The objective of this study was to develop an operational typology of patients hospitalised in palliative care units (PC units) and to characterize these populations. Prospective data were collected in four PC units over three-week periods, generating a sample of 139 cases. Five classes of patient were identified and described via a factorial analysis and a classification: metastatic cancers requiring significant psychological attention, terminally ill patients, ENT cancers, neurological diseases and elderly patients. A more detailed study revealed differences between metastatic cancers, younger patients, very dependent patients and the other patients. We present the sociodemographic, clinical and cost per patient profiles of each class of patient. Having access to a broader sample of PC units and of patients would allow for a more completetypology.