PR95401

PARIS, Apr. 24, 2022 /PRNewswire=KYODO JBN/--

Lancome inaugurates Le Domaine de la Rose, a one-of-a-kind site designed with a

global agricultural and architectural approach. The sober, ecologically-minded

estate offers a unique opportunity for the general public to discover the

brand's concrete commitments to biodiversity – particularly with regard to the

rose – through events and training sessions focusing on perfume plants slated

to begin in 2023.  

To view the Multimedia News Release, please click:

https://www.multivu.com/players/uk/9036051-lancome-inaugurates-horticultural-site-domaine-de-la-rose/

At the heart of the Grasse region, Lancome has established Le Domaine de la

Rose, an ecological horticultural site spanning 9.8 acres (4 hectares). The

brand purchased the estate in 2020, not only for the purpose of cultivating its

distinctive ingredient – the rose – and other perfume plants, but also to

develop a sanctuary for biodiversity to protect the land’s heritage and natural

resources.

The project was developed around two major areas: the reinforcement of farming

activity through the fresh planting of local species and perfume flowers, as

well as the rehabilitation of the existing built and natural heritage, without

soil artificialization, through the restoration of the main house using local,

recycled, and biosourced materials, and the preservation of the arboreal

heritage. Lancome thus becomes the owner, producer, and protector of a complete

agricultural and horticultural patrimony, a first for a selective beauty brand.

This ecological project, which makes sparing use of resources and materials

with restraint and a contemporary approach, reflects the brand’s values and

draws on the essence of its origins as a perfume house.

Le Domaine de la Rose is also destined to become a spot for the transmission of

professional expertise relating to perfume plants, and the specific perfume

savoir-faire of Lancome, as demonstrated by the educational distillery and the

perfume organ. Beginning in June 2022, the general public will have the

opportunity to discover fragrance compositions produced using the new Rosa x

centifolia grown at Le Domaine de la Rose: the new perfume La Vie Est Belle

Domaine de la Rose and the fragrance Maison Lancome 1001 Roses.

What makes this estate special is a combination of various types of agronomical

expertise that are applied to innovate and to develop the cultivation of

perfume plants using sustainable, traceable, organic methods. Le Domaine has

been farmed for approximately five centuries, and the former owners have been

considered pioneers in organic rose and perfume plant cultivation for more than

50 years. The brand is following this approach, using agroforestry methods and

protecting the estate's unique agricultural and architectural heritage, such as

dry-stone walls*, water channels, and trees. No fewer than 163 species of

plants are present on the estate, providing a habitat for 33 species of birds,

31 species of butterflies, 8 species of dragonflies, 12 species of bats, and

other animals observed and recorded in a biodiversity audit** that serves as a

guide for the brand's endeavors.

This ecological site is an integral part of Lancome's corporate social and

environmental responsibility strategy, which aims to reduce the overall

ecological footprint of its products, from the cultivation and processing of

the ingredients to the products' use and end-of-life. With Le Domaine de la

Rose, the brand is taking care to limit its impact on biodiversity, since the

decline in biodiversity is a phenomenon adversely affecting the preservation of

the earth’s ecosystems and their resilience to physical changes. Today, Lancome

uses 99% organic roses in its skincare and makeup products. By 2025, the brand

plans to use 100% organic roses, 60% of which will be grown in France.

"The rose has always been important to Lancome. We are happy and proud of this

purchase, which reinforces our presence in Grasse, the world birthplace of

perfumery. The brand, which is already established in the region, particularly

through a noteworthy exploitation of a rose field in Valensole for its skincare

ranges, will continue growing its own proprietary roses as part of its

responsible, traceable sourcing approach. Our aspiration was to restore the

estate with respect for its agricultural vocation and the equilibrium of

biodiversity, while integrating modern and sustainable renovation techniques.

In an effort to pass along its expertise, Lancome also intends on sharing the

traditional savoir-faire of the Rose with both internal and external audiences

through the acquisition of this property," Françoise Lehmann, General Director

of Lancome International.

Lancome's clear intention to carry out this sober, sustainable project is as

radical as its commitment. The project was executed by the architects Lucie

Niney and Thibault Marca from the NeM agency, based on a passive bioclimatic

design. The existing dry-stone walls** were conserved and restored according to

the traditional method, and the new agricultural buildings are constructed in

harmony with the appearance of those stone walls in order to blend in with the

natural landscape. While the new Rose House was renovated in keeping with the

size and architectural identity of the existing Provence-style home, it takes

on a contemporary appearance using colors and materials true to the heritage

and expertise of the Grasse region. As for the conversion of the principal

building, the materials used for the outdoor cladding, roofs and carpentry are

all pink, limiting the color scheme of the space to create a coherent whole.

Pink is one of the local colors: it is naturally present in the flowers and

plants of the region, and it often adorns the facades of houses in Grasse, in

addition to reflecting the brand's image.

In a spirit of energy conservation and ecological renovation seeking to reduce

the environmental impact of its entire life cycle, the walls of the main house

have been renovated and insulated from the exterior with a combination of

lavender straw and wood fiber, coated with pink lime plaster. The ecological

site features a water recuperation-and-reuse system, as well as an irrigation

system that uses rainwater, that aims to ensure water self-sufficiency, and

makes use of renewable energies. Moreover, its air conditioning is provided by

a geothermal heat pump completed by the natural ventilation of a ground-coupled

heat exchanger. These installations have enabled the project to gain the BDM

(Batiment Durable Mediterranean or Sustainable Mediterranean Building) Gold

certification.

*Dry stone walls support fields grown along terraces, built to prevent

landslides of cultivated hillsides.

**An inventory of the biodiversity is conducted to develop the database of the

Biodiversity Atlas of Grasse and is an integral part of the objectives of the

Grasse Ecological Transition Contract (CTE).  

Carolina SCHMOLLGRUBER:

Carolina.SCHMOLLGRUBER@loreal.com  

Hayat ZENATI:

Hayat.ZENATI@loreal.com  

Olivier VAN DONSELAAR:

Olivier.VANDONSELAAR@loreal.com

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SOURCE: Lancome