Since 1995, the savings ratio of households in France has stood at 15% on average, which is a little lower than that in Germany or in Belgium (16%), but well above that in the other main Eurozone countries (11%). Measurement of the savings ratio is dependent, however, on the institutional characteristics of each country, and notably of the nature of the pensions system and the need for households to save for their retirement in countries with a funded pension system: these reasons for saving represent almost half of the average savings ratio over the period in the Netherlands and Ireland, all other things being equal, while they are much more limited in the other countries. The socio-economic environment (ageing of the population, situation of public finances, changes in inequalities in income) also play a role in the savings behaviour of households: in particular, since the crisis, households would seem to be more sensitive to the level of the public deficit in their country, pushing them to save. On average, however, the socio-economic environment does not decisively explain the levels of, and changes in the savings ratio: from one country to another, households would appear to have specific savings behaviour.