The Game Pétanque

Pétanque (French pronunciation: [petɑ̃k]) is a throwing game with characteristics similar to games like bowling, Mölkky and kubb. Pétanque falls into the category of boules sports, where players throw their balls (i.e. boules) toward a target ball. The word pétanque is derived from the expression pè tancat in the Provençal dialect of the Occitan language, meaning feet anchored. The objective of the game is to score points by having balls closer to a small target ball than the opponent after all balls have been thrown.

Everyone can enjoy pétanque. It takes only a few minutes to learn and requires very little equipment. The game is typically played on hard dirt or gravel, but works just as well on grass, sand, or other surfaces. Pétanque is played by two teams, with each team made up of one, two, or three players. It takes real skill and precision to play well — but a good strategy matters just as much.

Boules games have a very long history, dating back to ancient Greece. Pétanque in its current form was invented in 1907 in La Ciotat near Marseille. It gained widespread popularity after World War II.

A Brief History

source: ancientolympics.arts.kuleuven.be

As early as the 6th century BC, the Ancient Greeks were playing games of tossing coins, then flat stones, and later stone balls — trying to have them go as far as possible. The Ancient Romans modified the game by adding a target to throw at, thereby making it more of a game of skill. After the Romans, the stone balls were replaced by wooden balls. Throughout the Middle Ages, the popularity of ball games periodically waned. But in certain regions such as Provence in France, it remained popular.

In the second half of the 19th century, a form of jeu de boules known as jeu provençal became extremely popular in France. In this game, players had to run three steps before throwing a ball. In 1907 in La Ciotat (near Marseille), this rule was adapted for the sake of an old rheumatic man (Jules Lenoir), who could no longer make this run. According to the new rules, the pitcher had to stay in place, which was enforced by drawing a circle around him. They called the game pieds tanqués, feet anchored, a name that eventually evolved into the game's current name, pétanque. Pétanque quickly became the most popular form of jeu de boules.

Initially, pétanque balls were made from wood. To give these wooden balls more weight, they were usually covered with metal nails. After World War I, cannonball manufacturing technology was adapted to create metal balls. Nowadays, pétanque balls are manufactured by stamping two steel blanks into hemispheres, which are then welded together to create the hollow metal pétanque balls we are familiar with today.

A Global Success

After booming in the South of France at the start of the 20th century, pétanque has now become a global success. From World War II onwards, pétanque began an impressive advance that at first engulfed all of France, and soon included other countries from Europe and beyond. The many tourists that discovered pétanque in France began to import it into their own regions. Pétanque is also played in the former French colonies like Laos, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, India and some parts of Africa. Pétanque tournaments are played all over the world.

Pétanque associations exist not only in France, but also in Belgium, Germany, Switzerland, Spain, as well as in the US, Canada and other countries. The Fédération Internationale de Pétanque et Jeu Provençal (FIPJP) saw the light of day in 1958. In 1959, they organized the first pétanque World Championship. Today, FIPJP has about 600,000 members in 52 countries and counting.

Pétanque is not yet an Olympic sport. With the purpose of lobbying the Olympic committee, the Confédération Mondiale des Sports de Boules (CMSB) was created. Ever since 1985, the CMSB has continued to advocate for pétanque’s inclusion.