my french is not great, and as I followed along the best I could, it sounded like an American life insurance policy.  Wikipedia was in English, and confirmed that.  These vehicles would not be included as direct stock investment in the US.  In the US they provide a multiple service of making payouts to your beneficiaries when you die, and if you live a long time they will provide some benefits.  In the US they do not allow you to select specific stocks, or mutual funds.  They really don't allow regular management of your portfolio.  Nor do you get the full return on your investment, since a big part of the benefit is the safety they provide for one's family in case of premature death.