Does anyone know anything about the couchettes or sleeping cars for overnight trips? are they recommended?

I would go to www.seat61.com for further information. Whether or not they are good, or bad, or noisey, or quiet definitely depends on whom you ask and varies greatly by personal experience.

I've never had a bad's night sleep on a Trenhotel train but others have said, "Never again."

A couchette is a sleeping compartment with bunks, typically stacked 3 high. I only recommend them for parties of 6 people traveling together.

Otherwise, you are taking a chance on being confined in a small space with strangers of unknown honesty or hygiene.

They are cheaper than hotels.

Ever been to China? Dont worry, just take care of you belogings. You will find that most people are nice.

how about sleeping cars i hear they're different than the couchettes. I will be travelling in france.

Yes, compartments are different. Think "hotel room with 6 square feet of floor space but costing as much as a real one."

They typically have beds for one or two and a bathroom for one-half.

Robespierre, come on now. They aren't THAT big! Traveller, the sleeping compartments vary depending on the particular train. Follow Interpid's advice and go to seat61's website, where he shows you the different compartments and general sizes.

Are you traveling solely within France or crossing a border? Trains traveling from one country to another have different set ups.

The older sleeping cars are, in my opinion, nicer and more spacious. But it's still like a very expensive camping trip in a comfy bed.

The new excelsior cars may be more state of the art, but they are cramped and cost more for the privilege. The older "universal" cars are much better.

The sleeping compartments generally have two bunk beds with full clean linens, blankets and pillows, a wash basin and a mirror. You are provided with bottled water, a towel, and a toiletrie bag containing soap and toothpaste. There is an electrical outlet for shavers, but you can plug in your laptop or portable dvd player (Okay, I like to watch movies at night on the train!). There's a toilet at either end of the car and a porter per car.

I personally love night trains and sleep well on them. I like to try to spend at least one night on a train whenever we travel to Europe.

As I alluded earlier and as others have said above, it depends on which train you take. For example, if you travel on a TrenHotel train (France-Spain; Spain-Italy) and go in the most expensive accommodations (Gran Classe) you have an upper and lower berth, a toilet and sink and a shower. The evening meal is also included as is a Continental breakfast.

CityNightLine trains (mainly Germany and Germany to other nearby countries) have a variety of sleeping compartments and configurations.

All of this is well laid out at seat61.com and includes pictures.

The poster has three threads going. I suggest combining into one.

Here is the train, Paris to Nice, with a couchette:

http://www.voyages-sncf.com/dynamic/...mp;_AGENCY=VSC

The train from Caen to Paris leaves at about 5pm. There is a decision as to what station to store luggage.

I like overnight trains, but I pay for a private compartment ("wagon-lit" in french) for one or two people. I think it's great fun- definitely pack a picnic dinner with sandwiches, fruit pastries, wine, water, etc.

I wouldn't do it more than 1-2 times during a single trip because you probably won't get a completely sound/full night's sleep (you are on a train afterall!).

I would never be able to sleep well in the couchette situation, partly because of the uncomfortable shelf bed, but more so because of sleeping with 3 to 5 strangers in a claustrophobic space.

So either I pay the extra $ for a private cabin (two bunk beds, bottom one flips up to a couch during the day, bedding, sink, window, door that locks, toilet down the hall)... or I'd take a day train or fly instead.

The first thing I would do is look into the feasibility of flying into Paris and out of Nice. Then I would look at the portion of this trip devoted to relocating from one place to another, which is quite a lot.

Caen can be done as a day trip from Paris, if one wishes to spend that much time in a day going back and forth.. Day trains Paris to Lyon, Lyon to Annecy, Annecy to Nice.

For me, night trains only begin to make sense for longer trips.