For the 28th year in a row, popular artists in France gather to support the cause of famous charity Les Restaurants du Cœur. Former Eurovision entrants are of course part of it.

Back in 1986, the extremely popular French humorist Coluche created a charity commonly known as Les Restos du Cœur, the main activity of which is to distribute food packages and hot meals to the needy and homeless people. The initiative was supported by a song penned by the as much popular songwriter and singer Jean-Jacques Goldman called La Chanson des Restos, which included some of the lyrics being sung or read out by many celebrities (the backing singers were the ladies from Cocktail Chic, France’s Eurovision representatives in 1986, see here). Soon enough, televised shows, live concerts and tours would be organised following the release of an album every year, raising millions of French francs and later on millions of Euros for the needy.

This year again, 39 artists and celebrities in France gathered all together under the colloquial nickname Les Enfoirés to promote the action of Les Restos du Cœur and raise as much money as possible with a new tour and the release of a new album entitled Bon anniversaire les Enfoirés. The main single La chanson du bénévole penned once more by Jean-Jacques Goldman and in which one will recognize the voices of Patrick Fiori, who took part in the Eurovision Song Contest in Millstreet in 1993, and Natasha St-Pier, who entered the Copenhagen edition in 2001, is in its way to reach the top of the French music charts. The annual live show traditionally aired on France’s main TV channel TF1 was followed by almost 14,000,000 viewers will be broadcast on 14 March.

Since 1986, many former Eurovision entrants joined Les Enfoirés. They are: Anggun (France 2012), Dan Ar Braz (France 1996), Hugues Aufray (Luxembourg 1964), Cocktail Chick (France 1986), Céline Dion (Switzerland 1988), Lara Fabian (Luxembourg 1988), Patrick Fiori (France 1993), France Gall (Luxembourg 1965), Patrick Juvet (Switzerland 1973), Patricia Kaas (France 2009), Serge Lama (France 1971), Nana Mouskouri (Luxembourg 1963), Natasha St-Pier (France 2001).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wjrahjhxkps