Bruges to Belgium to Paris - first timer

I'd just book the Eurostar leg separately today to save.
https://www.eurostar.com/us-en

Buy the Bruges to Brussels MIdi portion 30 days before. Take the 5:52 or 5:57 or 6:11 direct trains for more time.
From experience the early morning trains are busy with folks going to work or to the airport.

07:52 Bruxelles-Midi/Brussel-Zuid Track 5

21 minutes transfer time

07:43 Bruxelles-Midi/Brussel-Zuid Eurostar 9310

That can't be right. You can't leave 9 minutes before you arrive.

Even if your times are reversed that would be 9 minutes transfer time, not 21.

Please recheck.

21 minutes would have given you time to get and eat breakfast as well as change. 9 should be ok but you need to know where you are going and have no issues on the inbound train.

I'd want to be at the correct door of the (formerly Thalys red train) Eurostar 5 minutes prior departure to have enough time to find the (mandatory) reserved seat and stow luggage.

Number 1 - see above

Number 2 - fairly soon for the Eurostar or when they are released whichever is later. For the unreserved Brugge/Bruges to Brussels train anytime before you board, no advantage. If there is an ABS ticket available for the Eurostar that may be less expensive.

Number 3 - yes. They are commuter trains and you are at rush hour.

Number 4 - it is a fair walk from the tourist centre of Bruges to the station, and buses will likely be busy. Leave enough time for your early departure.

yep. my bad. i had looked at 2 differnt ones. it leaevs for Paris at 08:13

thank you both for your help.

It's a matter of personal preference, but I hate to get up that early, and miss (included?) breakfast to boot. I suppose you want to have a full day in Paris. I'd only mention that Antwerp is also well-connected to Paris, in case you have any plans to sleep a night or two there. Don't forget time to get to the station from your lodging in Bruges/Brugge.

I think 6:30 is early enough that the unreserved train won't be as busy as it is at 7:30 or 8. When you take the previous advice to book Eurostar separately, you will see that it is priced like an airline, with "businessperson friendly" departures more expensive than other trips. But well in advance, it is quite affordable.

You should look overhead for the coach numbers in Brussels/Midi because your assigned seat is a lot easier to get to if you enter the right coach from the beginning. That will be printed on the ticket. I doubt it will save you money, but Eurostar sells an "Any Belgian Station" add-on, which makes it unnecessary to buy a local, unreserved ticket from Bruges to Brussels. In any case, all three downtown stations in Brussels have the same fare from anywhere. There may be no serious luggage racks on the train from Bruges.

Buy the Bruges to Brussels MIdi portion 30 days before.

The ticket from Bruges to Brussels will be exactly the same price bought a year or a minute before departure. This is a commuter train. So there is no reason not to just buy it together with the Eurostar ticket. Makes for one booking.

The 21 minutes transfer is indeed unreasonable, but it is doable.