The Laboratoire National SATURNE (LNS) was established in Saclay through the joint efforts and funds of the CEA and the CNRS/IN2P3. The first proton beam from the new synchrotron SATURNE-2 was obtained in July 1978. The laboratory's activities stopped in December 1997. This volume contains the contributions to a colloquium held in Paris in May 1998. It synthesizes the various subjects of the research activities driven by SATURNE-2, and presents the progress of accelerator physics and the impact of the LNS through its various collaborations and studies. It also provides the starting point for...