L'Escalade
lescalade fête de lescalade escalade act scaling defensive wall annual festival geneva switzerland held december commemorating defeat attempt conquer protestant citystate catholic duchy savoy celebration commemorative activity usually held december closest weekend savoyard troop sent charles emmanuel duke savoy attempted surprise attack night – december repulsed genevese defender according legend possible thanks individual act bravery genevese citizen notably local resident catherine cheynel also known la mère royaume dumped boiling vegetable soup invader alerted townsfolk year duke coveted wealth geneva charles emmanuel came throne house savoy aimed make geneva capital north alp crush protestantism pope clement viii offered encouragement appointed francis de sale catholic bishop geneva sale effective preacher recently successful recatholicizing chablais district savoy south side lake geneva night – december —the darkest night year—the savoyard force command seigneur dalbigny charles emmanuels brotherinlaw philip iii spain launched attack geneva numbering troop marched along river arve night assembled plainpalais outside wall geneva around december original plan send group commando open city gate let troop citizen geneva defeated invader preventing scaling wall using cannon fire fighting street managed climb alarm raised church bell rung genevese alerted night guard isaac mercier cut rope holding portcullis foiling plan open main city gate citizen fought alongside town militia repelled savoyard invasion forcing retreat fighting genevese suffered fatality savoyard suffered fatality savoyard taken prisoner including several wellborn men summarily hung following day brigand since could treated prisoner war peace repeatedly sworn part savoy according genevese legend catherine cheynel mère royaume cook originally lyon wife pierre royaume seized large cauldron boiling hot vegetable soup poured attacker scaling wall royaume family lived la monnaie town gate heavy cauldron boiling soup landed head savoyard attacker killing commotion caused also helped rouse townsfolk defend city defeat duke savoy accepted lasting peace sealed treaty st julien july although armed conflict actually took place midnight early morning december celebration commemorative activity usually held december closest weekend celebration include large marmite cauldron made chocolate filled marzipan vegetable candy wrapped geneva colour red gold customary eldest youngest room smash marmite reciting ainsi périrent le ennemis de la république thus perished enemy republic referring legend catherine cheynel tradition include mulled wine large serving vegetable soup child various type costume knocking people door singing lescalade song candy also common child school prepare vegetable soup served parent family night teenager tend throw egg shaving cream flour part celebration high school student parade together first going conquer end central square old town walking rue bass plaine de plainpalais back also parade friday evening name eighteen genevese fatalities—jacques billon died wound year later—are called one one historical procession sunday feature around people old genevese family wearing historical costume carry remaining fragment ladder used savoyard ride horse parade organised since compagnie de attracts ten thousand spectator annually since another element celebration lescalade escalade run road running event held weekend preceding night december depending whether fall weekend run traditionally start parc de bastion go old city geneva eventually circling back start one significant annual event geneva multiple event different age group story lescalade told song called cé què lainô written francoprovençal dialect around unknown author song become national anthem geneva complete version comprises stanza four usually sung also celebrated verse samuel chappuzeau genève délivrée gaberel jean lescalade son origine et s conséquences escalade origin consequence french compagnie de group organises yearly festival la course de lescalade world history kmla savoyard attack geneva fête de lescalade yearly celebration geneva memory night attack savoyard