Abstract: A method of converting ethanol to a diesel fuel base stock comprises: a reaction stage (a) of contacting the ethanol with an acid catalyst, amorphous or structured, predominantly mesoporous, for example at a temperature of 300° C. to 500° C., at a pressure of 2 to 10 MPa and at a WHSV of 0.2 to 4 h?1, producing a gas phase, an organic liquid phase and an aqueous liquid phase, and a stage (b) of separating said gas phase, said organic liquid phase and said aqueous liquid phase at a pressure close to the reaction pressure. The method can involve recycling at least part of the gas phase separated in stage (b) to stage (a), and hydrogenating at least part of the organic liquid phase separated in stage (b).