Skiing from hut to hut is a great way to see the Alps, but beware

The Route, which runs through France, Italy and Switzerland, dates back to the mid-1800s. At one end is Chamonix, France; at the other, Zermatt, Switzerland. In between are enough glaciated ridges and sheer drops to make you wonder why you didn't just stay home. But by no other means will you enjoy so intimate an experience of the winter Alps. Both Mont Blanc and the Matterhorn are on the Route, and the scenery's scale is never less than majestic. Nor will you suffer much privation, since, at intervals of approximately one day's travel, a stone hut like a little castle awaits you, light and warmth emanating from its windows, food simmering on the stove and wine waiting in the larder.