In 1st the seats are more comfortable and you can arrange to have a meal served at your seat - there is a nice albeit small dining table situated between seats that face each other. The food is good but expensive and after feasting in Lille, this option may be useless to you!

Thanks for the explanation, usbeauty. I don't know how I'll ever plan a trip without the help from this board. It's just great.

There was a coffee shop in the Brugge station which I remember sold delicious pastries so you could get something and eat breakfast on the train.

When making your reservation online, how did you get your ticket if it can't be mailed to the US?

jamles - I ordered online with the help of this forum in April-- and as you say thank goodness for Fodorites1, so I'd like to return the favour. FYI, I booked Paris to Brussels, round trip online, and bought Brussels-Bruges round trip while I was there. Plese feel free to ask if you have other questions.
1. Best bet-reserve at least 14 days in advance for pricing. I don't think you can purchase more than 30 days in advance. **Adjust to France time, I got closed of 1 date when my order when the date rolled over to 13 days in advance while I was trying to figure out the schedule! 12:15 pm is 6:15 there. I guess the "day" ends at 6 pm their time.
2. You can opt to print the ticket yourself. Don't worry if you are unable to print it, as I was. I just went to a Thalys window in Paris with a printout out of my order confirmation and they printed it for me. SO I wouldn't bother having the ticket sent to you.
3. reading the schedules is a bit tricky and sometimes I couldn't find the site that is in languages other than french. Leave extra time.
4. Make sure to have a jacket or sweater handy. Some stations are open-air like Gare du Nord in Paris and cold! A big cup of cafe creme doesn't really help!
5. I didn't think 1st class justified a price difference. But for $12 I'd go for it. I was very comfortable in 2nd. However, if you are travelling now thru Sept., I have heard that when there are air conditioning problems, either 1st class is not effected, or restored first. It is true that the Brussels leg is assigned seats. Hope this helps.

Hi ninasdream and thanks. Which website did you book through? I've looked at the French and Belgian train sites as well as raileurope.come.
les

If you still want to travel via Lille, look at http://www.tgv.com/EN/ for online booking of a ticket Lille / Paris. You can choose to collect the ticket in Belgium (this is usually in any main train station). You will have to purchase your ticket Brugge / Lille separately (in Belgium).
I did another few simulations on the Belgium Railways' site and from what I see most of the trains from Brugge to Lille Europe go thru Bruxelles Midi!
See if this links works: http://plannerint.b-rail.be/bin/quer...7&OK#focus

Me again!
In that link I provided, if you check all the boxes below "details", you will see that only the first train does not go thru Bruxelles Midi. You will have 3 changes however ...

jamles- glad to help. I booked at Thalys.com. And follow notes from MyriamC, she was instrumental in walking me through the site and booking. The lowesr priced far is the Smilys. You can look for the thread in April under my tagname. Hi Myriam!

MyriamC- The TGV goes from Lille Flanders station to Paris (not Lille Europe). You mentioned this in an earlier posting.
les

les, Of course you're right. I'd better stop posting so late. I-)