Gourmet Trail (Nr. 6)
Hiking trail
· Switzerland
Anyone visiting Zermatt for the first time will marvel at the Gourmetweg (Gourmet Path), which leads past numerous mountain restaurants with a global reputation.
moderate
Distance 9 km
All along this trail, hikers repeatedly face a quandary: stop for a bite or keep walking? To maximise freedom of choice, it’s best to allow a lot of time for this walk – ideally the whole day. The mountain restaurants en route serve top-class cuisine and delicious local specialities, and all boast inviting sun terraces ideal for soaking up the spectacular panoramic views at leisure.
Author’s recommendation
Although there are many restaurants along the trail, walkers should bring drinking water. A glass or two of wine at the restaurant will bring on a thirst on the way home.

Author
Zermatt Tourismus
Update: November 13, 2020
Difficulty
moderate
Technique
Stamina
Experience
Landscape
Highest point
2,288 m
Lowest point
1,602 m
Best time of year
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Track types
Asphalt
0.1 km
Forested/wild trail
6.7 km
Path
0.4 km
Road
1.8 km
Safety information
- Plan every mountain tour carefully and adapt to participants’ fitness level as well as the weather and season.
- Weather conditions can change quickly in the mountains. Appropriate clothing is therefore essential, along with adequate supplies of food and water. In uncertain weather, turn back in good time.
- Inform others of planned route, and whenever possible avoid going alone.
- Do not leave the marked routes; do not venture onto glaciers without a mountain guide.
- Please be considerate to other walkers and to plants and animals.
- Take note of the warning signs drawing attention to the constant danger in river beds and along watercourses below dams and reservoirs.
Start
Sunnegga (2,288 m) (2,288 m)
Coordinates:
SwissGrid
2'625'691E 1'096'214N
DD
46.016985, 7.770356
DMS
46°01'01.1"N 7°46'13.3"E
UTM
32T 404815 5096669
w3w
///trucked.condensed.impulsive
Destination
Zermatt (1,620 m)
Turn-by-turn directions
Sunnegga - Findeln - Patrullarve - Ried - Zermatt (station)
(Hiking time in reverse direction: approx. 3h)
This hike is marked on the signposts as “Gourmetweg”.
Public transport
By train to the Matterhorn village: 3½ hours from Zürich airport or 4 hours from Geneva airport. Change at Visp onto the Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn (Matterhorn Gotthard Railway). From Visp, the railway leads through the Mattertal valley past idyllic small villages to Zermatt.Zermatt is also the start and finish point for the world-famous Glacier Express panoramic train journey (Zermatt to St. Moritz or Davos).
By road
Zermatt is car-free. Private vehicles are permitted only as far as Täsch (5 km before Zermatt). The Täsch–Zermatt road is closed to the public.Onward travel to Zermatt is either by private taxi or shuttle train. Trains depart every 20 minutes; the journey takes about 12 minutes, and ends at the Bahnhofplatz in Zermatt.
Parking
Täsch has car parks with both covered and open-air parking – e.g. at the Matterhorn Terminal or privately operated facilities.Onward travel: see “Getting there”.
Coordinates
SwissGrid
2'625'691E 1'096'214N
DD
46.016985, 7.770356
DMS
46°01'01.1"N 7°46'13.3"E
UTM
32T 404815 5096669
w3w
///trucked.condensed.impulsive
Arrival by train, car, foot or bike
Book recommendation by the author
"Alp- und Bergbeizli Zermatt". Gisela Schlotterbeck, Weber Verlag, Thun. Mit Porträts von 47 Bergrestaurants. Deutsch. ISBN 978-3-906033-10-5.
Author’s map recommendations
A walking map (1:25,000) is available from Zermatt Tourism’s guest information centre, along with brochures containing tips and recommendations.
Equipment
We recommend:
- Good footwear
- Hiking poles (optional)
- Clothing suitable for the weather (always carry a waterproof)
- Sun cream and sun glasses for the sun terrace in the mountain restaurants
Difficulty
moderate
Distance
9 km
Duration
2:25 h
Ascent
3 m
Descent
690 m
Highest point
2,288 m
Lowest point
1,602 m
Statistics
Maps and trails
- 13 Waypoints
- 13 Waypoints
Distance
km
Duration
: h
Ascent
m
Descent
m
Highest point
m
Lowest point
m
Questions and answers
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