Amateur Traveler Episode 212: Geneva, Switzerland and the Escalade Festival

Exploring Geneva, Switzerland

• 🇨🇭 Geneva is a beautiful, clean, and organized Swiss city located on the shores of Lake Geneva, where the lake transitions into the Rhone River.
• 💰 While the Swiss franc is roughly at par with the dollar, the city is very expensive, with everyday items like a Starbucks coffee costing around 10 francs.
• 🌍 Geneva is a significant hub for international organizations, including UN agencies focused on aid and healthcare, and is the birthplace of the Red Cross.
• 🕊️ A poignant monument near the UN facilities is a three-legged chair symbolizing victims of landmines and those injured by them.

The Escalade Festival Celebration

• ❄️ The visit coincided with the Escalade festival, celebrating Geneva's 1602 victory over the invading Duchy of Savoy.
• ⚔️ The festival commemorates a surprise night attack by Savoy, where Genevans, alerted to the invasion, rushed to defend the city.
• 🍲 A key historical anecdote involves a woman pouring a pot of hot stew on invading soldiers, which is now symbolically represented by a chocolate pot with marzipan vegetables during the festival.
• 🎶 The celebration includes reenactments of 1602 soldiers, fife and drum corps, pikemen, and arquebusiers, filling the city with historical sounds.

Geneva's Cathedral and Reformation History

• ⛪ The Geneva Cathedral, located in the Old Town, has a history of being rebuilt after fires and stands on ancient Celtic and Roman temple sites.
• ✝️ Originally Catholic, it became a Protestant cathedral influenced by reformers like John Calvin, leading to an austere interior, though one ornate chapel remains.
• 🎼 Ironically, the organ, once outlawed by Calvin and melted down, now fills the cathedral with music, highlighting its transformation.
• 🏛️ The cathedral also serves as the burial place for notable Protestant figures and the daughter of William of Orange.

Cultural and Historical Sites

• 🗝️ The city's flag features a key (St. Peter's key) and a bird, humorously interpreted by locals as a roast chicken and wine cellar key.
• 📚 The Foundation Martin Bodmer is a must-visit for book lovers, housing ancient scriptures, illustrated manuscripts, and early editions of Shakespeare.
• 📜 The Reformation Museum, adjacent to the cathedral, details the history of the Reformation, including the French religious wars.
• 🚶‍♂️ During Escalade, secret passages used during the 1602 defense are opened to the public, and the festival culminates in a three-hour torchlight parade.
• 🗣️ Children sing a traditional 68-verse song about the Escalade, collecting donations from diners, to remember the historical events.

Culinary and Practical Tips

• 🧀 Traditional Swiss treats like fondue and tartiflette (a potato dish) are popular, with fondue costing around $25 per person.
• 🍷 Glühwein (mulled wine) is a common winter drink, especially during the festival.
• 🚌 Recommended restaurants include Chaudron Cuisine for roast chicken and L'Armory Hotel or Le bon vin for fondue.
• 🎟️ A bus pass is recommended for easy travel around Geneva, as it was included with the hotel stay.
• ☀️ While winter in Geneva is gray, the city is said to be beautiful in the summer and fall, but the Escalade festival offers a unique winter experience.