This paper presents results on the static bending properties, modulus of elasticity (MOE) and modulus of rupture (MOR) of small clear specimens of Scots pine, Norway spruce and European fir saw-timber wood in southern Finland and northeastern France, and their statistical prediction by basic wood properties, location within a stem and selected stand and tree properties. These models enable international and regional comparisons of the quality of saw-timber woods on the basis of the existing data on predictors. Relationships of MOR and MOE were investigated from the point of view of sorting wood for mechanical strength, as well. The results are based on 360 Finnish and 353 French specimens, from 60 trees from both countries, for MOE and MOR analysed in accordance with the ISO standards 3349/1975 and 3133/1975, respectively. Linear correlations with weight density at 12 % MC (WD) were established in each group of species and country for MOE (R[2]=0.21-0.67, RMSE=1.6-2.3 GPa) and MOR (R[2]=0.17-0.81, RMSE=8.8-15.7 MPa). In Finland, MOE and MOR were, at a given WD, considerably higher for pine and slightly higher for spruce than in France. This was more evident for juvenile wood than mature wood. The predictions were improved to a certain degree by the use of multiple linear regression models, with WD, ring width and age of wood from the pith, i.e., cambial age, as predictors. Application of covariance or linear mixed models with tree diameter, radial and vertical location within a stem, and identification numbers for stand and tree, in addition to the aforementioned wood characteristics, improved the predictions as well. Mean differences in MOE and MOR between Finland and France based on the aforementioned models and mean WD in both countries in comparable stand and wood data were estimated. For Finnish pine, these properties were, on average, approx. 5 % and 16-20 % higher than for French pine, respectively. For spruce, the corresponding differences were 18-25 % and 34-38 %. For both species, the contrast of average Finnish trees was larger to small-dimensioned than large-dimensioned saw-timber trees in France.