- The green background represents the forest,
- The gold line represents the way opened up by Sir de la Forest,
The two pennons recall the coats of arms of the Somont and the Bonivard of whom the la Forest have inherited.
The knight's Helmet presents four crosspieces. It is surmounted by a Count's crown. The mantling recall the colors of the arms, that is to say sinople (green), or (gold) and gueules (red).
Crest A black (sable) spread eagle, beakful and armed in red (gueules), surmounted by a ducal crown. According to the tradition, this crown had been granted to Antoine de la Forest who had saved the young Duke Charles the first from the hands of Charles the Bold in 1476. By letters patent dated 2 May 1889, the King of Italy has ratified its right of use to all members of our family.
" Tout à Travers "
A legend suggests that, nine hundred years ago, "One of the counts of Savoy, founders of the dynasty which ruled over the whole of Italy, was at war with his neighbor, the Dauphin de Viennois. The two armies fought a bloody battle in the "Petit Bugey". Victory was indecisive, when Sir Antoine de la Forest, who fought with his Lord, the count of Savoy, dashed through a forest, which covered one of the wings of the army from Dauphiné, shouting "TOUT A TRAVERS". The army from Dauphiné, attacked on the flank by this daring maneuver, was beaten. In memory of this feat of arms, the count of Savoy is supposed to have given to Sir de la Forest, and to his whole House, the coat of arms is still possesses to day."
la Forest bears "de sinople à la bande d'or frettée de gueules" (1348 tournament). See Guichenon, History of the House of Savoy - Lyon 1694, volume 11, fo 183.
Translation : Pointe : pointed coat of arms. Sinople : Green. Gueule : rouge. Sable : black. Fretté : part of the armorial bearings made of crosspieces interlaced half band wise and half sinister wise.
- The red fret illustrates the sword thrusts given during the breakthrough. (There exist a number of variables for the fret. These variables can be found in the proofs of the Malta Order where the arms of la Forest are often directly or indirectly mentioned in the family seals and even in the stamps and other emblazoned pieces. The line is found fretted differently, normally with eight parts. This line is even found cluttered with four reamed saltires. These variables are only due to the ignorance of the heraldic rules. Since Guichenon has kept for us the coat of arms of the 1348 tournament, where the line was simply fretted, there is no doubt that it must be represented as mentioned in the folio 423 of the "Armorial et Nobiliaire de Savoie"; count de Foras).
- The Device "Tout à Travers" is the war cry shouted by this faithful vassal.
- Supporters: two natural lions standing, armed and with a red tongue.
© 2008 Tout à Travers