A block motion estimation method for estimating a motion vector on the basis of a position of a frame block in a current picture compared to a position of said frame block in a reference picture, by determining, at a plurality of search points of said current picture, a variation of the current picture as compared to the reference picture, said search points defining a polygonal search area along the perimeter thereof, said search area including some reference search points and inner search points, the method comprising the following steps: sub-dividing a plurality of n-tuples each n-tuple comprising n of said search points, wherein n is any integer from 1 (normally 2, 3 or more); determining a selected n-tuple of said sub-plurality of n-tuples having the smallest sum of distortions; and comparing the distortion at said central reference search point and at least one inner search point adjacent to the selected n-tuple such as to determine that search point thereof having the smallest distortion which is used in the estimation process
