Historic day of races in Geneva

It is a warm-up to the Escalade weekend which takes place later in November and marks the victory of Geneva over its neighbour Charles-Emmanuel de Savoie, reports WhatsonWhen.

The routes take runners through some of the city's finest historical landmarks, with the finish line at the Parc des Bastions. More than 18,000 people are taking part and can choose from races of between 2km and 8km. Participants range from the novice to the professional.

And it is a great day to observe, as many runners get dressed up so as to catch the attention of supporters along the route. The final run of the day sees the darkened streets lit up with burning torches, harking back to Geneva's medieval days. This is followed by a tradition of the great city: the smashing of chocolate in cooking pots, a treat left to the runners.