Ski System of Valtournenche, Cervinia and Zermatt
There are 20 lifts in Cervinia and 34 in Zermatt, serving up 160km of Italian pistes and 200km of Swiss ones, joined up into a shared ski area via Plateau Rosa. But buying a joint Cervinia/Zermatt pass costs €100 less if you buy it in Cervinia than it does in Zermatt, and you can pass freely between the two resorts. Cervinia’s slopes are mostly suitable for intermediates, with few tough slopes.
Zermatt offers more variety and that great view of the Matterhorn but you won’t want to make the trip across Plateau Rosa every day as it’s time-consuming. There are bonuses in Italy – you are treated to 10cm of fresh pow with no competition for first tracks. In busier Zermatt, there’d be a bun fight.