His hands have been working since the age of 14 and even before, as he was often present in his father's woodturning workshop in Arinthod. Robert Marichy grew up in the Petite Montagne region near Saint-Claude, the capital of smoking pipes. Wood has been turned there since the 5th century, and Robert Marichy has endeavored to perpetuate the gestures and traditions of Jura woodturning. For him, his craft lies in the hands (gentle gestures), the eye (finesse of execution), and the head (projection of the future object). Patience is also a key element, as one requires a long apprenticeship before becoming a skilled woodturner.