Au Bonheur des Mômes

Au Bonheur des Mômes: Thirty Years of Performing Arts for Children

Founded in 1992 in Le Grand-Bornand, in the heart of the Aravis massif in Haute-Savoie, Au Bonheur des Mômes has become over three decades the largest European showcase for performing arts aimed at young audiences. Co-created by Théâtre de la Toupine and the municipality of Le Grand-Bornand, the festival was born from a simple conviction: to offer children professional-quality, demanding, and inventive shows, far from the ease of commercial entertainment.

A Village Transformed into a Giant Stage

For five days, the center of Le Grand-Bornand is completely transformed. Streets become pedestrian, squares host stages, barns turn into theaters, and every corner of the village hides a surprise. The "Bulle des Mômes", a vast secure pedestrian zone, is the beating heart of the festival: street performances, workshops, activities, and games abound, offering families a unique space for freedom and discovery.

A Non-Flashy, Demanding, and Eclectic Program

The program of Au Bonheur des Mômes mixes theatre, circus, puppetry, dance, mime, music, and street arts, with companies from all over the world. Each edition, the festival hosts about twenty companies and offers several hundred performances in about thirty different venues. The festival's activist spirit is reflected in a program that never condescends, treating young spectators as a full audience.

As Libération summarizes: "Non-flashy, Le Grand-Bornand refuses to talk down to children." And Quotidien goes further, calling the festival the "Burning Man for under-15s."

The 2025 Edition: Animals in the Spotlight

The 33rd edition, from August 24 to 28, 2025, places fauna at the heart of its program with 23 shows inspired by the animal world, presented in 465 performances across 31 venues. The opening at Le Chinaillon, entirely dedicated to street arts, kicks off a week of wonder for young and old alike.

Workshops for All Ages

Beyond the shows, Au Bonheur des Mômes offers daily creative and nature discovery workshops accessible to all ages, from birth. These workshops, offered in sessions, allow children to explore theatre, music, visual arts, or observe alpine nature.