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At historic Swiss ski resort, Andermatt, an eco-sensitive project breathes new life into storied slopes.
The Chedi was the first of six new hotels drawing wealthy visitors to 180km of runs once skied by the Swiss army
The project also includes a golf course, mountaintop restaurants, apartments and a concert hall, all powered by green energy
The Andermatt Swiss Alps project will fill much of the area on the far side of the railway track – the cluster of darker buildings below the mountain are the first of many new ones planned for the village. Photo: Mark Footer
It has been a hard slog, and the cold creeping its way into my jacket is letting me know I should have invested in neckwear, but finally, I’m picking up speed. However, so is a large Volkswagen skidding across the ice in my general direction.
Perhaps the cross-country variety was not the wisest choice for a ski novice. Instructor Steve Gisler has been encouraging of my plodding across this icy plain, and I’ve kept my balance even when caught in the slipstream as one of the Mongolian skiers training here for the Olympics shoots past. But when I see a succession of cars sliding around markers and ever closer, I begin to windmill...