When we left the Mont Blanc tunnel, the pleasant 26-degree Italian spring greeted us in the Aosta Valley. However, after barely 40 minutes of continuous, winding ascent, we were plunged into a completely different world. Meter-high, frozen snow walls and layers of ice on the streets of Breuil-Cervinia reminded us of the power of nature. It was quite surreal to see people happily skiing on the slopes near the town after the t-shirt-wearing time in the valley. We sat down on a sunny terrace for a short break and while we munched on a classic hot dog, the majestic, snowy peak of the Matterhorn (Monte Cervino in Italian) towered before us. The crystal-clear mountain air and the sight of the dazzling white mountain peaks exuded such peace that every kilometer was worth it.
Breuil-Cervinia turned from a swamp into a ski paradise. The name of the town, “Breuil”, comes from the Ajp-French word breuil, meaning marshy area – this shows that before tourism discovered it, the very end of the valley was an isolated, waterlogged pasture. The rise of the town began in the 1930s, when the Italian government began large-scale developments to create an exclusive ski resort. It was then that it was named “Cervinia”, after the Italian name for the mountain. Interestingly, Cervinia is now one of the highest ski resorts in Europe (the village itself is at 2050 meters), and thanks to the glaciers, winter sports can be enjoyed here almost all year round. The architecture of the town also reflects this modern, functional, yet Alpine style, which was specifically tailored to the needs of skiers.
The Matterhorn is not the highest, but it is undoubtedly the most iconic peak in the Alps. Its characteristic pyramid shape consists of steep walls facing the four cardinal directions. While the mountain appears more graceful from the Swiss side (Zermatt), from the Italian side, it shows a much more robust, rocky and “wilder” face. The history of the mountain includes the tragic first ascent in 1865, which was an international race between the Englishman Edward Whymper and the Italian Jean-Antoine Carrel. Although Whymper reached the Swiss ridge first, four of his companions fell into the abyss during the descent. The Matterhorn is still one of the greatest desires of mountaineers, but it is also one of the most dangerous peaks due to rockfalls and sudden changes in weather.
