If you're a tourist like me who prefers walking to bus rides and subways, then a hike inside the City of Lights is perfectly historic; especially if you start at Notre Dame where all the roads, as well as the city, originated.
Finding the first Parisian island in the middle of the Seine was probably a bit easier back when the Romans were stomping around, but in modern day Paris you best know how to read a map to figure out where Notre Dame is exactly.
Sometimes topographical skills suffer in the morning hours, so sitting in a cafe' sampling cheeses and wine before noon will help you get your bearings. Once grounded, a simple hand gesture to the right by your waiter will clearly show the buttresses of the cathedral as it stands (in front of your re-focused view) just over the river.
Wandering to the other icons of Paris should be as the French say, "morceau de gateau," or a piece of cake.
In theory, yes, the Eiffel Tower peaking through the skyline and the Louvre's internationally known glass pyramid should be easy enough to locate, but with wanton feet it's not always so obvious. Even Moulin Rouge, though a few blocks from your hotel, might seem to evade you for days on end. And of course, The Arch de Triomphe from the south of Champs-Elysees looks like an easy walk, but at this point who has the energy!?
