Hi Stan and Mark.
Stan, it must have been great to be in Europe for that long. Personally, I would love to spend a winter there but my wife and I would miss the grandkids too much at this point in our life.
On the topic of pickpockets, I always wear a travel pouch around my neck and inside my shirt. They are sold at Walmart and Target. Chances are slim that they will get to that. As Mark implies, I was born in Philly and grew up in the Soprano state. Only one time that someone tried to test me and that was in Rome on bus line number 64, which is notorious for pickpockets. I had a shopping bag with some gifts in it. A guy tried to put his hand in it and I had to make him an offer he could not refuse. I really try to watch myself and anyone else who is with me.
Mark, getting around the Paris Metro system has to be a challenge for anyone who is disabled. Unlike America, there seems to be no movement by the authorities to make things easier for them. You really have to be physically fit to use the system from what I observed.
One of the best ways to get to and from Charles de Gaulle Airport and the city center is to take the Roissybus, seen above. It operates between the CDG airport and the Opera Garnier where a few Metro lines interconnect. It is relatively cheap (about 7.50 euros) and has a regular schedule. If you are willing to spend some more Euros, the Paris Airport Shuttle makes things a lot more easy. You can Google it. They use nice Volkswagen nine-passenger vans, but you may have to stop at other hotels along the way for other passengers. It's about 20 euros per person but well worth it.
Regional Rail line (RER) B3 also runs into the city from CDG where you can connect with the Les Halles Metro station.
My command of French is close to none with the exception of a few words and phrases. I was surprised at how many Parisians spoke English, and how polite they were to us. We tried to do the same. There were even advertising signs on the Metro urging speakers of French to sign up for English lessons to better further their business opportunities.
One more thing: We bought an Orange Card (Carte Orange) when we first arrived at the airport. It is good for nearly a week and you can use it on the bus system (including the Roissybus) , Metro, Regional Rail and funicular. Bring an extra passport-size picture with you in order to buy one. It gets pasted on the Carte Orange. Google it to learn more.