This paper is concerned with some nonlinear propagation phenomena for reaction–advection–diffusion equations in a periodic framework. It deals with travelling wave solutions of the equation $$u_t =\nabla\cdot(A(z)\nabla u)\;+q(z)\cdot\nabla u+\,f(z,u),\qquad t\in\mathbb{R},\quad z\in\Omega,$$propagating with a speed c. In the case of a “combustion” nonlinearity, the speed c exists and it is unique, while the front u is unique up to a translation in t. We give a min–max and a max–min formula for this speed c. On the other hand, in the case of a “ZFK” or a “KPP” nonlinearity, there exists a minimal speed of propagation c*. In this situation, we give a min–max formula for c*. Finally, we apply this min–max formula to prove a variational formula involving eigenvalue problems for the minimal speed c* in the “KPP” case.