This Zermatt Ski Area in Switzerland Has Been Open for the Last Year

On June 5th, 2020, Glacier Paradise in Zermatt reopened for skiing and snowboarding as Switzerland’s only lockdown restrictions were relaxed. Except for bad weather, the area has been open and spinning lifts for the entire last year.

Swiss ski resorts bucked the trend of their European counterparts by staying open throughout the pandemic. While resort areas in France did open lifts weren’t spinning, and ski areas in Austria were open only to locals, Switzerland welcomed tourists (albeit with strict controls).

It’s a year today since @zermattbergbahnen re-opened after the first and only Swiss lockdown at the start of the pandemic. Other than any bad weather closures it’s believed to have been operating its glacier skis slopes, Europe’s highest, every day for the last 12 months. pic.twitter.com/JhZpW72qa2

— Snow Forecast.com (@SnowForecast) June 5, 2021

In the shadow of the iconic Matterhorn, the area has Europe’s highest ski lift at 12,792-feet and offers some of the most extensive summer skiing in the world.

Zermatt, Switzerland, can also be accessed from Cervinia in Italy, and while the border is still closed at the moment, it is expected to reopen next weekend. Cervinia has recently reopened after months closed due to the pandemic in Italy.

• Related: Cervinia Ski Area, Italy Forced to Close by Government After Viral Images of Crowding

Several summer ski areas are now open across Europe in Austria, France, Italy, Norway, Slovenia, and Switzerland.