Fantastic. Special thanks to MaineGG. I now know where the tabacs are around my hotel. And yes I had been working with the interactive map.

Looking forward to recovering from long flight in Jardin du Luxembourg the day of my arrival and buying tickets ready to get aboard buses the next day. The site is in French but since I have been studying French (and did study French right through secondary school) I do understand the fine print on opening hours etc. Shall supply a trip report in August no matter how it goes. I'm will be in Paris for three weeks (slow traveller!) then off to Switzerland for a revisit. Merci beaucoup. Au revoir.

Bookmarking. Great info here. Those Metro stairs can be killers for some of us older folks! I appreciate this previous research, as I'll be staying in the St germain area on my Oct.trip. Also some of the time in 7th near Ecole Militaire. Glad to hear there are escalators there.

moving, if you look at the RATP map online, or use the RATP app, they'll have the locations marked where you can buy tickets, usually tabacs, convenience stores etc.

and chiming in with the other advice: take buses!

sorry, doubled the advice

Sue4, the ecole militaire busstops and those at champ de mars have some great busroutes that take you all across town or indeed right to Luxembourg, check the RATP site to hightlight which ones.