  We study the relationship between two classical approaches for quantitative
ergodic properties : the first one based on Lyapunov type controls and
popularized by Meyn and Tweedie, the second one based on functional
inequalities (of Poincar\'e type). We show that they can be linked through new
inequalities (Lyapunov-Poincar\'e inequalities). Explicit examples for
diffusion processes are studied, improving some results in the literature. The
example of the kinetic Fokker-Planck equation recently studied by H\'erau-Nier,
Helffer-Nier and Villani is in particular discussed in the final section.
