The present invention relates to an installation for storing and recovering electric energy comprising two first and second enclosures (1, 2) containing a gas and porous refractory materials (11) capable of transferring heat energy by contact between the said porous refractory materials and a gas passing through the said enclosures, and means (3b, 4b) for compressing and means (3c, 4c) for expanding the gas travelling in pipes between each of the ends of one enclosure connected to one end of the other enclosure. The present invention relates to methods for storing electric energy in the form of heat energy in which use is made of an installation according to the invention and of a method for recovering electric energy (E R) from thermal energy stored by a method according to the invention. The electrical energy is stored in the form of heat inside masses of refractory products, and this stored thermal potential energy is recovered in the form of electrical energy.