  The rare earth ($R$) tellurides $R_2$Te$_5$ have a crystal structure
intermediate between that of $R$Te$_2$ and $R$Te$_3$, consisting of alternating
single and double Te planes sandwiched between $R$Te block layers. We have
successfully grown single crystals of Nd$_2$Te$_5$, Sm$_2$Te$_5$ and
Gd$_2$Te$_5$ from a self flux, and describe here the first evidence for charge
density wave formation in these materials. The superlattice patterns for all
three compounds are relatively complex, consisting at room temperature of at
least two independent wavevectors. Consideration of the electronic structure
indicates that to a large extent these wave vectors are separately associated
with sheets of the Fermi surface which are principally derived from the single
and double Te layers.
