<p><strong>Abstract.</strong> The origin of the N which contributes to the synthesis of N reserves of <i>in situ</i> forest trees in autumn, and to the growth of new organs the following spring, is currently poorly documented. To characterize the metabolism of various possible N sources (plant N and soil N), six distinct 20 year-old sessile oaks were <sup>15</sup>N labelled by spraying <sup>15</sup>NH<sub>4</sub><sup>15</sup>NO<sub>3</sub>: (i) on leaves in May, to label the N pool remobilized in the autumn for synthesis of reserves; (ii) on soil in the autumn, to label the N pool taken up from soil; (iii) on soil at the beginning of the following spring, to label the N pool taken up from soil in the spring. The partitioning of <sup>15</sup>N in leaves, twigs, phloem, xylem, fine roots, rhizospheric soil and microbial biomass was followed during two growing seasons. Results showed a significant incorporation of <sup>15</sup>N in the soil-tree system; more than 30 % of the administered <sup>15</sup>N was recovered. Analysis of the partitioning clearly revealed that in autumn, roots&#8217; N reserves were formed from foliage <sup>15</sup>N (73 %) and to a lesser extent from soil <sup>15</sup>N (27 %). The following spring, <sup>15</sup>N used for the synthesis of new leaves came first from <sup>15</sup>N stored during the previous autumn, mainly from <sup>15</sup>N reserves formed from foliage (95 %). Thereafter, when leaves were fully expanded, <sup>15</sup>N uptake from soil during the previous autumn and before budburst contributed to the formation of new leaves (60 %).</p>