Fête de l'Escalade

The beginning of December can only mean one thing in Geneva... time for the Fête de l'Escalade! This is the yearly celebration in memory of the night attack by the Savoyards in 1602 and one of the biggest events of the year. The celebration has been held in Geneva for over 400 years and involves special dinners of hot and tasty vegetable soup, a foot race, chocolate pots called "marmites" filled with marzipan vegetables, and a big parade complete with hose drawn cannons.

The legend of that fateful night in 1602 surrounds a Geneva citizen, Mère Royaume, the mother of fourteen children. After realizing the city was being attacked, she seized a large cauldron of vegetable soup that was cooking on the fire and hurled it onto the head of a Savoyard mercenary. This woke the Geneva troops and the city was saved!!

G ran the famous Course de l'Escalade race and beat his time from last year by quite a bit. We actually knew quite a few people running this year and despite the cold, drizzly weather I was out there cheering on the runners. I had to skip this year's race due to my ever growing "bump" :)


As all good Genevoise do, we bought our own chocolate pot (marmite) filled with marzipan vegetables. The custom is for the youngest and the oldest in the house to smash the chocolate pot, while shouting, "Thus perish the enemies of the Republic of Geneva." (en Français - "Ainsi périssent les ennemis de la République!")


A week after the race there is a huge parade through the old town with folks in full historical costume, horsemen, musketeers, crossbow marksmen, torch-bearers, and even a hangman and his assistant. The procession is accompanied by gun smoke, firecrackers and gun salutes. I love this parade and wrapped up in my warmest clothes, went across the river to witness this grand spectacle. The best part was it is only a five minute walk from our flat, so as soon as it was over I was back home, toasty warm nibbling on our chocolate marmite. Good stuff!