The ways in which the Hominids of the Middle Palaeolithic acquired megaherbivores is still a point of controversy. Did Neanderthals have sufficient intellectual and technological capacities to hunt these huge mammals? This volume presents methods relating to the acquisition and treatment of prey. These are applied directly to the study of three European sites marked by an important population of very large mammals: Hanhoffen (Bas-Rhin), Biache-Saint-Vaast (Pas-de-Calais) and le Mont-Dol (Ille-et-Vilaine). In addition, 73 archeological levels presenting more or less remains of very large herbivores, dated from Middle Palaeolithic of North-Western Europe, are compared. In French with English abstract.