1976
At 23 years of age Olivier Baussan bought an old distiller to make essential oil from rosemary to sell in the provençal open-air markets. L'OCCITANE was founded.
1980
'Going into a L'OCCITANE shop means finding a little corner of Provence, taking in its sensations, its colors, its warmth, discovering a rich and living range of experiences for the senses'.Olivier opens the first L'OCCITANE boutique in Volx.
1981
Olivier buys old furnaces in Volx and settles his first factory. He still has his office there today.
1982
Launch of the extra gentle soap enriched with nourishing Shea Butter. Its shape coming from the 19th century becomes the emblem of the company.
1989
Revolution in Romania, L'OCCITANE sends soap and shampoo to Romanian villages.
1990
Aid in the Sahel : L'OCCITANE joins with the Daniel Balavoine Foundation, funds collected on the sale of soaps make it possible to provide Mali villages with farming equipment.
The L'OCCITANE canal-boat makes it possible to bring the first lavender harvests to Paris.
1992
L'OCCITANE supports asociations to protect endangered specieds with 'Imperiled animals'.
The Shea is a sacred tree in African tradition, the cultivation and harvesting of which is reserved only for women.To support these courageaus women and help this tradition survive L'OCCITANE buys their butter at a fair price and help these women to fulfill the needs of their family, and to focus on the education of their children.
1997
First Braille labels on all shampoos.L'OCCITANE products are available to everyone. This is why L'OCCITANE has supported the cause of the blind and the visually impaired for over 10 years. This support has been manifested through a great many actions, especially though the use of Braille on our product labelling since 1997.
First partnership with ORBIS.L'OCCITANE has been dedicating resources and raising money for ORBIS, the international non-governmental organization that fights against blindness by aiding the world's poorest countries with training, prevention and care programs.
2002
Launch of the Immortelle range, our anti-aging range awarded by the Excellence Challenger Marie-Claire.
2004
L'OCCITANE participates actively in developing culture of the almond tree in Provence, with the department of Alpes de Haute-Provence.
2005
L'OCCITANE creates candle coasters, pieces of felt in the shape of our classic hexagonal candles, feature Braille labeling – spelling out the word “light”, to help the ORBIS foundation.
