FLORESCENCE
with
Camille Gressier | Isabelle Laydier Kristensen
Hosted by Ruth Ribeaucourt
Food and Styling: Harriet Davidson and Jeni Glasgow
& Special Guests including
Marie Varenne (Fleurs d’Arles), Manon Monge,
Aurore Pelisson and Rebekah Boisserie
May 21-26, 2025
At Château de la Gonette,
Simiane-la-Rotonde, Provence, France
“There is a hidden life within everything—a pulse in the stones, a breath beneath the soil, waiting for us to notice.”
“You are the sum of your blooming. All the forgotten seasons, all the things you have done and not done, all of it—the light and the dark—become part of the magic of your creative process.”
“I am rooted, but I flow.”
florescence noun
flo·res·cence
: a state or period of flourishing
This May, escape to Provence for a truly special creative retreat designed to immerse you in beauty, nature, storytelling, and artistic exploration.
For one inspiring week, the creative minds behind independent print magazines Blumenhaus and FAIRE will come together to host an intimate experience—one that invites you to dream, explore, play, and evolve as both an artist and storyteller.
Through guided workshops, meaningful conversations, and hands-on creative sessions, we’ll provide the space, tools, and inspiration to strengthen and support your creative foundation for the year ahead.
Ruth Ribeaucourt x
This immersive, hands-on experience combines workshops, visits with key artists and creatives from the region, collaborative sessions, and plenty of time to soak up the wild, inspirational beauty of the Luberon.
Each and every participant brings a life layered with stories and experiences which deeply influence how each of us sees the world and connects with others. Our goal is to nurture you, providing the perfect environment for your creativity to thrive and bloom.
Who is this retreat for?
This retreat is for anyone craving a creative reset and a chance to slow down, reconnect, and be inspired. It is for artists, writers, photographers, designers, storytellers, and anyone drawn to creative expression, whether seasoned professionals or curious souls looking to reconnect with their artistic spark.
This is a retreat for those who are not only inspired by the landscapes around them but also by the inner landscapes we often neglect—ready to be rediscovered through meaningful conversations, collaborative experiences, and personal exploration.
You don’t need to be a professional creative to join us. All you need is a curiosity for beauty, a love of storytelling, and an openness to trying something new.
Whether you are working on a creative project, seeking clarity for the next chapter of your artistic journey, or simply craving the freedom to play and experiment, this retreat will meet you where you are.
Above all, this experience is for those who believe in the power of connection—both to the natural world and to a creative community that encourages growth and celebrates the beauty in each unfolding story.
Creative Sessions & Experiences
to look forward to :
Alfresco Creative Workshop with Camille & Isabelle of Blumenhaus magazine
(A nature-inspired workshop blending creativity and fresh Provençal air)
Wild Weaving Workshop with Manon Monge at her Olive Farm
(Learn the art of weaving in the serene setting of St. Martin de Castillon)
Flower Harvesting at a Charming Organic Flower Farm & Floral Styling workshop with Fleurs D’Arles
(From field to vase: a floral design experience in a magical setting)
Visual Storytelling: Capturing “The Heart of the Story” with Ruth Ribeaucourt
(An immersive workshop with Faire magazine’s Editor-in-Chief and photographer Ruth Ribeaucourt)
Treasure Hunting at the Flea Market + Exclusive Visit to an off the beaten track Antique Textile Emporium
(A behind-the-scenes tour of design-insider favourites, perfect for vintage lovers)
Curated Supper Parties Featuring Collaborations with Guest Artists and Artisans
(Intimate evenings celebrating seasonal cuisine, art, and craft)
An Afternoon spent exploring Antique French Silk & Ribbon Archives
(A journey into France’s textile heritage through rare collections and storytelling)
Private Atelier Visits: Meet the Region’s Most Talented Artists, Makers, and Producers
(A rare chance to step into the homes and studios of Provence’s finest creatives)
…and more surprises to be revealed over the coming weeks!
Film by Kelsey Glennon. Visiting the Terre du Luberon organic flower farm
“A flower is not a flower. It is made only of non-flower elements – sunshine, clouds, time, space, earth, minerals, gardeners, and so on. A true flower contains the whole universe. If we return any one of these non-flower elements to its source, there will be no flower.”
Meet our team of magic makers….
Photos by Tiphaine Caro
Camille Gressier | Isabelle Laydier Kristensen
Art directors, illustrators, and founders of Blumenhaus Magazine
We are thrilled to welcome Camille and Isabelle to co-host Florescence. As the creative minds behind Blumenhaus, an exquisite independent print publication celebrating botany through art, fashion, and beauty, their work is a testament to the power of storytelling through visual art.
Camille and Isabelle will host an intimate alfresco creative workshop during the Florescence retreat as well as share their invaluable advice on storytelling, publishing, illustration and creative direction.
With backgrounds as art directors and illustrators for renowned press groups and brands, Camille and Isabelle longed to create something deeply personal—an object free from creative constraints. Drawn to forgotten art movements and vintage imagery, they envisioned a publication that would seamlessly weave together art, fashion, interior design, storytelling, and photography, all rooted in their shared passion for botany.
“We primarily draw inspiration from our travels, vintage books, and textiles. We are constantly seeking beauty and moments of reflection. Once we’ve settled on a theme, we embark on a rigorous search to identify the best possible content and artists to collaborate with.
Our style is a fusion of contemporary and ancient elements, with a romantic, maximalist flair. Rather than following trends, we strive to create our own unique aesthetic. This approach has allowed us to cultivate Blumenhaus’s distinctive world and taste.”
As artists, sharing one’s work can feel vulnerable, but the love and warmth Blumenhaus has received have been nothing short of humbling. The support from their community continues to inspire them, and we cannot wait for them to share their creativity with us during Florescence.” Camille Gressier & Isabelle Laydier Kristensen
Photo by Lean Timms
Ruth Ribeaucourt
Photographer, creative director and EIC of Faire magazine.
Irish-born Ruth Ribeaucourt began her career as an international publicist and talent handler for Walt Disney Studios before trading the world of cinema for a slower, more hands-on creative life in Provence, France. Since 2010, she has immersed herself in making, creating, and collaborating—first through her jewellery line, then as a writer and photographer for publications such as Where Women Create, My French Country Home, and Quilt Mania, as well as for publishers including Flammarion, Hardie Grant UK, and Simon & Schuster.
In 2019, Ruth launched an international creative retreat programme, fostering connection through storytelling. Her passion for giving creatives a platform led her to create the independent print publication FAIRE magazine in 2021—an intimate, honest space for sharing long-form portraits of artists, craftspeople and creatives around the world. A dedicated facilitator of workshops, exhibitions, and events, Ruth is committed to nurturing and empowering her creative community.
Her first book, Chez Antoinette Poisson was published by Flammarion in October 2023.
Going deeper to the heart of the story
Ruth Ribeaucourt will lead an insightful workshop into the power of connecting heart to your visual storytelling. She’ll also nurture discussions on the world of magazine editorial: how to seek exposure and pitch your stories; how to cultivate links, relationships and collaborations; advice on what to be aware of; and how to keep your story current with the world media.
With special guests
Reba Boisserie
Reba Boisserie’s love affair with clay began in childhood, inspired by her artist mother’s evening ceramic classes in California. Her own creative journey with clay started in high school and deepened during her five formative years at the renowned French maison, Astier de Villatte. In 2023, she founded her atelier in Saint-Sulpice-de-Favières, where her artistic practice continues to flourish.
Reba finds clay a uniquely captivating medium, shaped by the harmonious interplay of the four elements—Earth, Water, Air, and Fire. Without one, the final piece remains incomplete, making the creative process inherently collaborative. This sense of connection fuels her work; she thrives on artistic partnerships, believing her creations are enriched and strengthened through shared vision and creative exchange.
We are delighted to welcome Reba as one of our special guests at Florescence in Provence, where her artistry and collaborative spirit will undoubtedly inspire all who meet her and we’ll get to play with and enjoy her surrealist ceramic artwork.
Follow Reba on Instagram
Marie Varenne aka Fleurs d’Arles
French flower enthusiast Marie Varenne left Paris behind in search of a slower life in the countryside of Provence. On her journey, she fell in love with a shepherd and found her creative voice through the Slow Flowers movement, which aspires to reclaim the value of seasonal, sustainably grown, local flowers. Marie’s intuitive talent for creating wild, instinctive bouquets has earned her prestigious floral commissions from the Fondation Vincent van Gogh Arles, the Mucem in Marseille, and Luma Foundation in Arles.
Follow Marie on Instagram
Photography by Marta Puglia
Aurore Pelisson
Textile artist, natural dyer
Aurore Pelisson is a French textile designer whose poetic sustainable textiles and ready-to-wear collection tread the line between fine art and craft. Using ancient world techniques, Aurore combines natural plant dyes with elaborate hand drawn serigraphy inspired by the landscape and botanicals of her native Provence.
Follow Aurore on Instagram. Photo by Yago Bruna
Manon Monge
Olive oil producer, soap maker and wild weaver
Tucked away in the rolling hills of les Hautes Courennes, Manon Monge has crafted a life deeply entwined with the rhythms of the land. Raised on a goat farm in the Luberon, she returned years later to cultivate her family’s olive groves and create artisanal soaps inspired by the surrounding landscape. With a devotion to organic farming and a respect for nature’s slower pace, Manon’s work is a harmonious blend of tradition and experimentation. Her olive oil captures the essence of the region—bold, peppery, and authentic—while her handmade soaps, infused with local botanicals, reflect her connection to the terroir. For Manon, every creative reflex is a lesson in patience, creativity, and the quiet magic of living close to the earth.
Follow Manon on Instagram. Photo by Yago Bruna
Jeni Glasgow & Harriet Davidson
“We are a pair of food collaborators, a duo of creatives; a unity of flair & finesse with an eye for detail & a hunger to satiate.”
Photo by Lean Timms
Jeni Glasgow
‘Jen is often considered in the same space as food, and what she brings to that table is indeed a feast, both literally and metaphorically. But that’s only one element of her genius. Everything about Jeni comes back to her impulse to create. Her home is her studio and stage, an entire creative biosphere. A hunter, a gatherer, an assembler, a disassembler, a maker, a curator, a thinker, a sartorialist, and a dancer. Her situational art- the way she lives her every moment - prompts us to see our own living space as if it, too, were a narrative base. She shows that the real art of the matter is here at home and in the everyday rhythms and rituals of our days.’ - Doreen Kilfeather. Instagram | website
Photo by Yago Bruna
Château de la Gonette
Our accommodation and the heart of our retreat is the breathtaking 17th-century Château de la Gonette, nestled at the foot of the medieval village of Simiane-la-Rotonde in the Luberon region of Southern France. Once the cherished home of celebrated interior designer Robert Kime, it was affectionately known as the ‘Sleeping Princess.’ Today, its current owners, author Alice Nelson and her husband Danny, have become its new guardians, embracing this role with care and sensitivity as they continue the estate’s historic purpose as a sanctuary for those seeking peace, inspiration, and connection. We are thrilled to have the opportunity to create magic here in 2025.
You can read about the history of this beautiful property in a feature from Vogue UK, House & Garden and visit their instagram here.
Retreat package & costs
Solo room options :
Duras: One queen bed and shared bathroom (Private room, solo occupancy) Price: €4,500
Woolf: One single bed, shared bathroom. (Private room, solo occupancy) Price: €4,000
Marquez: One double bed and shared bathroom. (Private room, solo occupancy) €4,000
Camus: One double bed and shared bathroom. (Private room, solo occupancy) €3,800
Note: For mothers / daughters / best friends / partners who wish to travel together and are comfortable sharing a double bed, please drop me a personal note for a special package deal.
Shared room options :
Our shared room options are very large, generous bedrooms, decorated with antiques sourced at nearby Isle sur la Sorgue, family heirlooms, storied antique beds and layers of antique textiles.
Kime bedroom: Very generous shared bedroom with two queen beds and shared bathroom (room is shared between max two guests, you each have a queen bed). Price: €3,750
Ondaatje bedroom: King bed (four poster bed) with ensuite bathroom (room is shared between three guests in three individual beds - you are not sharing a bed). Price: €3,775
Ernaux : Shared bedroom with single bed and ensuite bathroom (room is shared between three guests in three individual beds - you are not sharing a bed). Price: €3600 per person
Ernaux : 1 x Shared bedroom with single bed SOLD OUT
FAQs
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I am a little old school and prefer to open up dialogue directly on email about the retreats which is why there isn’t an option to purchase directly on the website.
So please don’t hesitate to drop me an email at ruth@fairepress.com
You can start by telling me which is your room preference?
I always love to learn a little about you so please tell me where you live and what you’re passionate about!
We have both solo occupancy rooms and then beautiful big shared room options. If you see a room type that you love and would like to reserve you just need to write to me and let me know.
To hold your spot we request a 50% deposit and then the remainder is due 8 weeks prior to the retreat.
The other reason I don't do online checkouts for our retreats is that some guests ask for this to be invoiced as a business expense (as they're learning storytelling, photography, floral design, styling in a creative workshop environment) and others prefer to put it as a personal expense.
So yes it would be great to know is this Business or Personal… and let’s take it from there!!So excited to meet everyone via email and then in person!
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What is included:
Six days (Five nights) stay in the very beautiful Chateau La Gonette in Simiane la Rotunde in the Luberon region of Provence, South of France.
All of your meals (including refreshments/wine) for the duration of the retreat - including 2-3 extra special supper feasts.
All of the individual workshops and any necessary materials
Transport to and from Avignon TGV train station. One group transfer is organised. One group transfer is organised on Wednesday 21 May at 10h30 and a return transfer on and Monday 25 May 2025 to arrive at Avignon TGV train station for 14h00. Many of our French Muse guests choose to fly in the night before our retreats and spend a day exploring the vibrant city of Marseille.
Your transport to and from excursions and classes is included.
All towels and linens are provided.
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Your travel to and from Avignon TGV train station i.e. your flights / transport to get you from your home to Avignon TGV for the group transfer is not included.
Obligatory travel insurance.
As for the connection, we will be organising one group transfer from Avignon train station at 10h30 and a return transfer to arrive at Avignon train station for 14h00. Many of our French Muse guests choose to fly in the night before our retreats and spend a day exploring the vibrant city of Marseille.
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Unfortunately due to the nature of this retreat we are unable to offer refunds should you need to later cancel. If you wish to find a replacement then your place can go to them but we cannot refund any payments made. We will do our best to advertise and try and fill the place for you but cannot guarantee success in filling your place at late notice.
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Our retreat is based in the village of Simiane-la-Rotunde in the Luberon region of Provence.
We provide a group transfer from Avignon TGV station.
On Wednesday 21 May 10h30 pick up from Avignon TGV train station
Monday 26 May Drop off at Avignon TGV station at 14h00.
We are also on hand to help you book a taxi / private driver if you prefer to be picked up from another city. (this cost is not included but we’re very happy to be your coordinator on the ground).
The nearest airport is Marseille (1hr 50 mins drive) and the nearest train station is Avignon TGV (1hr 40 mins drive). An alternative route is to fly to Paris and then take the TGV train to Avignon TGV (3hrs direct).
Many of our French Muse guests choose to fly in the night before our retreats and spend a day exploring the vibrant city of Marseille.
Please don’t hesitate to drop me a line if you’d like help planning your trip as there is so much to see and do in this region.
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Comprehensive travel insurance is now compulsory - and will ensure peace of mind and mean that you are covered fully for sickness, accident, or loss/damage of your personal property (cameras/laptops etc) during your trip.
Your travel insurance plan must cover personal injury, medical expenses, repatriation expenses, and evacuation expenses
We strongly recommend selecting a plan that covers you in the event you contract COVID-19 abroad and need to quarantine. While our team will help you make these arrangements, we cannot cover these costs.
We strongly recommend additional coverage for trip cancellation, trip interruption, and for personal property.
When you book with us, you accept responsibility for any damage or loss caused by you or any member of your party. Full payment for any such damage or loss (reasonably estimated if not precisely known) must be made direct to the accommodation owner or manager or other supplier or to us as soon as possible. You should ensure you have appropriate travel insurance to protect you if this situation arises.
Please note that travel insurance provided by your credit card typically does not cover all of the above .
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Absolutely not - this is a retreat intended to inspire and allow you to explore, play and experiment and learn new skills. We are a small group and intentionally keep our retreats intimate so that we can follow along at the rhythm of each individual person.
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You can pay either by International Bank transfer or Wise transfer. Please contact us if you prefer paypal.
Final payment is due by 25 March (8 weeks prior to retreat).
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In the unfortunate event that a guest/host/mentor is unable to attend, The French Muse and Faire magazine will offer an alternative of equal standard and quality.
“This is what snippets of a week with @ruthribeaucourt looks like on her @faire.press Storytelling retreat in Provence. Add in sounds of chiming bell towers, delicious French words flying about over candlelit dinners, hand-dyed silks swishing about in the afternoon sun; tastes of @glasgow_diaz’s food creations inc. anchovies, tomatoes, herb-smothered potatoes and puffer fish made from puff pastry (I’ll never get over that Jeni); smells of crushed wild marjoram underfoot, a dry forest hugging a lush vineyard, the unique and intimate smells of stepping into someone’s home, exposing decades-old prints on old ilford paper stock, and freshly picked cepes still covered with dirt at the market; and feels of curiosity, inspiration and warmth from a group of creatives so wildly talented and open to sharing and learning (photographers, videographers, textile artists, cooks, silversmiths, wine makers, writers, sculptors etc etc) and you’ll begin to start to feel the nourishing overwhelm (oxymoron?) of this retreat. I’m not sure I’ve ever been a part of anything more beautiful. Thank you Ruth for sharing your Provençal world with us and for the invitation to be a photography teacher/mentor for this week. It was like nothing else. I’m full, in all the beautiful ways. Time to digest.”
Lean Timms @leantimms
“Huge thank you to all of the mentors and creatives who brought their passion, wisdom, generosity, hearts, and stories to this enchanting week in the Luberon ✨I am forever changed having known you all.”
Kelsey Glennon @kelsey_glennon
