SNCF Une nuit en voiture-lit 1973

With a few bold lines and saturated blocks of color, Bernard Villemot distills the essence of sensuality and serenity in this iconic 1973 poster for SNCF’s sleeping car service. Titled Une Nuit en Voiture-Lit, the work is a masterclass in visual economy—an invitation to glide through the night in elegance and ease.

Villemot’s subject is simple but magnetic: a woman sleeping peacefully, adorned with gold jewelry, her body wrapped in shadow and soft light. With his characteristic silhouette style—heavily outlined forms, lush curves, and a rich, velvety color palette—he transforms the train compartment into a chamber of calm sophistication.

This is more than a travel advertisement; it’s a fantasy of luxury in motion. The lavender hues and gentle contrasts whisper of a world where every detail is designed for comfort and allure. Villemot’s poster taps into the poetic idea of movement without effort, a night where sleep and travel merge into one seamless experience.

By the 1970s, Villemot was already celebrated as the visual poet of French advertising—famed for his work with Bally, Perrier, and Orangina. But in this poster for SNCF, he offers something quieter, more intimate: a dream captured at 200 kilometers per hour.

Silkscreened and signed, Une Nuit en Voiture-Lit remains a high point of French graphic design, where modernist clarity meets human warmth. It’s not just a poster—it’s a lullaby on paper.

Railway - Transport - Advertising

Printed by Chabrillac in Toulouse

Good condition, one crease