Sight seeing questions in Paris

I'm not one to do museums on arrival day, but what makes the Rodin so magical is the outside sculptures and gardens. So you'll be strolling and getting fresh air. But, L'Orangerie , also wonderful, is a small manageable museum and in the Tuilleries so you can stroll in gardens after. But sounds like L'Orangerie is closed on Tuesdays.

I think you would need to reach out to each museum (or check the website) for any allowable luggage sizes in the cloak room. I wouldn't be concerned about it being secure. They are more worried about what you are trying to bring in; (everyone goes through security) not trying to steal from you.

Also, you can use the G7 official Paris taxi app to get a taxi to Gare St Lazare for time effienciency.
We arrived closer to closing time at the Rodin this past spring. So we only saw the outside sculptures and gardens; we never saw inside and we really enjoyed it! So since your time is tight, you may want to do the same thing.

The Musee Rodin opens at 10 AM and L'Orangerie is not open on Tuesdays so it will have to the Musee Rodin and you will have to get there right when it opens and as my son says bust a move. Are you planning to take the metro to the train station? I would because well, traffic exists. Metro line 13 stops at Varenne and Invalides both of which are near the museum and goes to Saint Lazare where you will catch your train. You can see how long the trip will probably take at www.ratp.fr -- be sure to change the time to a weekday at the time that you will be traveling and not the time where you are when you use their route planner. The Rodin does not accept large pieces of luggage but they do accept backpacks and umbrellas, etc. Perhaps you can store your luggage, assuming you have more than a backpack, near the station at City Locker (there is no luggage storage in Gare St Lazare) early in the morning and then head to the museum.
Edit: For the Arc d'Triumph, some say that the elevators are for persons with disabilities. It will not hurt to ask. I did not know that there was an elevator when I went in 2012 with my then 6-year-old-son and an employee waved at me and told me we could ride it up. My son was tired from walking all over Paris and I think the staff person looked at me and him and took pity on us. The elevator did not go all the way to the top. We had about 50 more steps. I have read that there is a second elevator to the top but I have not taken it. The monument can only be reached on foot via the Passage du Souvenir, a tunnel at the top of the Avenue des Champs-Elysées and at the top of the Avenue de la Grande-Armée via a staircase. Can you husband deal with that?

I think the attendants must keep their eyes open for people who look like they could use a little help, because that was my mom's experience at the Arc de Triomphe as well. She arrived with a regular ticket and had no idea there was an elevator until the attendant offered it to her for her ascent.

I wanted to take the elevator up the Arc but didn't see any signs. You go through security and then BOOM you're up the stairs, so you must ask BEFORE security to avoid the stairs. Good luck!

As noted, you can and should start your Rodin tour outside. After that, you may not even need to go inside (Rick hints that after a while it gets kinda monotonous).

The Orsay also has quite a few Rodins so that may satisfy you.

Doug&Deb,
Oh please do try to get to the Rodin Museum, if only to see his sculptures in the gardens. I go every time I am in Paris. Take note of The Burgers of Calais. Look up their back story. And don't miss The Gates of Hell.....fantastic!
If you don't get inside that is okay, but set aside 1-2 hours for the gardens if you can.

Seine River boat ride....Vedettes de Pont Neuf, leaving from Ile de la Cite, inexpensive, about one hour, narrated (probably in French only, but sometimes they repeat in English as well). Get there about 45 minutes before your time so you can snag a seat on the top deck for better views. (Dress warm enough for the weather.) You can reserve tickets on their website if you wish.

St. Sulpice..check their website for mass times and what music there is for each mass. Sunday 11:00 mass has the fantastic organ for music, and usually music begins about an hour before mass, so you get a concert first. But the website will tell if there is a choir, organ, or just a cantor at each mass.

In spite of jet lag, you could do the Orangerie that first afternoon, as you could spend just an hour there. (Say a 4:00 reservation, if possible?). Then to mass, dinner and bed. Your other plans sound good. Just a note, the Rodin Museum isn't too far from the Eiffel Tower if you wanted to switch out the Arc with Rodin. Do the Arc the last day if you feel you can get to the station in time, after picking up your bags at your hotel, where you have hopefully been able to leave them. But only if that works for you. I don't have any suggestions for you regarding getting around Paris.....taxi or metro. Now that I am older (80), I don't enjoy the metro as much (too many stations with stairs!) I will walk, but need more time than a 40 year-old. So a taxi is more common nowadays. But to each his own.

I've never been up the Arc de Triomphe (afraid of heights!), so no suggestions from me on that.
Bonne chance et amusez-vous Bben!

Thank you all for the excellent advice. I have learned that both the Rodin and Orangerie will check our luggage if needed.
I have another question about the Rodin. I know it doesn’t open until 10:00. I wasn’t even aware that it had a garden to view. Is this garden possibly open before 10:00? That would be great. I also found that it won’t take us long to get to the train station so that’s another plus.

"Is this garden possibly open before 10:00?"

No. The garden is behind the ticketing area and beside/behind the house. There are walls around the outside that screen the art from view.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/cXEank7oBxaBw2hcA

Are you sure about the luggage storage at the Rodin Museum? See the Vigirate section of https://www.musee-rodin.fr/preparer-sa-visite/informations-pratiques.

JHL, thanks for the heads up. I sure thought I had read somewhere that we could check our luggage at the Rodin. Can anyone tell me how big the lockers are? We will each have just a carry-on bag. If not, are there lockers at the train station large enough to hold our bags?

Did you see my first post? There are no lockers at Gare St. Lazare. There is a City Locker near the station and they have lockers that can fit your luggage. You have to go to their website and book the space ahead of time. The storage at the Musee Rodin can hold a backpack. They took mine (a not very full JanSport laptop backpack). I'm not sure what the exact size restrictions are at the museum.

Doug&Deb,
Of the house or garden at the Rodin, the garden is the better choice, IMHO.