A process for the continuous production of alkyl acrylate by transesterification reaction between a light alkyl acrylate and a heavy alcohol in the presence of at least one catalyst and at least one polymerization inhibitor, represented by the following reaction: H 2 C=CHCOOR 1 + R 2 OH ⇆ H 2 C=CHCOOR 2 + R 1 OH in which reaction R 1 represents a methyl or ethyl group, R 2 represents a linear or branched alkyl group of between 4 and 9 carbon atoms, preferably between 5 and 9 carbon atoms, possibly comprising a nitrogen atom, said reaction being carried out in a reactor coupled to a distillation column from which the azeotropic mixture composed of light alkyl acrylate and light alcohol generated by the transesterification reaction is drawn off, characterized in that the crude reaction product comprising the unreacted reactants, the formed reaction products, the catalyst(s) and the polymerization inhibitor(s) is sent to a single distillation column under reduced pressure, in which the distillation makes it possible to obtain: - at the top, a stream of light products essentially consisting of the residual alcohols R 2 OH and R 1 OH and also the unreacted reactant H 2 C=CHCOOR 1, which is recycled to the reactor, - in the bottom portion, the desired product H 2 C=CHCOOR 2 which is drawn off laterally in the gas phase, - at the bottom, a stream of heavy reaction products comprising the catalyst(s), the polymerization inhibitor(s) and H 2 C=CHCOOR 2 which is recycled in part to the reactor; and characterized in that the distillation column is a simple column containing distillation plates with or without downcomers, or containing packing of the random or structured type, optionally with recentering plates for the distribution of liquid, able to operate at pressures below atmospheric pressure. in which reaction R 1 represents a methyl or ethyl group, R 2 represents a linear or branched alkyl group of between 4 and 9 carbon atoms, preferably between 5 and 9 carbon atoms, possibly comprising a nitrogen atom, said reaction being carried out in a reactor coupled to a distillation column from which the azeotropic mixture composed of light alkyl acrylate and light alcohol generated by the transesterification reaction is drawn off, characterized in that the crude reaction product comprising the unreacted reactants, the formed reaction products, the catalyst(s) and the polymerization inhibitor(s) is sent to a single distillation column under reduced pressure, in which the distillation makes it possible to obtain: - at the top, a stream of light products essentially consisting of the residual alcohols R 2 OH and R 1 OH and also the unreacted reactant H 2 C=CHCOOR 1, which is recycled to the reactor, - in the bottom portion, the desired product H 2 C=CHCOOR 2 which is drawn off laterally in the gas phase, - at the bottom, a stream of heavy reaction products comprising the catalyst(s), the polymerization inhibitor(s) and H 2 C=CHCOOR 2 which is recycled in part to the reactor; - at the top, a stream of light products essentially consisting of the residual alcohols R 2 OH and R 1 OH and also the unreacted reactant H 2 C=CHCOOR 1, which is recycled to the reactor, - in the bottom portion, the desired product H 2 C=CHCOOR 2 which is drawn off laterally in the gas phase, - at the bottom, a stream of heavy reaction products comprising the catalyst(s), the polymerization inhibitor(s) and H 2 C=CHCOOR 2 which is recycled in part to the reactor; and characterized in that the distillation column is a simple column containing distillation plates with or without downcomers, or containing packing of the random or structured type, optionally with recentering plates for the distribution of liquid, able to operate at pressures below atmospheric pressure.