Geneva celebrated "Escalade" this weekend, the battle that saw the Protestant city repel an invasion from the Catholic Duke of Savoy on the night of December 11-12, 1602. +Get the most important news from Switzerland in your inbox The commemorations concluded on Sunday evening with a historic procession through the city. Organised by Compagnie 1602, Switzerland's oldest historical society, the procession features over 800 people dressed in period costume. It is the largest historical parade in Europe. The participants set off at dusk carrying flaming torches, much to the delight of the numerous spectators. The procession follows a very precise protocol. The parade is opened by the Cadets drummers, followed by the authorities and members of the judiciary. Next come the ecclesiastics and the inhabitants of Geneva, including Mere Royaume, one of the heroines of the night of the Escalade, who threw a pot of boiling vegetable soup on the assailants. Then came the inhabitants of the ...
