I will never forget the all-day session with the ladies of the village sitting in rows, stuffing conference kits with information packages, sachets of local herbs and maps to guide the visitors. They laughed and chattered, brimming with excitement about the impending arrival of the turning world in their village. Just like last time, it was the volunteers who made it possible.

Christian Delhon and I drove half way across southern France, gathering wood from distant sawmills. Turners from all over France trucked in their equipment and hauled lathes to every corner of the village. Jean-Francois and his wife Monique once again nearly destroyed themselves with hard work, while every day teams of volunteers drove themselves to near-exhaustion. Still, this was France and there was always time for a long lunch in a local inn with good food, wine and many jokes.

Even before the Journee started, there were turning classes in barns, bakery storerooms and workshops. This time round, in an expression of increasing self-confidence, there were as many French teachers as foreigners. It was a rare pleasure to quietly ride a bicycle from one class to another along meandering lanes, taking photographs, chatting and stopping every now and then for a coffee with hospitable villagers. At such times I shake my head and wonder. How lucky we are when the planet is in such difficulties to share the gentle world of woodturning.

Some things were the same: the weather was great and Albert still can't pronounce Puy-St-Martin. Others were new: the turning has improved and the mix of teachers and demonstrators was better.

Everybody I spoke to was so glad they had made the trip and each found something different to enthuse over. Afterwards, world-famous German turner Hans Weissflog was as excited as anyone: "Wasn´t it wonderful?" he said. "Everybody seemed to enjoy it... but then everybody normally enjoys woodturning events. There must have been something special. I believe there was one important thing going on. Everybody helped. The whole village was involved and was happy with all the visitors in such a small area. Otherwise such a successful thing would not have been possible. A wonderful old village as a place for this event, not a big hall. The landscape, the people who live there and who helped organize it, they made the success. It was an unbelievable amount of work for Jean-Francois, his family and all the helpers. I think what we all want to say to Jean-Francois is: Go home, sleep and then start planning the next Puy-St-Martin seminar. Thank you!"

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