 It is reported that the Riboud couple had an extensive friendship circle which included political figures like François Mitterrand, Indira Gandhi and Ne Win and art personalities such as Yves Tanguy, Henri Cartier-Bresson, Isamu Noguchi, M. F. Hussain, Joan Miro and Max Ernst.They also had an art collection, some of which were later donated by Krishna Riboud to Musee Guimet where a separate gallery of "Jean and Krishna Riboud collection" is being maintained.Towards the later days of his life, he was afflicted with cancer and handed over his responsibilities to Vaillaud in September 1985.