Editing Geneva (section)

=== Traditions and customs ===
Geneva observes ''[[Jeûne genevois]]'' on the first Thursday following the first Sunday in September. By local tradition, this commemorates the date news of the [[St. Bartholomew's Day massacre]] of Huguenots reached Geneva. Geneva celebrates ''[[L'Escalade]]'' on the weekend nearest 12 December, celebrating the defeat of the surprise attack of troops sent by [[Charles Emmanuel I, Duke of Savoy]] during the night of 11–12 December 1602. Festive traditions include chocolate cauldrons filled with vegetable-shaped marzipan treats and the Escalade procession on horseback in seventeenth century armour. Geneva has also been organizing a Escalade race, usually during the first week-end of December. This race takes place around Geneva's Old Town, and with more that 50,000 participants is the largest in the country.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Télévision |first=www lemanbleu ch, Léman Bleu |title=La Course de l'Escalade victime de son succès |trans-title=The Escalade Race falls victim to its own success |url=https://www.lemanbleu.ch/fr/Actualite/Sport/La-course-de-l-Escalade-victime-de-son-succes.html |access-date=2025-02-27 |website=www.lemanbleu.ch |language=fr-CH}}</ref> Non-competitive racers dress up in fancy costumes, while walking in the race. The [[Vieux Grenadiers|Société des Vieux-Grenadiers]] is a local [[gentlemen's club]] founded in 1749 and regroups the local political and economical elite. The society has a military branch performing during official events since the late XIXth century.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Pogrebnyak |first=Pavel |date=2022-05-11 |title=58win |url=https://58winwin.net |access-date=2025-05-18 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Les Vieux Grenadiers |trans-title=The Old Grenadiers |url=https://notrehistoire.ch/galleries/les-vieux-grenadiers |access-date=2025-05-18 |website=notrehistoire.ch |language=fr}}</ref> Since 1818, a [[Geneva official chestnut tree|particular chestnut tree has been used as the official "herald of the spring"]] in Geneva. The ''sautier'' (secretary of the Parliament of the Canton of Geneva) observes the tree and notes the day of arrival of the first bud. While this event has no practical effect, the sautier issues a formal [[News release|press release]] and the local newspaper will usually mention the news.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.geneve.com/en/topicblocks/a-chestnut-tree-the-official-herald-of-spring-in-geneva/ |title=A chestnut tree: the official herald of spring in Geneva |website=Geneva Alive |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180616234650/https://www.geneve.com/en/topicblocks/a-chestnut-tree-the-official-herald-of-spring-in-geneva/ |archive-date=16 June 2018 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

As this is one of the world's oldest records of a plant's reaction to climatic conditions, researchers have been interested to note that the first bud has been appearing earlier and earlier in the year. During the 19th century many dates were in March or April. In recent years, they have usually been in late February (sometimes earlier).<ref>{{cite web |date=14 August 2006 |title=La Une de la FAO no 93 année 253 : FAO: La Treille, promenade et lieu d'observation climatique |trans-title=The Front Page of FAO No. 93, Year 253: FAO: La Treille, a promenade and a climate observation site. |url=http://www.geneve.ch/fao/2006/20060814.asp |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080528173142/http://www.geneve.ch/fao/2006/20060814.asp |archive-date=28 May 2008 |access-date=3 July 2010 |publisher=Geneve.ch}}</ref> In 2002, the first bud appeared unusually early, on 7 February, and then again on 29 December of the same year. The following year, one of the hottest years recorded in Europe, was a year with no bud. In 2008, the first bud also appeared early, on 19 February.