The village of Zermatt, in the canton of Valais in Switzerland

 "A pair of skis are the ultimate transportation to Freedom." -- Warren Miller

=====================================
(in the district of Visp in the canton of Valais in Switzerland) Valais, in southern Switzerland. borders Italy to the south and France to the west and is bounded by the cantons of Vaud and Bern on the north and Uri and Ticino on the east. Its area includes the valley of the upper Rhône River, from its source at the Rhône Glacier to its mouth on Lake Geneva; the valley runs from east to west and then, in a right angle at Martigny, from southeast to northwest. From just above Saint-Maurice, the Rhône’s right bank belongs to Vaud canton. When many people think of Valais, they remember the Matterhorn. This great Swiss icon looms over the village of Zermatt, which first attracted visitors in the 1860s. Its touristic development is closely linked to what may be the world's most recognizable mountain. The village of Zermatt itself is quite pretty and free of cars. with brown chalets and winding alleys. Skiing in the region often lasts through early summer, but when the weather’s warmer, it’s a great time to hike. The location of Zermatt at the foot of the Matterhorn and in the middle of a hiking and ski region makes it one of the world's most attractive vacation villages.