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History & Culture

Fête de l'Escalade

Go back in time and discover Geneva’s most popular historical festival, taking place from 11 to 13 December 2026!

Geneva’s Escalade Festival at a glance

  • 11–13 December 2026 · three days of festivities
  • Grand procession: Sunday at 5 pm · starts at Parc des Bastions
  • Geneva’s Old Town (opens Google Maps in a new tab) and surrounding areas
  • Free to watch the street processions
  • Chocolate cauldrons & traditional soup
  • ExperienceHistorical processions, costumes & activities
Aerial view of Geneva’s Old Town, featuring St. Pierre Cathedral and its surrounding historic buildings.

Experience the Escalade in Geneva’s Old Town

During the Escalade weekend, Geneva’s Old Town becomes a stage for living history. Meet soldiers and artisans in period costume, watch traditional crafts and historical weapons demonstrations, and hear drums and fifes echo through the cobbled streets.

What can you see on Saturday and Sunday?

Explore the daytime activities across the Old Town’s squares and lanes. On Saturday evening, join the lantern procession, open to everyone. On Sunday, watch the grand historical procession bring together costumed participants and musicians for one of the festival’s highlights. Choose your must-see moments and check the times and locations below.

Saturday 12 December: what to see

  • Horse riders and participants in period costume during the Escalade procession
    Traditional crafts

    Discover traditional forging and horseshoeing

    12 noon–4.30 pm · Promenade de Saint-Antoine

    Discover forging and horse-shoeing demonstrations for a glimpse of traditional craftsmanship.

  • Costumed participants demonstrating traditional equipment during the Escalade festivities
    For families

    Try games from the past

    2–5 pm · Cour Saint-Pierre

    Discover traditional games and children’s activities during your walk through the Old Town.

  • Costumed historical reenactors demonstrating muskets before spectators in Geneva
    Historical demonstration

    Watch a musket-firing demonstration

    2 pm, 4.30 pm and 5 pm · Promenade de la Treille

    See historical weapons demonstrated by participants in period costume.

    Loud demonstration. Consider hearing protection, especially for children.

  • Children carrying illuminated lanterns in the Escalade procession at night
    Evening highlight

    Join the lantern procession

    Starts at 7.45 pm · 1 Rue de l’Évêché

    Open to everyone, the procession reaches Cour Saint-Pierre at 8.25 pm. Lanterns are sold at Cour Saint-Pierre from 6.30 pm.

View the full Saturday programme (opens in a new tab)

Sunday 13 December: what to see

  • Historical reenactors with ladders and torches during Geneva’s Escalade celebrations
    Living history

    Watch historical ladder-climbing demonstrations

    1–3 pm · Cathedral and Cour Saint-Pierre

    Watch ladder-climbing demonstrations and discover the role of the “pétardier” and his assistants during the attack of 1602.

  • Historical swordsmanship demonstration by costumed reenactors in Geneva’s Old Town
    Historical demonstration

    Discover historical swordsmanship

    2–3.25 pm · Cour de l’Hôtel-de-Ville

    Watch presentations and sword demonstrations in the courtyard of Geneva’s historic town hall.

  • Historical reenactors marching through Geneva’s Old Town during the Escalade
    Historical demonstration

    Hear the muskets at Bourg-de-Four

    3 pm and 3.30 pm · Place du Bourg-de-Four

    Catch a musket-firing demonstration before the evening procession.

    Loud demonstration. Consider hearing protection, especially for children.

  • Horse riders and costumed participants in the torchlit Escalade procession
    Festival highlight

    Watch the grand historical procession

    5–8.30 pm · Parc des Bastions → Cour Saint-Pierre

    Watch costumed participants and musicians parade through Geneva. Choose your viewing spot using the official route.

View the full Sunday programme (opens in a new tab)

Selected highlights for 12–13 December 2026. Source: Compagnie de 1602. Information checked on . Times may change, and some demonstrations depend on weather. Photographs illustrate the festival’s atmosphere and traditions.

Plan your visit to the Escalade Festival

From 11 to 13 December 2026, discover the festivities in Geneva’s Old Town and plan your visit. Here are three highlights to help you make the most of the festival.

Three highlights for your diary

  • The procession honouring the victims

    Starts at 6.25 pm on Rue des Chaudronniers. A commemorative procession offering an insight into the solemn side of the Escalade.

  • The lantern procession

    Starts at 7.45 pm at 1 Rue de l’Évêché. Open to everyone, the procession reaches Cour Saint-Pierre at 8.25 pm. Lanterns are available to buy from 6.30 pm at Cour Saint-Pierre.

  • The grand historical procession

    Starts at 5 pm at Parc des Bastions. The procession finishes at Cour Saint-Pierre at 8.30 pm: a festival highlight for admiring period costumes and enjoying historical music.

View the official routes and times (opens in a new tab)

Before you go

Getting to the festivities

Take public transport and complete your journey on foot. Check TPG travel information (opens in a new tab) before setting off to confirm your route and any service disruptions.

Choosing when to arrive

To watch the grand procession, choose a spot along the official route and plan to arrive before it passes. The departure time is not the time the procession reaches each street.

Visiting with children

Plan breaks and choose a visit length suited to your children’s ages. Historical weapons demonstrations can be loud; consider bringing hearing protection for younger children.

Getting around the Old Town

Wear comfortable shoes and warm clothing. Keep cobblestones, slopes and crowds in mind if you are bringing a pushchair or have reduced mobility. Contact Geneva Tourism’s visitor information team for help planning a suitable route.

Source: Compagnie de 1602. Information checked on . Times may change: check the official programme before travelling.

Discovering Geneva’s history on the In the Heart of the Escalade guided tour
  • CHF 25 per adult
  • History & traditions

Guided tour: In the Heart of the Escalade

What really happened on the night of 11–12 December 1602? Follow your guide through the cobbled streets of Geneva’s Old Town and explore the events behind the Escalade. Discover the history and local traditions that keep this celebration alive.

  • 2-hour walking tour
  • Meeting point: Escalade fountain, Rue de la Confédération 4
  • Languages: French and English

Plan your tour · check available dates and departure times

  • Public tours
  • Private tours on request

L'Escalade:
Geneva's Historic Celebration
of Courage & Chocolate

Historical illustration of the Escalade battle in Geneva
Illustration from “La nuit de l’Escalade. Le onze décembre mil six cent deux”, Alexandre Guillot.

The night of 11–12 December 1602

The night Geneva fought back

Under cover of darkness, the troops of Charles Emmanuel I, Duke of Savoy, approach Geneva, hoping to take the city by surprise. Equipped with ladders, an advance party scales the city walls.

But the alarm is raised. Bells ring out, residents rally and, alongside the city’s defenders, drive the attackers back. It is this victory that the Escalade commemorates.

Why is it called the “Escalade”?

The name refers to the Savoyard soldiers scaling Geneva’s defensive walls with ladders to enter the city.

Explore the history with the Compagnie de 1602 (opens in a new tab)
A portrayal of Mère Royaume during the Escalade festivities
© Compagnie de 1602

A story with a sweet legacy

Mère Royaume and the chocolate cauldron

According to tradition, Mère Royaume threw a cauldron of soup onto an attacker during the assault of 1602. Her act became one of the Escalade’s most famous stories.

Today, the cauldron takes the form of a chocolate “marmite”, filled with little marzipan vegetables and sweets. Among family or friends, the youngest and oldest people in the gathering traditionally break it together.

The words to say before breaking it

“Ainsi périssent les ennemis de la République !”

“Thus perish the enemies of the Republic!”

As the Escalade approaches, discover the marmites made by Geneva’s chocolatiers and share in this local tradition.

Frequently asked questions about Geneva’s Escalade Festival

The Escalade Festival commemorates Geneva’s victory over the Duke of Savoy’s troops, who attacked the city during the night of 11–12 December 1602. Every year, residents and visitors come together for costumed processions, historical demonstrations and traditional treats.
The Escalade is celebrated every year around 12 December. The historical festivities organised by the Compagnie de 1602 take place over three days in December. Check the dates and programme for the next festival before planning your visit.
Most historical activities take place in and around Geneva’s Old Town. Costumed participants bring its squares, narrow streets and historic sites to life. Activity locations and procession routes are listed in the programme for each year’s festival.
Discover scenes of everyday life in early 17th-century Geneva, demonstrations of traditional crafts and historic weapons, and processions accompanied by period music. The grand historical procession is one of the weekend’s highlights. Activities vary from year to year.
Yes, costumes, music and demonstrations make the festival an engaging way to discover history as a family. Choose activities to suit your children’s ages: some demonstrations are loud, and processions can draw large crowds. Bring warm clothing and comfortable shoes for the cobbled streets.
This tradition honours Mère Royaume, who, according to popular legend, threw a cauldron of soup onto an attacker during the assault of 1602. Today, people share a chocolate cauldron, known as a “marmite”, filled with marzipan vegetables and sweets. Traditionally, the youngest and oldest people in the gathering break it together.
You can watch the festivities without wearing a costume. Dressing up is nevertheless an important part of the celebrations: children and young people traditionally wear fancy dress, while historical re-enactors wear period clothing. Participation in organised processions is subject to the organiser’s requirements.
The Escalade Festival celebrates Geneva’s history and traditions, notably through the Compagnie de 1602’s historical re-enactments. The Escalade Race, or Course de l’Escalade, is a separate running event held in the Old Town in December. It includes a festive fancy-dress event called “La Marmite”. The two events have their own dates and programmes.
Visit the official Compagnie de 1602 website for the programme of historical festivities, activities and processions. Before travelling, check the information for the upcoming festival to confirm times, locations and participation requirements.

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