The water retention mechanisms play a major role in either fluid trapping due to the capillary forces present in low permeability formations, as in the case of shale gas reservoir, or in the resaturation of shale formations after ventilation, as in the case of deep geological repositories. Moreover, the permeability and the swelling/shrinkage behaviour of shale are related to suction, or the degree of saturation variations. The poster presents experimental techniques and results related to the analysis of the water retention behaviour and permeability-porosity relationship for Swiss shales.