Difference between a first class and second class ticket

Well if you take the TGV the class will not matter because seat reservations are compulsory

This https://www.seat61.com/tgv.htm will explain seating

The seat61 website has all the TGV details, seat61 is a great resource.

First class will be somewhat more comfortable, with more legroom and maybe wider seats, and maybe food service at your seat. Second class will be perfectly OK, though, including food service on the train, and both classes take exactly the same amount of time to get there. ;-)

One key difference is that you'll be less likely to have families with small children, and their associated noise and commotion, in first class. Not a certainty by any means, but on a probabilistic basis, less likely.

It's easy to choose seats together for four -- look for club quatre seating when making your reservation. You can also specify the lower floor (salle basse) or upper floor (salle haute). In general, deboarding is faster from the lower flow but the views during the trip are better from the upper.

My comparison of seats in second class is closer to business class on the airlines. In second you are seating xx xx and in first it sill be x xx. It would be harder get four of you together in first unless you can get a table seating but then two have to ride backwards if that is not a problem. First seats are wider but I don't find a big difference in leg room. You may have an inch or two more but it is pretty small. If substantially overweight than first will work better. Then, of course, it depends a little on how the coach is set up. In some all seats face the middle so only the middle row of seats face each other generally over a table. In others all seats face each other. It kind of the luck of the draw.

Actually 1st is 2 and 1, while 2nd is 2 and 2. The ultra budget high speed class between Paris and Nice has some hard plastic 3 seats with no frills. Look for a foursome, as k said.

If I were going that far with little difference in price, I'd buy 1st.

Yes I agree Bets, makes sense for such a long trip. Thanks.

For me it used to be when I paid for it, it was 2nd class. When work paid they'd buy 1st class. I never saw enough of a benefit to pay extra when I bought tickets.