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CULTURE

Eight-metre giant marionettes on parade in Geneva

More than one million people are expected over the next three days in the streets of Geneva as French theatre group Royal de Luxe brings its giants to town.

Published: 29 September 2017 16:44 CEST
Eight-metre giant marionettes on parade in Geneva
The giant 'Grandmother' marionette in Liverpool. File photo: Debu55y/Depositphotos

Geneva will stand not so much on the shoulder but at the feet of giants for three days, as French theatre company Royal de Luxe brings its huge wooden marionettes to the city for a weekend of drama. 

Two 7.5-metre giant wooden marionettes, made by the Nantes-based theatre group Royal de Luxe – led by Jean-Luc Courcoult – will feature in the Geneva show, which sees all-day parades starting today and on September 30th and October 1st.

A parade left Place de la Sardaigne at 9.30am today and another at 12.30 from Parc des Acacias. Tomorrow's parade starts at 10.50am at Plaine de Plainpalais and at 1.25pm again from Place de la Sardaigne. 

The 'Grandmother', seen here at a parade in Liverpool. Photo: ©Serge Koutchinsky_Royal de Luxe. Liverpool. 

More than 1 million spectators are expected to line the streets in Geneva to see the nearly 8-metre tall 'Grandmother,' as well as her equally robust 10-year-old daughter, estimates Le Nouvelliste. 

The giants have already been paraded through Montreal, Los Angeles, Perth, Santiago, Reykjavík, Liverpool, Limerick, Rome and Dakar, among other places. 

Two giants have been selected for Geneva, the so-called 'Grandmother' and her 10-year old daughter, the 'Little Giant'. The giant will be followed by a trunk “carrying all the city's large and small stories,” according to the event's website. 

The texts and stories to be read by actors are inspired by the Geneva-based research centre CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research. The story goes that instead of a meteorite hitting Geneva, two giants arrive in the Swiss city. 

Photo: ©Pascal Victor_Royal de Luxe. Nantes, 2009. 

“I wanted to create a medium to talk to a whole city, to gather a crowd around a narrative that concerns them. That's how the giants first appeared,” says project founder Courcoult, according to rts.ch.

The Geneva show will cost 2.2 million francs (€1.92 million) in all, to be covered by public and private funds, but is expected to bring in three to seven times that sum, reports news portal rts.ch. 

READ MORE: Switzerland celebrates cultural heritage with open weekend

CULTURE

What’s on in Switzerland this October: 10 events not to miss

From international film premieres to truly spectacular amounts of cheese, here are the top events you shouldn’t miss out on this October in Switzerland.

Published: 13 September 2024 09:00 CEST
What's on in Switzerland this October: 10 events not to miss

Zurich Film Festival

Every autumn, the Zurich Film Festival attracts thousands of movie enthusiasts, film stars and media professionals – and this year, you can be one of them. The event is held from October 3 until October 13th and tickets can be purchased online, at the Frame Cinema on Europaallee or the Festival Centre at Sechseläutenplatz. Ticket prices start from 20.20 Swiss francs apiece.

This year, highlights include Ralph Fiennes in Vatican thriller, ‘Conclave’ and the European premiere of ‘William Tell’, a big-budget epic telling the story of Switzerland’s iconic folk hero. 

Waldstatt Cattle Show

If you’re looking for a incredibly authentic slice of Swiss culture, why not head to the Waldstatt Cattle Show in the canton of Appenzell Outer Rhodes on October 3rd. This is when farmers arrive with their cattle from the alpine meadows in full traditional dress, for a series of competitions where prizes are awarded in a range of categories, including ‘Most Beautfiul Cow’.

This being Switzerland, there will of course be a great deal of traditional music, hearty food and beer. Best of all, entry is free! 

Festa d’Autunno

Whether you are a Ticino resident or have always wanted to learn more about the region, we recommend heading to this year’s Festa d’Autunno (autumn festival) in Ticino’s largest city, Lugano.

The festival, which runs from October 4th until October 6th invites visitors to discover Ticino’s gastronomy, taste exceptional wines and explore Lugano’s shopping district while being serenaded by folklore music. Additionally, Lugano Region will also offer free guided tours for those interested in discovering the history of its city centre.

Herbstmesse (Lozärner Määs)

While on the topic of autumn fairs, Lucerne’s traditional autumn festival is a must-visit if you’re in the area between October 5h and October 20th. The fair will span from the Bahnhofplatz via Europaplatz to Inseli in Lucerne’s city centre and feature over 100 market stalls selling anything from baked goods to clothing items and hand-crafted gifts.

Swiss Castle Day

History fans rejoice! The Swiss Castle Day returns for the ninth time. The annual event celebrates the incredible heritage of Switzerland’s over 500 castles, with a full schedule of events across the country.

One particular highlight of this year’s program is a medieval scavenger hunt across the Sasso and Montebello castles in the Ticino region. 

Zurich Wine Festival

At the Zurich Wine Festival you can enjoy over 350 wines from around the globe and take part in over 15 master classes on the art of winemaking. The festival will be held at the Papiersaal Sihlcity between October 14th and October 20th.

Tickets to the wine exhibition cost 35 Swiss francs apiece (and allow you to taste as many wines as you wish), while a master class ticket for your chosen session last cost 49 francs – this year’s offering and prices will be released soon. 

Käsefest Bern

Cheesemakers from all over the region of Bern will come together for the Käsefest Bern on October 12th to showcase their cheesy treasures at the city’s Waisenhausplatz. In addition to the cheese market, the event will offer musical entertainment, a cheese chalet, food bars and even cow milking.

Mountain Beer Festival 2024

There’s nothing like a beer – and there’s nothing like a beer after a long hike, so why not celebrate that? This is the idea behind the Bergbierfest Tschlin, which takes place on the 19th of October.

The hike starts at Tschlin in Graubünden and winds 13 kilometres to the village of Ramosch, where beer from several mountain breweries and music awaits. 

Tickets can be purchased here, and include beer tastings and the evening concert. 

Basler Herbstmesse

Switzerland’s oldest and largest amusement fair – the Basler Herbstmesse – takes place from October 26th until November 10th. The Basler Herbstmesse is an integral part of the city’s cultural heritage and draws around one million visitors from Switzerland and overseas each year.

Visitors can enjoy a leisurly stroll from Barfüsserplatz to Messeplatz and from Petersplatz to the city’s cathedral while taking in traditional market stalls, exciting rides and many other nostalgic attractions.

Lausanne Marathon

If you’re looking to keep fit while taking in magnificent scenery, then you may want to join 13,600 joggers in the Lausanne Marathon on October 27th at 10am. The 30th Lausanne Marathon will see runners jog between Lausanne and La Tour-de-Peilz, passing along the shores of Lake Geneva and through the UNESCO-listed Lavaux vineyards.

The best part? You can choose which type of marathon you’d like to run, be it a full marathon, semi-marathon, 10 kilometres or Nordic walking.

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