This year, Concha Blanca and Concha Annexe came alive during our weekly meeting with the spirit of Geneva’s Escalade! Guests gathered to honor the historic victory of 1602, breaking the chocolate marmite—a sweet nod to the tradition of smashing pots to commemorate the Savoyard defeat.
We delved into the story of Mère Royaume, enjoyed Swiss treats, and celebrated unity and resilience in our cozy haven.
La Nuit de l’Escalade – the History and Tradition
A boiling pot of vegetable soup, or so the legend goes, saved Geneva’s religious fate in 1602. The troops of the Catholic Savoyards, led by the Duke of Savoy, launched a surprise attack on Protestant Geneva on a cold night in December that year. Genevans tells the story of Catherine Cheynel, also known as Mère Royaume, whose quick thinking led her to seize, and empty, a large cauldron of boiling hot soup on a group of attackers beneath her window, killing one of them. The resulting commotion alerted the townspeople who successfully defended their city and defeated the Savoyards.
L’Escalade or Fête de l’Escalade is an annual celebration of this historic event, usually held on the night of December 11th, when the original attack was thought to have taken place.
The name refers to the French word for “climb” (escalade), as the Savoyards first had to scale the city wall to get in. The most delicious aspect of the fête, though, is the smashing of the marmite de l’Escalade, a chocolate cauldron embellished with the city’s red and yellow coat of arms. Traditionally, the oldest and the youngest members of the household stand over the marmite (French for “cauldron”), joining hands. With a resounding “Ainsi périrent [or périssent] les ennemis de la République!” (“Thus perished [or perishes] the enemies of the Republic!”), they slam their clasped hands over the cauldron, smashing it.
