One day in a lifetime in Paris...

I guess with your husbands limited walking distances at a time the Hop On Hop Off bus would be a good thing, L'Open Bus Paris http://www.pariscityvision.com/en/paris-l-open-tour/opentourtovisitparisatyourownpace, it's about $45 a person. This will provide you a view and access throughout Paris and you can get off at certain sites, Notre Dame, The Louvre and such, to at least get a better view of the monument/area, then hop right back on and continue your journey through the city. Notre Dame church itself is free to enter and roam around, sitting is allowed inside. The four routes, Green, Orange, Yellow and Blue, covers the majority of Paris.

I agree with brushtim, and would only add that you should make time to sit at a sidewalk café, have your favorite beverage, and watch Paris go by. Take some time to just be in Paris.

Rick suggests Ambien, a sleeping pill to help you sleep on the plan. For my wife and I it worked perfectly; traveling from the east coast, we literally had no jet lag at all on arrriving in Brussels. Just a normal day, but for being in Europe of course. We only took 1/2 tablet each.

Make sure you hit the Eiffel Tower at night! I always wanted to visit Paris and finally got the chance last summer. Every corner just gives off this indescribable vibe. Paris is just ...Paris!!! Even if you sit at a cafe and people watch, you are in PARIS!

As far as jet-lag goes, I don't think there is any one size fits all solution. I have heard that if you drink plenty of water en route, it helps. Did it help me? No. In my opinion, if you plan to ask your doctor for any sleeping aids (ie - Ambien, etc...), try to test them first to see how you will react. Everyone reacts differently to medications. Ambien takes a long time to work for me, and then I need a good 8 hours before I can fully function. Deciding on your own or even at the suggestion of the doctor to take half may not be the best solution for you.

I'm sure I speak for everyone here in wishing you the best for a meaningful one day in Paris.
As you're obviously well aware, your husband's physical limitations re walking and standing in line are going to affect what you choose to do with your one day in Paris, and with your first visit to Europe--in order for your husband and your family to have the best possible experience with your one day in Paris.

Possibly you will want to click the link below (at the bottom of this post) for Rick Steves' recommendations for Paris sights--and then modify Rick's this list based on your husband not being able to walk for more than 10 or 15 minutes at a time, and not being able to stand in one place for very long.

For example, you will probably want to avoid the Louvre and other art museums, because those are probably going to be difficulty for your group--because the big Paris museums unavoidably involve walking and standing in line.

Plan on taking taxis. Definitely a taxi from the airport, don't even think about taking public transportation such as trains from the airport.

And you will probably want to assume that any hotel you book will not be able to put you in the room itself in the morning, but will be able to store your luggage. Confirm this with the hotel, if possible.

You should probably assume in your planning that you'll be tired by afternoon of your one day in Paris. Rick has said he uses ambien; and my experience has been the same as his. Of course it's a prescription medicine and you will need to consult your family doctor.

Click the link below for Rick's recommendations, remembering that these recommendations from Rick don't take into account your husbands physical limitations.
http://www.ricksteves.com/europe/france/paris

You have our best wishes for a good experience. Paris is wonderful and, with some realistic planning and the suggestions here from others, our wish for you is that you and your family have the best possible time in your day there.

With just one day, and the needs of your husband, you might consider using official Paris Taxi's to get around. Taxi's G7 has an English language phone number, and an app with which you can order a taxi. For ten or twenty euros per ride around town, you'll save lots of time over the metro or bus, and it will be door to door service which will work well for your husband. Take a taxi from CDG as well, to your hotel. Get into the OFFICIAL Taxi rank at the airport-do not talk to or ride with anyone approaching you offering a ride at the airport. Get in the official line and they will have a taxi for you quickly. With short time, spend extra on transport.

Be sure to get to either Luxembourg Gardens or the Tuilleries for a good sit down, you can't beat it with a stick.

Something like this on your own for the main sights of Paris in one day if you wanted to avoid HOHO.
The metro can be difficult for those with mobility issues, with stairs only in most of the stations.

Taxi from hotel
0900 Eiffel Tower
Metro Line 6 to Etoile
1100 Arc de Triomphe - Champs Elysees
Metro line 1 to Concorde/Tuileries
1200 Place de la Concorde - Tuileries
Metro line 1 to Hotel de Ville
1300 Lunch - Bistro on Rue de Rivoli ??
1430 Notre Dame
Walk to Louvre with rest stop by Pont Neuf
1600 The Louvre (closes late on Fridays)
2000 Dinner in St Germain ??
Taxi to hotel

IMO, she and her husband have to decide if her husband can do the Louvre walking and standing in line at the Eiffel tower. Look at his physical limitations, as she describes them.
The Louvre involves standing in lines and walking, with few places to rest that are within the museum; and the Eiffel Tower involves standing in lines.

I feel that in her situation, we should read the original post carefully and then be cautious about encouraging her to get them into something her husband cannot do--based on how she has described his physical limitations.

I have to agree that with your limited time and your husband's physical limitations your best bet is the hop on/hop off bus. You will at least have the opportunity to see the major sites. Maybe you can stop at the places most important to you for a quick look see. Hopefully you will still have some energy after the bus stops running. Even if you have to take a cab, try to see the Eiffel Tower at night. Especially at the top of the hour. The best view is from the Trocadero.

This was the brief ...
"give me your itinerary for a once-in-a-lifetime day in Paris!!"
There are many benches on Champ de Mars to sit and get an eyeful of the Eiffel.
And every museum has benches in the centre of most rooms so patrons can rest.
I thought I would offer an alternative vision to a HOHO bus or organized tour.
IMO that is what these forums are for - anyone can google 'day tour'.
If you emailed ahead I am sure someone would assist you at the Louvre, with no need to wait in line.
http://www.louvre.fr/en/visitor-tips/your-convenience
http://www.louvre.fr/en/accessibility

For me, a boat ride along the Seine (about an hour, not overly expensive) would be a must-do to see the sights along the river (including views of the Eiffel Tower) from a sitting position. A walk around the outside of Notre Dame followed by sitting inside enjoying the stained glass windows. Visit to Orangerie museum to see the amazing Monet water lilies murals (good for sitting and contemplating.) Take cabs between locations. Sit at sidewalk cafes and nurse a coffee while watching Paris walk by.

For folks with limited mobility, and those with limited time in Paris, I agree that the hop on hop off bus is the best way to see most major sights. Hopefully you will be able to get off at a few of them for a closer look. I also agree you should make every attempt to see the Eiffel Tower twinkling lights, which run on the hour when it gets dark. It's really a once in a lifetime experience. And I too hope you can take a break at a cafe and savor the Paris scene.
There is an Ibis hotel near the Gare du Nord that I stayed at prior to a Chunnel trip. I recommend it. Take taxis to get into the center of town to start your sightseeing.
I do not recommend taking the metro to get anywhere around town, efficient though it is -- most of the stations require a lot of walking and virtually all of them have stairs -- not a good place to waste precious energy.

bon voyage.

If you wanted to utilise HOHO (Green line) http://www.paris.opentour.com/en/lines
And also BatoBus for the Seine http://www.batobus.com/en/timetables.html
I would suggest something like this from a hotel near St Michel ...
0900 Start at Notre Dame
1000 BatoBus Full loop from Notre Dame stop
1200 HOHO from Notre Dame (Stop 6) to Concorde (Stop 9) for Tuileries/Orangerie
1330 Lunch
1500 HOHO to Charles de Gaule-Etoile (Stop 13) for Arc de Triomphe
1600 HOHO to Trocadero (Stop 14) for Eiffel Tower
1700 HOHO to Louvre (Stop 4)
2000 Dinner close to hotel - St Germain ??

On my recent Paris trip, I noticed the same thing BG did about the Metro: I didn't see any elevators (there might be a few in the system but I didn't see them and I was in a lot of metro stations. Lots of stairs, escalators, and a surprising amount of walking (you can walk about 10 minutes in a metro just to connect).

Thank you so much, everyone! I really appreciate your willingness to help me find a way to enjoy our one day in Paris! I'll let you know our final plans!!

The Batobus is great, but you can't see the sites as well from the boat. Getting out and going to the sites would involve stairs to get up from the river level, plus walking to the site. That's why I think the HOHO is better. If you want to take a river cruise in the evening, take one that has audio of what you're seeing.

The boat idea is wonderful, but I would recommend a classic tour boat like the Bateaux Mouches over the Batobus. In any event, the boat tour is a great way to see Paris for ANYone, and no less so for those with limited mobility!

Unfortunately there is no HOHO stop near Bateaux Mouches embarkation point at Pont de l'Alma.

There is a boat trip that leaves from near the Eiffel Tower. I don't recall the company. I'm sure there is a HOHO stop by the Eiffel Tower too.

Bateaux Parisiens http://www.bateauxparisiens.com/ leaves right by Eiffel Tower

For me, after spending many days in Paris over the years, the best is simply to see Paris. Unless you have a special interest, like Impressionist painting, that you really want to see, take the above advice and relax and enjoy. HOHO bus, Seine cruise, sitting at a cafe in the Latin Quarter. And really hop on and off the bus when you see something that appeals. There are benches and cafes throughout the city.

Paris is especially beautiful after dark. Sunset is around 8-8.30 in September. You may want to take a nap in your hotel and go out again for dinner and then the HOHO after dark (if it's still running). And a Seine cruise, even if you took one during the day.

Another suggestion is to get tickets to a 7 p.m. concert at Sainte-Chapelle. It's usually Vivaldi's Four Seasons and you get to see this beautiful chapel while sitting down. The concert is about an hour long. From there, it's a short walk (10 minutes if you are walking slowly) to Pont Neuf where you can get a cruise boat (Vedettes du Pont Neuf).

And heed others' warnings - do not use the metro. Besides the stairs and walking, you'll stand while waiting for the train and often have to stand for the ride too.

PJ,

This offers a wealth of suggestions and links to more information. http://www.davidlebovitz.com/2008/02/accessible-trav/