In Grand-Bornand, on the Chinaillon side, the end of the season has a very special taste: that of a weekend where skiing is about much more than just a time record. Glisse en Cœur transforms the resort into a joyful hive, with teams taking turns for 24 hours on the slopes, day and night, and an audience that comes to cheer, donate, dance, and applaud. In the alleys, you meet families in colorful suits, volunteers rushing but smiling, regulars who recognize the spirit of the event from the first notes of music. And then there are those moments when the mountain seems to hold its breath: a relay at dawn, an ovation in front of the stage, or an announcement of donations that raises the emotion as quickly as the music.
What makes the adventure unique is this very Haute-Savoie blend of friendliness, accessible performance, and conscious generosity. Here, the party is not just a decoration: it serves a cause, it unites, it brings in personalities, chefs, artists, and especially “ordinary” people who decide, for a weekend, to put their legs and heart at the service of childhood. With more than €5,397,136 already raised since the beginning, the event has established itself as a major rendezvous. And for this new edition, the dates, highlights, and concerts promise once again to make the ski area and good intentions vibrate…
Glisse en Cœur in Grand-Bornand: the solidarity sliding event that moves Haute-Savoie
Unlike a classic competition, Glisse en Cœur is told less in seconds than in collective impulses. The principle is simple, almost childlike in its beauty: teams take turns on the slopes of Grand-Bornand, Chinaillon sector, for 24 hours. With each lap, each relay, it’s not just the snow that crashes under the skis, but also a collection pot that rises. The goal is not to “win” against others, but to increase the donation counter and give visibility to associations that act concretely.
To give life to the atmosphere, let’s imagine Léa and Karim, two friends from Annecy. They don’t define themselves as “athletes”, more as good Sunday skiers. Their trigger is not a quest for performance. It’s a video seen the previous year, a night relay, and the feeling that the event connects people without fuss. They put together a team with colleagues, cousins, a neighbor instructor. Everyone takes a slot, some love skiing at dawn, others prefer the energy of early evening. And meanwhile, those who don’t ski participate in other ways: they come to the activity village, cheer, talk with associations, or treat themselves to a concert. Result: everyone finds their place.
Grand-Bornand itself has this ability to welcome without taking itself too seriously. The chalets, the alleyways, the view of the Aravis, and especially the ski area that becomes an open-air stage, create an ideal setting for an engaged party. This is a resort that knows big gatherings but keeps a very “village” sense of welcome. This is not a detail: when we talk about solidarity, the atmosphere counts as much as the organization.
And the charitable DNA is not limited to the three days on site. The mobilization starts early, through a donation collection launched several months before the start, then extended during the weekend. It is this long time that makes the model strong: teams create a dynamic around them, call on their networks, sometimes organize small local actions, and arrive at Grand-Bornand already carried by a story. This mechanism, over the editions, has enabled reaching an impressive total: €5,397,136 collected for associations since the beginning. On a territorial scale, this is considerable, and explains why the event shines beyond the massif.
Key dates Glisse en Cœur: full calendar from Friday, March 20 to Sunday, March 22, 2026
For this edition, the meeting is set from Friday, March 20 to Sunday, March 22. Three days that fit together like a good mountain weekend: an opening evening that whets the appetite, a Saturday that concentrates the great popular energy, then a more “daylight” Sunday, ideal for families and curious people who come to listen to music and support without necessarily putting on skis.
Friday sets the tone with a very awaited moment: the charity dinner “Guinguette à la française”. This is not just a meal before the race. It is an evening that assumes its show side, with a retro décor, a guinguette atmosphere, and a promise: to turn a dinner into a lever for donations. It is also an intelligent way to mobilize a different public than skiers, especially those who love gastronomy, the art of living, and the idea of “giving while enjoying oneself”.
Saturday becomes the beating heart. It is the moment when you feel the shift: the resort fills up, the stands come alive, relays on the slopes set a pace, and in the evening, concerts take over from the skis. The schedules of the solidarity concerts are precise, and that’s good news: you can organize your day around them. A run in late afternoon, a hot chocolate, then head to the stage without stress.
On Sunday, the event doesn’t wind down; it changes color. The free musical morning attracts walkers, families, and all those who want to prolong the atmosphere without necessarily staying out late the night before. It is also the perfect day to return to the ski area, talk with associations, and take time to understand what the donations are for. Because behind the numbers, there are stories of children, support, care, inclusion.
To keep a clear vision, here is a simple marker of moments to block in your agenda:
- Friday, March 20: charity dinner “Guinguette à la française” at the Espace Grand-Bo, with service for more than 500 covers.
- Saturday, March 21: evening of solidarity concerts on the Charmieux ski area, free seating, with continuous programming until 1 a.m..
- Sunday, March 22: two free musical appointments at the Charmieux ski area, from late morning to early afternoon.
The detail that changes everything is the flow management. At Chinaillon, during an event of this scale, parking spaces are limited. The experience is much more pleasant by planning ahead. From Annecy and nearby, buses often remain the smoothest solution, especially during peak hours. Those who come by car have every interest in arriving early, to avoid slowdowns and enjoy the animations from the start.
Detailed program Glisse en Cœur: 24h race, animations, stands, and highlights day by day
The Glisse en Cœur program has a particularity: it works like a festival, even when you don’t have skis on your feet. The 24-hour race remains the backbone, but around it, the event expands with partner stands, demonstrations, meetings, and animations designed for all ages. The result is simple: you can come to support a team, discover associations, enjoy the resort, or just “watch” and leave having truly experienced something.
On Friday, the gastronomic evening acts as a chic and joyful kickoff. The charity dinner “Guinguette à la française” takes place at the Espace Grand-Bo, with a price announced at €90 per person. The asset is the brigade: Yoann Conte is again in the kitchen, accompanied by renowned chefs such as Franck Derouet, Vincent Deforce, Georges Paccard, Jean-Pierre Jacob, and the chocolatier Patrick Agnellet. On the plate, it translates into a menu that tells the story of the terroir and the celebration, and in the room, with a retro atmosphere that makes you want to prolong the evening. The entertainment is ensured by Stéphane Thébaut, patron of the event, which adds that little extra proximity: it’s not a distant gala but an evening that speaks to people.
On Saturday, the event is experienced like a build-up. The relays on the slopes set an almost hypnotic rhythm. When you witness a handoff, you understand why the race captivates so much: each team manages its fatigue, enthusiasm, and little strategies. Some line up fast laps, others prefer a steady tempo. And in the middle, there is always someone cheering, filming, or handing out a hot drink. It’s an endurance sport but also a matter of collective organization.
Around the race, partner stands play a key role. You find accessible activities, demonstrations, and exchange times. This is where Léa, our skier “not a champion but motivated”, stops between two relays. She talks with an association, understands what the collection is for, and realizes that her lap is part of a bigger chain. This kind of very concrete moment gives meaning and prevents solidarity from remaining an abstract word.
On Sunday, the atmosphere opens even more to walkers. People come to listen, to see the last laps, to applaud volunteers and teams. Children run on spring snow, parents take photos, and the music serves as a red thread. It is also the right day to spot practical points: on-site catering, access zones, and circulation between the ski area and activity spaces.
Ultimately, the program has a mission: to maintain energy without overload. Between two highlights, you breathe, eat a bite, encourage a team, then return to the ski area. And precisely, this alternation perfectly prepares the ground for the concerts, which are not just cherries on the cake: they are one of the engines of mobilization.
Glisse en Cœur concerts: schedules, artists, and evenings not to miss at the Charmieux ski area
At Glisse en Cœur, music is not there as filler. It serves to bring people together, to attract a wider audience, and to transform solidarity into a shared moment. The Charmieux ski area becomes a stage where you go from a down jacket to dance steps in a few minutes. And what strikes is the coherence: the concerts are planned as a rise in temperature, with a progression of styles and energy that perfectly fits a Saturday party.
On Saturday, March 21, the evening of solidarity concerts spans more than two and a half hours, with clear slots. In terms of prices, access is announced at €15, then €22 from March 14, and free for under 12 years old. In a resort, it’s a format that works: you can come early with children, enjoy the beginning, then take them home, or stay until the end with friends.
The programming plays the card of diversity and efficiency:
- 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.: DJ Olivier Ross, Belgian DJ with Moroccan influences. A perfect slot to start the evening gently, with rhythms that warm even those who claim to “just watch”.
- 8 p.m. to 10 p.m.: Là-bas 100% Goldman, a tribute band revisiting the great hits of Jean-Jacques Goldman between 1981 and 2001. Here, the magic is simple: everyone sings, even the shyest.
- 10 p.m. to 11:30 p.m.: Feder, a major figure of French electro. A much-anticipated set, designed to turn the ski area into an Alpine dance floor.
- 11:30 p.m. to 1 a.m.: DJ B-Loy, awarded DJ of the Year in 2017. A closing that keeps the tempo and pushes the last motivated dancers to the end.
For a visitor, the trick is to choose their “highlight moment.” Some come mainly for the collective emotion of the Goldman set, because there is this pleasure of singing in unison, mountain around, without wondering if they sing right. Others wait for Feder for the electro moment, more physical, more nocturnal, the one that makes you forget the time. And there are the clever cautious ones: those who arrive at 6 p.m., take the evening like a journey, and enjoy the evolution of the atmosphere.
On Sunday, March 22, the music takes a more convivial, more “daylight” turn, with two free appointments at the same place. From 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., the Grand-Bornand harmony orchestra sets up a village atmosphere, like a living postcard. Then from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., Pit Gravier & The Soul Foundation take the stage: an emblematic group from the Arve valley, with 35 years of existence, with 11 musicians and singers revisiting rhythm’n’blues and soul. It is the ideal slot for those who want to extend without going to bed late, or for families who like “accessible” concerts where you can move, stop, and come back.
To get into the mood before March, many also like to check out the big winter events in Haute-Savoie. The season programs give ideas, like Noël des Alpes in Annecy, which shows how well the region knows how to combine traditions, shows, and friendliness. And that is exactly what Glisse en Cœur manages to do… but in ski, donations, and ski area version.
However, music is just one face of the event. Behind the concerts and relays, there is a central cause, associations, and personalities who come to put their notoriety at the service of a very concrete objective: helping children. This is where the story takes all its depth.
To prolong the spirit of the evening, many like to dive back into Feder’s universe before meeting him on stage: a good way to recognize the sounds from the first seconds and feel the build-up of energy at the right time.
Supported associations and personalities: childhood at the center, donations turning into actions
If Glisse en Cœur leaves a lasting mark, it is because solidarity is not decorative. It is structured, explained, embodied. This year, the theme once again places childhood in the foreground, with a main association carrying a clear vision: to give real chances to those who start with fewer cards in hand.
The highlighted association is Ma Chance moi aussi, founded in Chambéry in 2015. Its fight is direct: to fight social determinism and promote equal opportunities by supporting children from priority neighborhoods. Practically, this means monitoring, activities, a framework, regular presence, and above all ambition: to allow each child to succeed, choose their path, and feel legitimate. Ten years after its creation, the association has established itself in 13 institutions across France. This figure tells a growth, but also a reality: the needs are there, and the methods that work deserve to be amplified.
Around this “pillar” association, five sponsored structures complete the mobilization, selected by an ethics committee after a call for projects. The fact of passing through this type of selection is important: it gives donors confidence because we know the projects have been studied, and the aid fits within a logic of transparency and impact. The announced sponsored associations are: Le Petit Monde d’Ugo, Les Pâtes au Beurre, Loisirs Assis Évasion, Quiberon Infiniment Solidaire, and Williams France.
To visualize the effect of donations, let’s go back to a concrete example. Karim, who doesn’t ski all night, decides to mobilize his company: a small internal collection, an improvised cake sale, a message to the group of colleagues. It’s not spectacular. Yet, added up, these gestures combine into hundreds of others. And that’s exactly how the event crosses thresholds. The money raised isn’t an abstract notion: it becomes hours of support, outings, adapted equipment, support actions, sometimes relief for families.
The event is also carried by personalities from sport, media, culture, and gastronomy. Some only support and relay, others even put on skis and participate in the relay. Among the expected faces are Julien Lizeroux (alpine ski champion), Stéphane Thébaut (TV host and producer), Mercotte (a well-known gourmet figure), and Manuel Cousin (skipper). Their presence is not a free “casting”: it attracts attention, triggers donations, and shines a spotlight on causes that usually work in the shadows.
And if you want to participate without skiing, it’s planned. It is possible to make a donation even without registration, just as you can simply attend the concerts, the activity village, or the Sunday musical appointments. It’s one of the most successful points: the event excludes no one. You can be sporty, foodie, dancer, parent, teenager, or simple curious.
This solidarity dynamic naturally invites preparing your visit like a short stay, with accommodation, catering, transport, and budget tips. This is precisely the most practical aspect to schedule to enjoy without stress, and it is the subject of the next angle.
Before the tribute evening, many find themselves rereading some classics “for pleasure.” On site, this collective memory effect becomes real fuel: we sing louder when we already know the choruses.
Practical info Grand-Bornand: access, accommodation, catering, and tips to enjoy the Glisse en Cœur weekend
Coming to Glisse en Cœur is a bit like preparing an outing among friends who have also decided to be useful. For the magic to work, personal organization counts: arriving at the right place, at the right time, with the right equipment, and a simple plan to eat, sleep, and get around. The good news is that Grand-Bornand knows how to welcome, provided you respect two or three common-sense rules.
First point: access. The Chinaillon sector is magnificent, but during a big event, it quickly becomes sensitive to traffic jams. The indications are clear: parking spaces are very limited in the area during the weekend. If you come from Annecy or the surroundings, buses often offer the smoothest solution. It removes the parking constraint and allows you to arrive with a light mind, ready to enjoy. If the car is still necessary, the tip is to anticipate: leave early, aim for “off-peak” hours, and avoid arriving at exactly the time when everyone converges on the same entrance.
Second point: accommodation. For a March weekend, there is everything, from a practical studio for two to a family apartment, passing by chalets that turn the evening into a vigil. The challenge is above all to choose according to your use. If your priority is the Saturday concerts and Sunday music, sleeping near the activity points reduces trips. If you mainly come to ski during the day and drop by the village, a slightly more remote lodging may be sufficient. In all cases, booking early remains the best strategy because the event attracts a crowd, including visitors who don’t participate in the race.
Third point: catering. Between Friday’s charity dinner and weekend animations, people generally alternate between “pleasure” meals and simpler options. On site, the resort offers something to snack, warm up, and keep the pace. The most pleasant experience is to set a tempo: a real meal at a quiet moment, then snacks during highlights. This avoids missing a concert because you are queuing at the wrong moment.
Fourth point: budget. March is a period when you can still treat yourself without exploding the bill, especially if you plan ahead. For those who like to optimize without depriving themselves, some winter tips remain valid: book early, compare options, and be smart about schedules. In the same spirit, good plans to enjoy skiing in Haute-Savoie without breaking the bank offer concrete ideas to adapt to your stay.
Fifth point: participate in your own way. We often think the event is reserved for registered teams. In reality, there are several ways to get involved:
- Make a donation even without being on site or wearing a bib.
- Come to the solidarity concerts on Saturday evening, as a festive outing.
- Enjoy the free musical appointments on Sunday, perfect for families.
- Encourage a friend team by becoming their “official supporter” at the side of the slope.
Finally, one simple piece of advice to enjoy fully: plan clothing that handles changes. In March, you can go from a dry cold evening to an almost springlike warmth during the day. And when you chain skiing, activity village, and concerts, comfort makes the difference. Glisse en Cœur is a weekend of energy: the better you organize, the more you can let yourself be carried.
After logistics, all that remains is to live the essential: that quite rare feeling of having spent a festive, sporty, and deeply human moment, where every dance step and every lap serves a cause that matters.
