completely confused about seat reservations

1. Via SNCF you can only book at a ticket office, ticket machine in France or by phone. You can also book via raileurope.com, where you can indicate a preference for a window seat (and some other things).
2. You can choose from a seat map in 1st class on most domestic journeys in France, if you first book on e.g. raileurope.com and then go and change the reservation in the TGV Inoui Pro app. In 2nd class, you can only indicate a preference, unless you call SNCF.
   You could book e.g. Paris-Perpignan for €10 or €20 and then continue with regional trains via Portbou.

Hello ​@rebecca T 

In the TGV you have also “window” seats without window! They are between two windows. 

Oh that is really bad, might as well fly! 

But good to know, thank you

for rvdborgt, thank you for your reply. I have already bought an Interrail pass but am regretting it rather.

Can I had my interrail pass to the raileurope website and book a seat reservation through them if it gives me a chance of stating a seat preference? Booking through  this rail planner website gives you no options and it is not cheap. The whole idea of train travel was to see where I’m going. 

Well, as soon as you get out of France (or Spain) it works like that. France and Spain are annoying when using passes.

Anyway, if you’re up for it, we can give very creative suggestions here to minimise reservation cost though and try to give you maximum flexbility, even in France. It does come with the trade off of longer journey times and more changes. Just give a shout if you’re interested.

PS, fake window seats are a nuisance, but there only a few seats like that, don’t let it scare you.

Don't use the Rail planner app for planning and avoid the Interrail website for reservations. The Rail planner app can't book any reservations; it can only forward to some of the websites where you can book, such as the Interrail website and a few others. It sometimes ignores the best website such as Rail Europe for France and for Eurostar. The Interrail website doesn't have seat maps or even the possibility to indicate a preference for any train.

You can use the Rail Europe website for reservations in France (use "Add rail pass”) and you can indicate a preference there.

In general, use this page as a guide for where to book:

https://www.seat61.com/interrail-and-eurail-reservations.htm

Ok, this is all getting a bit clearer now. Trains to Mongolia were a doddle compared to this but maybe it’s because I’ve chosen France & Spain as my first Interrail countries! 

I don’t have a lot of leeway in my trip to Barcelona/Zaragoza but can take 2.5 days. 

I can be more relaxed going home from Santander (or rather Hendaye) if you have experience of that route. 

thank you for your help, I’m begining to feel more in control.

Well one day on and still a bit confused as I can’t add my pass to Raileurope and looks like I have to do it through Railpass/interrail. 

Use the Raileurope website on a computer or switch to the desktop version on your mobile. Then you should get the option to "add Rail Pass".

On my phone it looks like this. You add the pass number at checkout.

Feel free to post screenshots of what doesn't work.

thank you both! I didn’t buy my pass through Raileurope so is that why I can’t add it? I think it came from Interrail website via National Rail (UK) and I had to use the Railpass app. Maybe I am tied into them now? 

No, there's no relation. The Rail Europe iPhone app still doesn't have the "Add rail pass” so I guess you're trying to use that. Just use the Rail Europe (mobile) website.

You're not tied to anyone. You can buy your reservations wherever you like. The best is to use the reservations page on Seat61 as a guide, see above.

once again, thank you

done it, thank you. Have chosen seats as well.

Also i got one of those strange apple private relay addresses that doesn’t work (but can’t be changed) so very happy to be logged into Raileurope who are using my proper email address.

Thank you all for your help, so simple when you know how but very confusing to start with. I have done many long distance train journeys over the years but this one nearly defeated me!