When two Englishmen, Windham and Pococke, first visited Chamonix in 1740, they were thrilled with its location and later wrote a travel book that advertised the village around the world. In the old quarter of town a memorial to this brave pioneer stands in front of the village church. But you must return within 3 days of buying them. Chamonix sprawls in a narrow strip along both banks of the Arve River. Its casino, its rail and bus stations, and most of its restaurants and nightlife are in the town center.
Cable cars reach into the mountains from the town's edge.
Locals refer to Les Praz, Les Bossons, Les Moussoux, and Les P l rins as satellite villages within Greater Chamonix, though technically Chamonix refers to only a carefully delineated section around place de l' glise.