Abstract: Method for producing containers such as for example bottles, from extruded and blow-molded plastic material, including bringing a tubular preform closed at its upper end and of which the outer surface of the wall is brought to a temperature of at least 140.degree. C., to a station where the containers are shaped by extrusion and blow-molding, after cooling down the said preform to a temperature around 118.degree. C. The cooling down of the preform, from its initial temperature before it reaches the container shaping station is controlled, first by the ambient atmosphere (a,b,c) then in a plurality of enclosures (d to k), closed at their upper end, in each one of which heat is supplied on the outer surface of the preform in order to obtain, at the exit from the last enclosure, as even a temperature as possible around 118.degree. C. through the thickness of the preform wall.