Potentially toxic trace elements (PTTE) such as As, Cu, Cr and Zn can be in excess in contaminated soils at wood preservation sites, especially when Cu-based salts, i.e. Cu sulphate and chromate copper arsenate (CCA) have been long term used as preservatives against insects and fungi which may result in soil phytotoxicity (Kumpiene et al., 2008). In comparison with conventional techniques, phytoremediation technologies are less invasive and low-cost and able to restore the physical and chemical properties of PTTE-contaminated soils and the cascade of biological processes and functions leading to remediated ecosystem (Mench et al., 2010). Among phytoremediation options, (1) phytostabilisation, singly and in combination with mineral and organic amendments (i.e. aided phytostabilisation) aims at decreasing both the labile PTTE pool and providing nutrient supply and (2) phytoextraction which uses tolerant plants and their associated microorganisms aims at extracting and translocating PTTE from the soil to the harvestable plant parts. Salicaceae, willows and poplars, have been shown to be efficient for phytostabilisation of PTTE (Vamerali et al., 2009): they have a high and rapid biomass production and PTTE confinement in their roots provides them a metal(loid)s tolerance. This study aimed at investigating the efficiency of both phytoremediation options (i) on the mobility and bioavailability of Cu in contaminated soils and (ii) the tolerance of Salix purpurea to Cu.