A series of ten La(III)-saccharide complexes have been synthesised with eight different monosaccharides (D-glucose, D-fructose, D-galactose, D-mannose, L-sorbose, D-arabinose, D-ribose and D-xylose) and two disaccharides (D-maltose and D-lactose), and characterised by analytical, spectral and electrochemical techniques. 13C NMR spectra reveal interesting binding modes of saccharide molecules towards La(III).