“The visitor’s mantra makes it all sound so easy: 20 neighborhoods divided into four quarters. That, in a nutshell, is Paris. Getting around the City of Light should be a cinch. And it is — on paper. Then reality gets in the way. There is so much to see, so much to eat. What to do?

Jerry and Janine Sprout have made it trouble-free for visitors to Paris by dividing the city into walking tours that take a half to a full day, “depending on your pace,” and cover anywhere from a few miles to a maximum of six. The promenades in the book are shorter, taking about half a day. Each tour starts and ends at a Metro stop, and there is plenty of time set aside for detours, stops and just wandering. They offer advice on getting around, choosing lodging, using the Metro, buying street gear (opt for a shoulder bag rather than a backpack) and being street-smart (“Street violence is almost unheard of in Paris,” though thieves “are common enough”).

All the famous spots (Trocadero, Eiffel Tower, Champs-Elysees, Notre Dame, Latin Quarter, Montmartre) and neighborhoods are here.” —Sept 9, 2012

Merci Chicago Tribune reporter June Sawyers! To order go to Amazon.com, BarnesandNoble.com, Powell’s.com or buy a signed copy directly from the publisher at Trailblazer Travel Books.