Notre Dame sits on an island, the Île de la Cité, a bridge away from the 5ème arrondissement, the Latin Quarter, so named because in the Middle Ages Latin was the language of instruction in the universities of Paris.

This view south from the parvis of Notre Dame shows some typical examples of Parisian architecture.  Paris is a walker's city.  It is quite compact; you can walk across it in a few hours if you don't dawdle or window-shop.  Consequently, it is believed that no one has ever walked across Paris in a few hours.