Every December, Geneva comes alive to celebrate the Escalade with its traditions, humor, and official celebrations.

Another festive event, the famous Escalade race in the old town, takes place at the beginning of December and brings together many participants of all ages.

The Escalade takes its name from the assault on the city walls of Geneva by the Duke of Savoy’s troops on the night of 11-12 December 1602. Every year in December, the Fête de l’Escalade commemorates Geneva’s victory with humor and tradition.

In 1602, Geneva, a rich and prosperous republic, attracted the covetousness of the Savoyards. Charles-Emmanuel I planned to make Geneva his capital north of the Alps and to fight against Calvinism with the support of Pope Clement VIII, despite “a sworn and rejected peace”.

On the night of 11 to 12 December 1602, one of the darkest nights of the year, a troop of 2000 soldiers disembarked by surprise. Arriving in Plainpalais, the mercenaries climbed the walls surrounding the city. This is why the commemoration is called the “Escalade”.

The Genevans take courage and win the victory.

The alarm is given at 4.30 a.m. by an arquebus shot fired by a sentry. The Clémence, the bell of Saint-Pierre cathedral, rang the tocsin, supported by all the bells of the monument.

Numerous stories highlight the courage of Mère Royaume, who scalded a Savoyard with her pot of soup. In her honor, since 1881, chocolate pots, decorated with the Geneva coat of arms, have been sold and eaten every year at this time.

The Savoyards might have won if they had been able to blow up the Porte Neuve according to their plan. But Isaac Mercier prevented them from doing so by knocking down the portcullis, thus blocking the way to the mass of troops.

The enemies left empty-handed, leaving 54 soldiers behind. In the early hours of the morning, the Genevese counted 18 dead and went to pray in the temples, under the leadership of Theodore de Bèze.

In 1603, the Treaty of Saint-Julien marked the end of hostilities. The European courts supported this peace process. Geneva benefited from the support of, among others, the King of France, Henri IV, who had just signed the Edict of Nantes, the Court of England, and the Duke of Wurtemberg.

You can find out more about the Escalade by going to the Maison Tavel in the heart of the Old Town.

#Escalade #Geneva #History #Festival #Celebration #Switzerland

The magic of Christmas is in the air in Switzerland’s Christmas markets.

November on the European continent is a bit sad, with cloudy, rainy days, a few hours of sunshine, and days that end early…

But to counterbalance, it is time for hot wine, cinnamon cookies, twinkling lights, inebriating aromas, and countless Christmas markets! And with them, we embark on the magic and romance we love so much in the Christmas movies that invade Netflix.

This tradition spreads through almost all European countries, and of course, in Switzerland, we have some to die for!

The most famous and considered one of the most beautiful is the one in Montreux, which starts around November 18th and goes until Christmas on December 24th, 2022.

The Montreux Christmas Market brings the Christmas tradition to life on the lakeside promenade.

Each year, it brings an extra touch of magic under the palm trees of the Riviera. An enchantment for all ages, especially when Santa flies over the area in his sleigh every day at 5, 6, and 7 p.m., as well as on Saturdays at 4 p.m.!

We can also take part in many other Advent festivities at Chillon Castle, which is superbly decorated for the occasion.

Christmas In The Garden usually runs from November 17th through December 23rd.

The Jardin Anglais is transformed into an enchanting world dedicated to the magic of Christmas!

It is a beautiful walk through a park immersed in Christmas lights. There are many chalets with gift ideas from artisans, others with traditional specialties in the Street Food Village and ice rink, and of course the Chalet à Fondue is there to offer us its real Geneva fondue.

Starts on December 1st and runs until December 21st.

At Lucerne’s Christmas Market, the Franciscan Fountain, richly decorated with huge candles, lights, and fir branches, becomes the largest Advent wreath in Central Switzerland. The concerts in St. Mary’s Church and the unique nativity scene with its life-size figures are worth a visit.

The Zurich Christmas Market starts on November 10th and runs until December 30th.

Zurich has several delightful Christmas markets. From the culinary specialties of the Christmas village on Bellevue Square to the richly decorated hall of the main station, with its Christmas tree decorated with Swarovski crystals. The choirs of the oldest Christmas market in the romantic Niederdorf district are a particular attraction. Fascinating!

Its Christmas market takes place from November 24th through December 23rd. The Winterthur Christmas market is only 27 minutes by train from Zurich.

It is not only the costumed “Chlause” that attracts the 350,000 or so visitors to Winterthur’s Neumarkt Platz. In addition to the hundreds of Santa Clauses, there are adorable little houses and countless attractive offerings.

The good thing is that they usually start on different dates, and we have these two months to visit them and thus extend the Christmas magic!

Do you also like Christmas markets? What do you like the most? The aroma of cinnamon, the mulled wine, the decoration, the lights?

There is still time to organize your trip and experience this magic! Let’s plan together your Christmas market experiences in Switzerland!

We organize tailor-made itineraries and will be happy to design an itinerary with some lesser-known Christmas markets that are as enchanting as the most famous ones.

#vptravelswitzerland #vaniaswisstraveldesigner #experiences #authenticity #christmas #christmasmarket #magic #enchantment #noel #family #party #winter #snow #winter #snow

Let me know in the comments!