An obstacle detection procedure and detection device within the area surrounding a motor vehicle featuring the following: to define at least one first region of interest by carrying out a first detection of an obstacle by shape recognition in an acquired image of this environment; to define at least one second region of interest by carrying out a second detection of an obstacle by movement detection in relation to the vehicle on a sequence of acquired images of this environment; to classify the detected obstacle with, respectively, a first and second index of confidence applied to the first and second regions of interest in relation to given characteristics; and to validate the classification of the object detected in relation to these indices of confidence and in relation to these regions of interest resulting in validated regions of interest.