OBJECTIVE: The Grenoble clinical research centre carried out a prospective satisfaction survey of subjects taking part in clinical studies undertaken in its buildings. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A questionnaire adapted from Grenoble teaching hospital's inpatient satisfaction survey was sent to 198 subjects. It comprised 24 items pooled in categories on which were calculated average scores. The participation rate of the survey was 82.6%. On the whole, 94.4% of the questioned subjects would accept to take part in a new study if we requested them, and 72.2% were satisfied or very satisfied with their stay; 24% had no opinion. The mean overall satisfaction score was 8.6 (95% confidence interval: 7.6-9.6) out of 10. CONCLUSION: This investigation shows that the assumption of responsibility of the subjects by specific personnel and in an adapted place, within the framework of clinical protocol of research, is associated with a high satisfaction of the subjects. However, we still have to improve the transmission of the clinical study results to the patients.