Binary sequences with low off-peak autocorrelations play an important role in several communication engineering applications. The problem of finding such sequences is equivalent to the problem of determining the low-energy configurations of a specific spin model with long-range 4-spin interactions. Using a simulated annealing procedure, the statistical mechanics of this spin model, which exhibits frustration without disorder, is analysed in detail. Comparison is made with predictions based on a simple «ergodicity assumption» which moreover may be used to derive an estimate for the true ground-state energy. Our results are consistent with the occurrence of an «ergodicity-breaking» phase transition at a finite temperature. For long sequences, the energy minima found with the simulated annealing p Des suites binaires avec faible autocorrelation jouent un role important dans divers problemes de communication. Le probleme de trouver de telles suites est equivalent au probleme de la determination des configurations de faible energie dans un modele particulier de spin avec interactions a 4 spins de longue portee. Utilisant une methode de recuit simule, nous analysons en detail la mecanique statistique de ce modele de spin, qui presente des frustrations mais pas de desordre. Nous comparons nos resultats avec des predictions basees sur une hypothese simple d'ergodicite qui, de plus, conduit a une estimation de l'energie de l'etat fondamental. Nos resultats suggerent l'apparition d'une transition de phase du type «brisure d'ergodicite», a temperature finie. Pour des suites longues, les minima d'energie trouves par la methode de recuit simule different d'un facteur 2 de l'energie du fondamental conjecture, ce qui indique que les configurations d'energie minimale sont extremement isolees dans l'espace de configuration. Enfin les minima trouves par le recuit simule ne semblent pas presenter de structure ultrametrique non triviale
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