This paper reviews the activity in adhesion science of the Department of Applied Chemistry and Chemical Engineering (CNRS, U R A 417) of the University of Lyon. France. This work essentially concerns treatments and modifications of surfaces by various chemical, electrochemical and physical techniqueselectropolymerization. plasma polymerization, sol-gel processes, phosphatation, etc. Examples of the characterization of these surfaces and that of bonded joints are shown. Emphasis is placed on the possibilities offered by the techniques developed in the laboratory (low-energy electron-induced X-ray spectrometry and the three-point flexure test).