I have a few questions that I haven't seen answered so I thought I'd post them all in one thread. Please keep in mind we are very much budget travelers.

Mrs. DennyO and I are going to France for the very first time. We arrive at CDG at 0730. I figure we'll get into Paris about 0930 (realistic?) and most hotel check-ins are 1400. Naturally, we'd like to do something in between but will probably be somewhat tired. Whatever we do, we don't want to be hauling around our luggage for 4-5 hours. If we go straight to the hotel, could we leave the bags until check-in? How about taking the RER into town; are there lockers available?

The Segway tours look like fun and a good way to get oriented to the city (although expensive). Has anyone here done them? Would we be too tired to enjoy them, i.e. should we take a tour bus?

Our plan is to spend the first day in Paris, then two in Rouen/Giverny, then two in Burgundy/Dijon, then four in Paris. I have seen some disparaging comments about Dijon here, but I was looking forward to visiting (and sampling) some wineries. Are there alternatives you would suggest?

The trip by train for two (2d class) works out to almost the same cost as renting a car. Advantages to train: don't have to drive, can't get lost, and it seems more "authentically" European. Advantages to car: flexibility on when to leave and where to stay (I saw a nice-looking B&B outside Dijon), and freedom to stop at any small town that suits our fancy as we travel. Am I missing anything?

By the way, my reading of French is passable, I think I can speak it OK but I have concerns about oral comprehension. A major goal of mine is to improve my French.

Finally, we enjoy taking pictures with our camera and can think of no better place to do so. Does going around Paris with a camera around the neck mark us too much as tourists, an invitation to pickpockets? Do many people go around town with backpacks?

Thanks
And thanks to Flyer talk: our plane tickets were "purchased" with miles.