“For me, The French Muse is about travelling deeper, seeking out thoughtful and intimate journeys that get to the heart of Provence and its culture.
Ever since I left my job in the cinema industry in 2010 and moved my family to Provence - I have been on the wildest adventure of my life. A new path that is woven with stories of silk and ribbons from my French family ribbon dynasty; tinted with the rich colours of indigo and garance of 18th century Les Indiennes; and embraces some of the most incredible artists and creatives in Provence who have opened up their homes, ateliers and way of life to me.
I wanted to share this with the world and sought to find a way to create an authentic and intimate travel experience, which was focused on nourishment, creatively and physically. To be the conduit that brings people together from different generations and backgrounds, to create an experience where it is essentially about meaningful human interactions and connections. This is what The French Muse is all about!
Ruth x”
Ruth Ribeaucourt
Founder & Owner, The French Muse
Irish born creative Ruth left behind a career in the international cinema world for a life in a tiny Medieval village in Provence. In the last decade, she has embarked on a wild adventure as a jewellery designer; antique textile dealer; ‘porteuse d’idees’; published photographer and contributor to several International magazines including Where Women Create ; My French Country Home and Quilt Mania magazine and up until COVID-19 hit - she was a passionate travel guide and experience creator.
In 2021 - Ruth launched the independent quarterly print magazine, FAIRE, to celebrate the stories of process, place and creativity of artists, craftspeople and creatives around the world.
Her photography work has been commissioned and published by many international magazines and publishing houses including (Hardie Grant UK (2023), Editions de La Martinière (2023), Éditions Eyrolles (2022) and Simon & Schuster (2021). Her first book, ‘A Year in the French Style: Interiors & Entertaining by Antoinette Poisson’, will be published by Flammarion in October 2023.
Ruth currently manages communications for the haute couture ribbon company, Julien Faure and is a freelance PR consultant for heritage companies, artists & makers.
The Story Thus Far...
Fourteen years ago, I visited the sleepy hilltop village of Lacoste for the first time. Twenty four hours in and fate intervened, a handsome Frenchman crossed my path and it was as the French say, un 'coup de foudre', no-turning-back-love at first kiss. Much to the shock of his family, my brave Frenchman left the land of fresh and plentiful unpasteurised cheese for Ireland and the love of an Irish girl.
Two wet Irish winters later we tied the knot and in 2010 the little Franco-Irish 'merveille' Louis joined our family. The arrival of our beautiful boy made us crave a simpler life, one which enabled us to spend more time as a family, and to live life more passionately and not feel like we were commuting the years away.
So in the depths of a dark Irish October in 2010 we left everything behind, careers, big city life, our home and wonderful friends, for Provence. Since moving to France, I have been collaborating with my French familys company, the celebrated haute couture ribbon makers, Julien Faure of St. Etienne, to create Rubanesque, one of a kind jewellery, embellishing echantillons from the familys 150 year old silk and passementerie archives with vintage beads & found objects.
Through this collaboration, I have had an incredible opportunity to discover the world of silk and French textiles. It is not just the warp and weft that draws me in but the whispers of stories woven into these threads, stories of a tribe, from the silk worm workshops in the Luberon to the passementiers of Saint Etienne.
I love the Henry Miller quote “ One's destination is never a place, but rather a new way of looking at things.”
In 2015, I created The French Muse, to offer unique, intimate travel experiences, taking travellers off the beaten track and inviting them to experience life as a local. For me the most exhilarating part of travel is the human connections we can hope to make.
My other two big adventures …. Louis (13) and Charlotte (10)
