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From Olivier Baussan's first distillation to a globally recognised brand, Maison L'Occitane en Provence marks 50 years of craftsmanship and creativity, inspired by the lands of Haute-Provence.
GENEVA, Switzerland, April 1, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- In 1976, a 23-year-old Olivier Baussan distilled rosemary and sold essential oils in local markets. This beginning laid the foundation for what would become one of the world's most recognisable beauty Maisons. Fifty years later, L'Occitane en Provence celebrates half a century of transforming natural ingredients into effective, sensorial and responsible skincare and fragrance collections.
An entrepreneurial story that began in Haute-Provence
In 1981, the brand opened its first manufacturing site, shaping what would become L'Occitane en Provence, combining high-performance natural ingredients with respect for people and the planet. In the early 1990s, Austrian entrepreneur Reinold Geiger joined the adventure, transforming it into a global success while remaining faithful to its founding values.
A global milestone on 1 April
The anniversary will be marked worldwide on 1 April, launching a year of immersive retail experiences across more than 3,000 boutiques, 2,500 partner hotels and over 100 spas, including Le Couvent des Minimes, un Hôtel et Spa L'Occitane en Provence in Mane, Provence. Dedicated activations will blend nature-inspired soundscapes with iconic scents, music, light and décor, alongside elevated client experiences and Provençal-inspired treats, with L'Occitane en Provence office teams joining Beauty Hosts in store to welcome guests.
A year of celebration and creativity
The anniversary will continue to unfold through moments reflecting the Maison's creative spirit and cultural inspiration, as it reconnects with its artistic roots – notably through the Prix Cultures, created with the Provence Culture network to celebrate emerging talents inspired by Provence. It will also mark the release of founder Olivier Baussan's new book, retracing the brand's early years.
In May, L'Occitane en Provence's manufacturing and R&D site in Manosque, France, will unveil a redesigned factory tour and boutique with sensory, interactive experiences, inviting visitors to explore the transformation of botanical ingredients into efficacious, sensorial products, while showcasing the Maison's expertise in sustainable plant extraction, formulation and sourcing.
A pioneering spirit within a global group
Today, L'Occitane en Provence stands as the heritage Maison of the L'OCCITANE Group, a B Corp™, alongside a portfolio of premium beauty brands. Through this anniversary, the Group celebrates its strength and pioneering spirit, while reaffirming its commitment to nurturing entrepreneurial brands rooted in purpose, craftsmanship and sustainability.
Media contact:
L'OCCITANE Group | groupcommunication@loccitane.com
From Olivier Baussan's first distillation to a globally recognised brand, Maison L'Occitane en Provence marks 50 years of craftsmanship and creativity, inspired by the lands of Haute-Provence.
GENEVA, Switzerland, April 1, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- In 1976, a 23-year-old Olivier Baussan distilled rosemary and sold essential oils in local markets. This beginning laid the foundation for what would become one of the world's most recognisable beauty Maisons. Fifty years later, L'Occitane en Provence celebrates half a century of transforming natural ingredients into effective, sensorial and responsible skincare and fragrance collections.
An entrepreneurial story that began in Haute-Provence
In 1981, the brand opened its first manufacturing site, shaping what would become L'Occitane en Provence, combining high-performance natural ingredients with respect for people and the planet. In the early 1990s, Austrian entrepreneur Reinold Geiger joined the adventure, transforming it into a global success while remaining faithful to its founding values.
A global milestone on 1 April
The anniversary will be marked worldwide on 1 April, launching a year of immersive retail experiences across more than 3,000 boutiques, 2,500 partner hotels and over 100 spas, including Le Couvent des Minimes, un Hôtel et Spa L'Occitane en Provence in Mane, Provence. Dedicated activations will blend nature-inspired soundscapes with iconic scents, music, light and décor, alongside elevated client experiences and Provençal-inspired treats, with L'Occitane en Provence office teams joining Beauty Hosts in store to welcome guests.
A year of celebration and creativity
The anniversary will continue to unfold through moments reflecting the Maison's creative spirit and cultural inspiration, as it reconnects with its artistic roots – notably through the Prix Cultures, created with the Provence Culture network to celebrate emerging talents inspired by Provence. It will also mark the release of founder Olivier Baussan's new book, retracing the brand's early years.
In May, L'Occitane en Provence's manufacturing and R&D site in Manosque, France, will unveil a redesigned factory tour and boutique with sensory, interactive experiences, inviting visitors to explore the transformation of botanical ingredients into efficacious, sensorial products, while showcasing the Maison's expertise in sustainable plant extraction, formulation and sourcing.
A pioneering spirit within a global group
Today, L'Occitane en Provence stands as the heritage Maison of the L'OCCITANE Group, a B Corp™, alongside a portfolio of premium beauty brands. Through this anniversary, the Group celebrates its strength and pioneering spirit, while reaffirming its commitment to nurturing entrepreneurial brands rooted in purpose, craftsmanship and sustainability.
Media contact:
L'OCCITANE Group | groupcommunication@loccitane.com
** This press release is distributed by PR Newswire through automated distribution system, for which the client assumes full responsibility. **
L'OCCITANE Group celebrates 50 years of L'Occitane en Provence
KANAZAWA, Japan, April 1, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Kanazawa Biyori, a regional media platform rooted in Hokuriku, is committed to sharing the living culture of this region with a broader audience — not only its celebrated landmarks, but the traditions that continue to define what it means to call this city home. The Hyakumangoku Festival is the beating heart of Kanazawa: magnificent, historic, and unmistakably alive.
The Procession That Defines a City
The Hyakumangoku Festival is held each June in commemoration of Lord Maeda Toshiie's triumphant entry into Kanazawa Castle on June 14, 1583 — the moment that laid the foundation of the Kaga Domain and shaped the city as we know it today. Now in its 75th edition, the festival runs from Friday, June 5 to Sunday, June 7, 2026, transforming the center of Kanazawa into a stage for one of Japan's most spectacular civic celebrations.
At its heart is the Hyakumangoku Gyōretsu — a procession of breathtaking scale and pageantry that departs from the iconic Tsuzumimon Gate at Kanazawa Station and winds its way through the city to Kanazawa Castle Park. On Saturday, June 6, from 2:00 to 6:00 p.m., the streets of Kanazawa belong entirely to history brought to life.
This Year's Highlight: Where Living Tradition Meets National Drama
The defining draw of this year's festival is a convergence that happens once in a generation. Lord Maeda Toshiie will be portrayed by Daito Shunsuke, and his consort Omatsu-no-Kata by Sugai Yuka — both currently starring as Toshiie and Matsu in Toyotomi Kyodai!, the 2026 NHK Taiga Drama.
For those unfamiliar with the format: the NHK Taiga Drama is Japan's most prestigious historical drama series, broadcast annually by the national public broadcaster since 1963. In Japan, historical figures are often remembered — and reimagined — through the lens of whoever portrayed them in a given year's Taiga. To see these actors step from the screen into the streets of Kanazawa, embodying the very figures who built this city, is an experience with few parallels.
A Procession of Power and Craft
The Gyōretsu is more than a parade — it is a living tableau of Kaga culture in motion. Music corps perform at three points along the route, filling the streets with sound and energy. The Kaga Tobi — the storied firefighters of the Edo-period domain — take to the street four times, their acrobatic ladder performances drawing gasps from the crowd. The thunderous Kaga Shishi lion dance, a designated cultural property of Kanazawa, moves through the procession with an energy that is as ancient as it is electric.
This year, the procession once again incorporates the Kiriko float parade from Noto — a powerful gesture of solidarity with the region's ongoing recovery from the 2024 earthquake. The sight of Noto's lantern floats moving through the streets of Kanazawa carries a meaning that no words can fully capture.
Three Days of Living Culture
The festival extends well beyond the Gyōretsu. Across three days, a series of events deeply rooted in Kanazawa's cultural identity are planned. The Hyakumangoku Takigi Nō is set to bring Noh theater to life under the open sky, performed by firelight in the grounds of Kanazawa Castle Park — a hauntingly beautiful tradition. The Hyakumangoku Chakai tea ceremony will offer visitors a window into the refined world of Kaga's tea culture. And as night falls, the Hyakumangoku Odori Nagashi fills the streets with dance, open to all — no experience, no affiliation required.
An Invitation
Kanazawa Biyori shares this festival not simply as a seasonal event, but as a window into the soul of this city — a place where history is not preserved behind glass, but performed, danced, and lived each June. Whether you come to watch or to join, the Hyakumangoku Festival is Kanazawa at its fullest.
- Information The 75th Hyakumangoku Festival
Dates: Friday, June 5 – Sunday, June 7, 2026 Main Event — Hyakumangoku Gyōretsu: Saturday, June 6, 2:00–6:00 p.m. Location: Central Kanazawa (departing from Tsuzumimon Gate, Kanazawa Station)
Media Contact
Kanazawa Biyori Co., Ltd.
Sunpia Izumigaoka 511, 255 Fushimishinmachi, Kanazawa, Ishikawa 920-0964, Japan
Email: info@kanazawabiyori.com
©Ishikawa Prefecture Tourism Federation
** This press release is distributed by PR Newswire through automated distribution system, for which the client assumes full responsibility. **
Hyakumangoku Festival in Kanazawa: A Grand Procession Rooted in Samurai Legacy
