is now a collection.

Its four hallmarks are water-resistance, accuracy, reliability, and an automatic movement. www.rolex.com 3. Matterlight Halfway between art and design and made with a special organic resin combining sugar, rapeseed, and other chemical-free additives, this lamp takes the shape of the famous Matterhorn. www.matterlight.ch 4. Reuge Little Forest Wooden music boxes decorated with woodland scenes and appealing to young and old alike, the light-infused Little Forest collection is inspired by the art of paper cutting. www.reuge.com 5. Nunshen 89 Christmas tea Christmas spirit infused with spicy notes of clove, cardamom, cinnamon, lemon peel, rose and vanilla. www.nunshen.com 6. Cartier La Panthère Taking its inspiration from the iconic feline Cartier ring, this limited-edition bottle contains a fragrance combining delicate gardenia with a velvety musk. www.cartier.ch

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Graphic Design : www.cbcommunication.swiss

Chalet du Centre Over 1000 m2 of private luxury serviced chalet including a pool, spa and staff studio in the heart of Zermatt

With an extensive portfolio currently ranging from CHF 299’000.- to 29 millions Julen Steiger&Cie is well positioned to broker the purchase and sales of a wide range of properties throughout Zermatt via an exclusive partnership with Cardis Sotheby’s International Realty. Chalet du Centre, the latest development since the success of the renown 7 Heavens, will be created by the same architects - Studio Comina.

Following in the footsteps of its predecessor, the Chalet du Centre is designed and will be built to the highest standards. At its core the chalet has been conceived with lifestyle in mind. The lavish entrance area, with its high ceilings and modern ďŹ nishes, sets the tone for this cornerstone development. Chalet du Centre will, yet again, set the benchmark for luxury living in Zermatt.

www.julensteigercie.ch I info@julensteigercie.ch

1. Moncler Grenoble Allos

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Plushly insulated, fashioned from cutting-edge breathable fabric and complete with a smartphone pocket and goggles cleaning cloth, the Allos is just as at home in the city as it is on the slopes. www.moncler.com 2. Hublot In partnership with AK Ski AK Ski has teamed up with the watchmaker Hublot for the design of this pair of ultra-resistant rubber skis with floral motifs and pink soles and ski poles. www.hublot.com 3. Swiza Allblack

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Swiza knifes are in a class of their own thanks to their curved handles and the distinctive cross button, which releases the lock on the blade. This particular version is 100% black! www.swiza.com 4. Louis Vuitton Pont Neuf A distinguished descendant of Louis Vuitton’s classic City Steamer, the Pont Neuf is sleek, sophisticated, and urban. www.louisvuitton.com 5. Nobis Carla Black

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Fully windproof, waterproof and breathable, the women’s Carla parka is a Core Collection staple. This classic tailored heavyweight silhouette is laminated with Sympatex® membrane and home launderable. www.ch-nobis.com

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1. Edra Cipria

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Designed by Francesco Binfaré and recreating an ice pack complete with a reclining polar bear, this large sofa lends a poetic touch to any lounge. www.moyard.ch 2. Hästens 2000T Where can you sleep better than in your own bed? In a Hästens bed, that’s where. Founded in 1852, the Swedish company uses nothing but natural materials to create beds that make you feel weightless. www.hastens.com

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3. Dr Rheims Eclipsage Free of silicon, parabens, PEG, EDTA and perfume, this highly effective anti-age cream is based on a Mexican species of mimosa. www.eclipsage.com 4. Chopard Happy Ocean Framed by precious stones, the dial of this sporty and stylish watch is enhanced by the captivating dance of five loose diamonds. www.chopard.com 3

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B O U T I Q U E Z E R M AT T Bahnhofstrasse 27

hublot.com

Big Bang Unico Blue Sapphire.

Scratch-resistant blue sapphire case.

In-house chronograph UNICO movement.

Limited edition of 250 pieces.