Geneva - Event

Unrivalled in its pomp and revelry, Geneva's Escalade includes demonstrations, tours, music and re-enactments which take place all over the city. The event marks the victory over the Duke of Savoy, who tried to capture the city in 1602.

Today's Genevois prefer to treat the event as a celebration of solidarity, with plenty of opportunity to watch a costumed parade and meet and greet in the winding streets of the beautiful Old Town. History buffs can watch a demonstration of period weapons in the Parc des Bastions, while making the most of the opening of the Passage Monetier - a narrow walkway that leads to the remains of the Roman fortifications and is only open once a year on the Escalade.

In the depths of dark mid-winter, visitors can rest assured that warmth is not neglected: a bonfire is erected on the Cour Saint-Pierre outside the cathedral, and the famous soup of Mere Royaume (famous for stalling invaders by being dropped over them), along with mulled wine, is available to all visitors. In true Swiss style, the soup pot, or "Marmite", is recreated at home out of chocolate and stuffed with marzipan vegetables before being ritually smashed.