What to do on day of arrival in Paris.......

Debbie,
Can you at least drop off your luggage at the hotel? After that, I'd recommend a nice refreshing walk with a stop at one of the crepe carts (or two or three...). You can always hit a cafe to relax and sip some coffee or wine and have a pastry.
Are you flying the direct Air France flight from Seattle? We took that one in November. I think it arrives around midday. If that's the case, by the time you get all your stuff together and get to the hotel, you're looking at a couple of hours from landing. You may not have to kill too much time. If you're arriving earlier... see above (especially the crepe part).

Go to your hotel and leave your luggage. They might let you change your clothes too. Get some lunch up at a cafe on Montmarte. Take the tram up the hill, see Sacre Coeur and wander the square with all the artists. Have a meal at one of the many cafes. Then walk down the hill enjoying the old village atmosphere. The fresh air will be good for you. Then head over to your hotel, set your alarm and nap for a couple of hours. Shower and go out to dinner. We like to head over to the Boul St. Mich, have a coffee at a cafe, walk around and eat at Bistro St. Emillion. We've eaten here our first day on 3 visits. The first time we went to the Louvre and I have a photo of the kids asleep at 3pm. Stay outside and walk around. Don't plan for some special sight, like the Eiffel Tower. If you nap, force yourself to make it only a couple hours. Then you'll be able really sleep that night. I try to get as much shuteye on the flight as possible.

Drop off your bags at the hotel. Get a pass for the hop-on, hop-off bus and tour the Bastille or Montamarte area. These areas will be laid back and not so busy as downtown Paris. Also find the crepe cart as a PP after my own heart said!! :)

Agree about dropping your bags off at the hotel. Usually this is not a problem. Also, have the desk person recommend a nice place for lunch in the neighborhood. Another good idea is to take an orientation cruise on the Seine. Doesn't require a lot of energy, but will keep you awake, especially if you sit on the top deck! Gives you a good idea of the "lay of the land" if its a first visit. Enjoy!

http://troi.cc.rochester.edu/~tdip/tomsguidetoparis.htm

Hi Debbie, the above link is for Tom's Guide to Paris... It's made to order for your first afternoon... bon voyage!... P

Last time I was in Paris I arrived under similar circumstances. I dropped off my bags at the hotel and hopped on a Metro for Pere LaChaise cemetery. Spent a few relaxing hours wandering around the graves. Perfect!

I always like to take a bus tour, if it is a nice day. In Paris, the hop-on, hop-off bus is great. Sit on the top, ride through the city and get a great overview of where things are. If you have time, get off at some major stops and enjoy! Plus, you get the fresh air!

Walk around, get a good breakfast and some coffee. If it is your first time, go to Notre Dame and take a look. Paris is my favorite European city (although I will admit that may have to do with having family there) and you'll have a great time!

On the first day, I like to take a brisk walk to help combat jet lag and then visit a museum, possibly the d'Orsay, the Rodin Museum or Napoleon's Tomb at the Invalided. It's nice to do something that's probably on your list of "things to see" so you don't waste the day. Also you're in a space where you can stop and rest for awhile if you need to. I also hope that you'll be able to drop off your luggage at the hotel--many times I've been able to check in early when I didn't expect to.