By Car in Valais

If you want to see the tiny back roads—and there's much to be seen off the beaten path—you'll need a car. The A9/9 expressway from Lausanne turns into a well-maintained highway at Sierre that continues on to Brig. Additional tunnels and expanded lanes are being carved out of existing highways, but don't count on making good time in this end of the valley. Distances in the north and south valleys can be deceptive: apparently short jogs are full of painfully slow switchbacks and distractingly beautiful views. Both Zermatt and Saas-Fee are car-free resorts, though you can drive all the way to a parking lot at the edge of Saas-Fee's main street. Zermatt must be approached by rail from Täsch, the end of the line for cars (there's a central, secure rail terminal and garage).