Zermatt Unplugged Festival | 10 editions of pure magic under the Matterhorn

Prelude

What a wild idea.

I set myself the challenge of capturing the essence of an event that feels almost impossible to describe. Words tend to flatten it, twist it, or worse—make it sound faintly ridiculous. The urge to throw in superlatives after every sentence, every comma, every paragraph? Very real. I tried to resist. Not always successfully, but I stayed true to a mission I knew from the start was doomed to fail. And honestly? That’s part of the beauty. I just want to make you want to go. At least once. To feel it for yourself.

So why even attempt something this ambitious? This year was my 10th Zermatt Unplugged, and it felt like the right moment to mark the milestone. A chance to revisit the ineffable—that elusive thread that keeps showing up in my life [see blog]—only this time through something joyful. Ten editions filled with surreal moments of grace. Ten years of raised eyebrows whenever I mention this hidden gem in French-speaking Switzerland. How else could I honour all those luminous, suspended instants but by looking back with gratitude?

Everything about this annual rendezvous resonates deeply with me. From the emotional intensity sparked by unlikely encounters to the rare intimacy with artists, from the audience’s exquisite attentiveness to the raw vulnerability of singer-songwriters sharing their stories, from the ever-evolving format to the majestic Alpine setting, from the tiniest thoughtful details to the grandest gestures—Zermatt Unplugged is a one-of-a-kind human and musical experience.

So here I am, wearing my many hats—as a specialist in public speaking, presence and posture, and yes, once upon a time, as a presenter of a music video show—offering you a handful of highlights handpicked to stir both your ears and your heart.

I invite you to step into the singular and inspiring world of Zermatt Unplugged. This festival, a true jewel nestled in the heart of the Alps, embodies everything that fills me with wonder: the intensity of connection, the magic of performance, and an atmosphere that’s somehow both grand and intimate.

A Warm Welcome to Zermatt Unplugged

Since its debut in 2007, this singular festival has transformed the picturesque village of Zermatt, cradled by towering Alpine peaks, into a musical sanctuary where artists from all over the world gather and connect.

Born in the iconic Vernissage—a venue imagined by Zermatt’s own Heinz Julen—the festival has grown steadily, and in 2024 will host no fewer than 70 national and international artists across 17 stages scattered throughout the village and up the mountain.

Picture it: a place where performers and festivalgoers alike take their time, far from the noise and hustle of everyday life, savouring rare moments of true human connection.

“At the start of the week, I always tell my team: do everything you can to make the artists want to come back. But what actually happens is even stronger—they just don’t want to leave.”
Christoph Spicher, Head of Booking & Artist Production

There’s something truly unique about this festival, including the fact that it reinvents itself every year. No words, no photo, no video can truly capture what one experiences there—and therein lies its elusive magic. Zermatt Unplugged is a whole that can only be lived, felt, embodied.

2014 | A Late Discovery of Zermatt

Like many Swiss girls, I learned to ski before I could properly walk (only slightly exaggerated). So how on earth did I manage to go 36 years without ever setting foot in this (possibly overhyped) resort? That’ll teach me and my prejudices. The first glimpse I had of the Matterhorn—a few winding turns before the train pulled into the station—is forever etched into my memory.

Those who’ve made the journey to Zermatt know: there’s only one way in. Whether you’re a global music star or a local from down the valley, you’re on the same train. That levelling effect sets the tone for the festival and no doubt contributes to its remarkably human atmosphere.

Love at First Sight at the Gandegghütte

This was the moment everything changed. After a 20-minute gondola ride and then twice that on foot up a snowy path—steep enough to regret not bringing my snowboard—I came across what can only be described as a mirage. I could hardly believe my eyes or ears. Up there, at nearly 3,000 metres, a crew from London’s legendary Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club were casually playing a concert carved into the snow. I stood stunned, unable to process what I was seeing: a full-blown performance unfolding beneath a glacier, in front of the iconic Gandegghütte, as skiers slid by with barely a glance.

Nobody seemed to grasp the sheer absurdity of the scene—or the near-impossible logistics of playing live music in sub-zero mountain air. Instruments, fingers, voices—nothing works quite right at that altitude. And yet, here was a piano. A real piano. Right there. That’s when I knew: I would come back the next day. And the next year. And every year after that.

The idea to bring “The Ronnies” to the Gandegghütte came from long-time festival friend Simon Cooke, then director of the club. If flying in a jazz band wasn’t bold enough, the vision included lifting a piano by helicopter in front of the Matterhorn. Christoph Spicher, the festival’s booking mastermind, recalls:

« We had two helicopters—one carrying the piano, the other capturing the footage. »
Christoph Spicher

The stunt was as logistically risky as it was visually magical. But it forged a bond between Zermatt and Ronnie Scott’s that continues to this day.

« Even though the piano was specially designed, the condensation was too much. And the double bass—almost unplayable. »
Christoph Spicher

Still, that boldness—madness, perhaps—is exactly what has made Zermatt Unplugged so exceptional.

Later, in a spontaneous interview she kindly gave me, Ronnie Scott’s extraordinary vocalist Natalie Williams described the moment:

« Simon had come up to the Gandegghütte with two friends for coffee. I don’t even know how they got up there—he doesn’t ski. It probably started as a joke and then it just happened. They called it ‘Extreme Jazz’ and flew the instruments up there. It was mental. But it became this magic moment—almost by accident. At first there weren’t many people, and then three years later it was packed. »
Natalie Williams • Ronnie Scott’s

She then told me, almost as if she knew how gobsmacked I had been by the whole thing:

« It was tough, I’m not going to lie. The air’s so thin. Even down in the village, I’d be out of breath just holding a note. It felt like I’d run up a hill. You get used to it, but I know some artists have cancelled because of the altitude. The sax player and I—we really struggled. His instrument was freezing, and our lungs were burning. I even asked for an oxygen tank at one point but thought, ‘I can’t do a gig with an oxygen mask on,’ so I just pushed through. »
Natalie Williams • Ronnie Scott’s

Today, the Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club calls the Mont Cervin Palace its Zermatt home, but the Gandegghütte remains legendary. For me, it’s still the beating heart of the festival’s wild spirit and creative insanity.

From my very first indoor concert at Zermatt Unplugged, one memory towers above the rest: Jamie Cullum.

The energy was electric. His storytelling—hilarious and deeply moving in equal measure—his signature move of leaping onto the piano, the way he got the entire audience to sing in perfect unison… I’d never seen a Swiss crowd go that wild. Hundreds of concerts later, this one remains seared in my memory. You’ll find the final moments of that gig on YouTube. Just a heads-up: it’s not for the faint-hearted.

2015-2020 | Panaché de pépites

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2016

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2017

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De l’utilité d’écouter son intuition

2018

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2019

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Zermatt Unplugged Summer Weekends | Renaissance post-pandémie

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2022 | Des larmes au sommet

2023 | L’édition du storytelling

2024 | Best anniversaire de mon 10è festival ever

Mythes & infos pratiques

Rendez-vous du 8 au 11 avril 2025!

https://zermatt-unplugged.ch/fr

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