The obvious excursion is the Grand St Bernard Pass (40 km south) — the ancient route over the Alps to Italy, with its hospice still run by Augustinian monks and its Saint Bernard dogs. The pass road climbs through dramatic scenery and is open from late May to October. In the other direction, Chamonix in France is 70 km away via the Mont Blanc Express narrow-gauge train from Martigny's station — one of the great alpine train journeys. Verbier, the ski resort, is a 20-minute drive up into the mountains above the town.