Low Sodium in French Restaurants

On David Lebovitz's blog he has said that many Paris restaurants are willing to accommodate dietary restrictions, BUT restaurants appreciate knowing in advance such as when you make reservations. I have also noticed that many servers, while taking orders, ask if there are any dietary restrictions.

Generally, food coming out of French kitchens aren't heavily salted unless you're hitting a fast-food type of location; anything fried is generally going to be higher in sodium, same with most meats and cheeses.

The bigger issue with French food is the calories if she's looking to enjoy some 'traditional foods', like diving into a cassoulet will drive-up the LDL & HDL's.
I just got back from France and the majority of menus have vegetarian options and/or lighter fare. The other option is ordering multiple appetizers (or entrees as they're known in France) and not order a large main plate.

Oh my. You are in butter country, cream country, sausage/offal country and then finally you come south to Arles for olive oil and vegetables.

In Arles, you should be able to find aïoli, which is poached cod and vegetables. You are supposed to dip the cod and vegetables into a garlic mayonnaise called aïoli, but if your mother skips the aïoli-mayo, she'll have a good meal. The salt will depend on the poaching liquid but everything is drained off.

Note that many meal-size salads can be loaded with charcuterie, or cheese, or smoked salmon, all very high salt. I do get a salad at my local bakery loaded with vegetables and canned tuna. The dressing is separate, so look in the bakeries, too to see what they have at lunchtime.
You will have to work with the restaurants one-by-one to find a solution. Anything cooked to order should be able to be prepared low-salt and with olive oil or a nut-oil. Canola is called colza in French.

Lindy: Thank you! We will try to call ahead. I speak a fair amount of French and can handle these conversations.

Zcorsair: Unfortunately, what most people see as moderately-salted is too high in sodium for her. The good thing is, she isn't too concerned with calories or cholesterol. She does generally eat lighter fare, but a high-cholesterol meal here or there won't hurt her, not the way sodium will. Thanks for the tip on entrees! We will look at that.

Elizabeth: Believe me, I am excited to take advantage of all of those delicacies! I have no dietary restrictions and will avail myself of the local cuisine.
The trouble with the poaching liquid is that most marinades/liquids like that are high in sodium, and the sodium seeps into the food. It does not matter if it is drained off after cooking. My mother does like getting salads, and is very aware of the danger items. Some canned tuna is fine; other canned tuna is very high in sodium. I'm not sure which is most common in France.
That is helpful. What is the best way to ask for these modifications?

I assume you'll look to bottled water, as softened water, especially, can have a surprising amount of sodium. Best of luck to you, as my experience with French restaurants is that they're generally unwilling to change their recipes even for dietary restrictions.

What is the best way to ask for these modifications?

Many restaurants have online booking with a section to type in comments/requests. That's what we usually do. My husband also has dietary restrictions.