These shots are from L'Escalade which occurs every December in the Old Town of Geneva. It is celebrating the defeat of the surprise attack by troops sent by Charles Emmanuel I, Duke of Savoy during the night of 11–12 December 1602.
According to Genevois legend, Catherine Cheynel, originally from Lyons and the wife of Pierre Royaume, ("Mère Royaume"), a mother of 14 children, seized a large cauldron of hot soup and poured it on the attackers. The Royaume family lived just above the La Monnaie town gate. The heavy cauldron of boiling soup landed on the head of a Savoyard attacker, killing him. The commotion that this caused also helped to rouse the townsfolk to defend the city.
All over town you will find marmites (cauldrons) made of chocolate and filled with marzipan vegetables and candies wrapped in the Geneva colors of red and gold.
1 comment:
Wonderful photos!
Those marmites sound really good.
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