The "Suisse" Maker's Gruild

Each year the "Suisse" maker's Gruild celebrates Valence's "Swisse".

The uniforms of the Swiss guards attending on Pape Pius VI inspired the decoration of the shortbread man.

A giant "Suisse" is made each year to celebrate the event..

Pius VI, GIANNANGELO BRASCHI (1717 - 1799) and Pape from 1775 to 1799

After France's annexation of the Pape's estates around Avignon and also the "Comptat Venaissin" lands in 1791, relations with France were to deteriorte. Even more so after Napoleon's occupation of the Churches lands (Tolentino Treaty) in 1797.
The revolution was stirred up in Rome in 1797 by a man named General Duphot. The following year a Republic was proclaimed when General Berthier occupied the city.
Despite his great age and illness, Pius VI was taken prisoner and sent to Bologne (1799) then to Briançon, to Grenoble and finally to Valence where he died in August of that year. He was burried on Valence's boulevards until the signing of the concordat between the Church and the State after which his body was repatriated under escort to the Vatican. Valence's Bishop, supported by the local population, addressed a request to the Vatican to recover the pape's relics.
The relics were sealed into a bust which stands today in Valence's St Apollinaire's Cathedral.

A historical review

Each year the "Suisse" maker's Gruild celebrates Valence's "Swisse".

The uniforms of the Swiss guards attending on Pape Pius VI inspired the decoration of the shortbread man.	A giant "Suisse" is made each year to celebrate the event..

Pius VI, GIANNANGELO BRASCHI (1717 - 1799) and Pape from 1775 to 1799 After France's annexation of the Pape's estates around Avignon and also the "Comptat Venaissin" lands in 1791, relations with France were to deteriorte. Even more so after Napoleon's occupation of the Churches lands (Tolentino Treaty) in 1797. The revolution was stirred up in Rome in 1797 by a man named General Duphot. The following year a Republic was proclaimed when General Berthier occupied the city. Despite his great age and illness, Pius VI was taken prisoner and sent to Bologne (1799) then to Briançon, to Grenoble and finally to Valence where he died in August of that year. He was burried on Valence's boulevards until the signing of the concordat between the Church and the State after which his body was repatriated under escort to the Vatican. Valence's Bishop, supported by the local population, addressed a request to the Vatican to recover the pape's relics. The relics were sealed into a bust which stands today in Valence's St Apollinaire's Cathedral.
A historical review