Driving north from CDG

I don't see any reason why you couldn't make that drive. It's only about a half hour drive.
It sounds as though this will be your first time driving in France. If that's so, you should be doing some preparation (knowing about things like roundabouts, road signs and so on). You can get excellent information from the RS guidebooks. You should know that navigation is done by knowing the towns you want to go to, or through, rather than road numbers. This, too, is covered by RS.

From the airport follow A1 Lille (péage), Senlis is well signposted. Péage means toll, you don’t have to pay it as the actual toll section of the A1 starts just north of Senlis. Don’t need to say you have to deal driving at the other side of the road for you and how the French behave behind the steering wheel, IMO that will be your main concern, so take care.

It may be that "English only driver" means doesn't speak French, other than "I'm English".

Hard to say.

When charley hover comes back perhaps he can clarify.

Most important traffic information like towns and speed limits are not language relevant and important signs are international and recognizable. Be sure you have an international drivers permit as they are required (unless you have an EU license -- if you are American you will need it)

Thanks everyone for your comments; I did get the RS, France book and we are American.

I just did the reverse -- Senlis to CDG on the A1, on Monday, and it was easy (except for getting on the A1 in Senlis going the wrong direction and having to get off and reverse direction). And on Sunday, I passed by CDG on the A1, and the drive from there to Senlis was really easy, and the signage to the center of Senlis was very good.

I have driven in Europe for the past 17 years, off and on. With the advent of GPS, it has made life much easier. It might have even saved my marriage. :) Rent a car with GPS or take one from the states with Europe chip in it. GPS has made traveling in Europe much less stressful.

We did the opposite. We landed at CDG and went South. GPS was a wonderful getting us out of Paris.

We'll likely use GPS this trip but we've navigated successfully with paper maps, too. Be cautious, do your homework and you'll have a ball.
Even if you get "lost," you'll soon figure it out. After all, you're just outside Paris, not in any serious trouble. Heck, you could drive miles in the wrong direction and still get back on track relatively quickly. Not like being on a fast-evaporating logging road on a mountain in the snow at night (like someone I know) or backing down a two-rut track in the Rockies (like someone I know).

Once we accidentally got on a toll road leaving CDG and had to pay a piddly little toll with a 100 Euro bill. The toll taker acted bemused more than upset, as if this wasn't the first time she'd seen such foolishness.
It was embarrassing, but winds up being no more than a funny story to tell.