Have you ever played pétanque ?

[Annie Sargent]

I live in a French village and unless the weather is bad I see people playing pétanque just about every day. Some even have their private pétanque pad in their yard the way some Americans have a basketball hoop on the driveway.

My village has an official pétanque pad for the folks who are serious about the game. To play there you have to belong to the local club and get a yearly license. Family gatherings tend to go wherever they find the right surface like this group that I saw yesterday.

Pétanque is everywhere in France. Here is a group where I know they welcome visitors in the Luxembourg Gardens in Paris.

 

Would you like to know what France actually looks like? Watch this! I think this is like watching golf, another slow game of skill 🙂

• This topic was modified 3 years, 1 month ago by Annie Sargent.

[Lennie]

I’ve never played Pétanque but I’ve played Bocce (my husband’s family is Italian-American). I think they are very similar, if not the same?

[Jenny]

How very timely. A friend just gave us his set because he never used it. What I want to know is … how do you know whose boule is whose when you go to count them up? They are all the same, not like lawn bowls where each person’s bowls have a different colour spot.

We sat and watched Pétanque being played when we visited Luganville in Vanuatu when we were on a cruise. It was nice to watch for a little while but I wouldn’t say it was a gripping spectator sport.

We will have to practice for when we come to France next.

[Annie Sargent]

The rules and techniques are different with bocce, but it’s definitely the same vibe 🙂

[Annie Sargent]

All the pétanque balls I’ve ever used had markings on them to tell them apart, but it’s true that some don’t. I get the impression that the nicer sets of boules don’t have markings. Most pétanque fans know exactly where their ball landed anyway and will keep a close eye on the proceedings 🙂

[Patrick]

Yes many times, even in the USA. Remind me if there is a difference between Petangue and Boule. Are they one and the same with different terminology?

[Annie Sargent]

I think pétanque and boules are the same. Maybe pétanque is a bit more technical?

Where have you played in the US? Family and friends or are there clubs and competition?

[Patrick]

There are clubs scattered about but mostly in the larger metropolitan areas. I play with family and friends and our boules are metal with different markings (circumferential stripes) to distinguish them.

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