You see it being played in parks throughout Paris, and in Plane tree shaded village squares everywhere in France. It is pétanque (pronounced pay-tonk), a game with ancient roots, first played in its present-day form in France around 1907. It can be played almost anywhere outdoors by anyone, regardless of age or athletic ability.
All that's needed is an open space, a friend or two, a pétanque game set, and the ability to aim and throw a ball. The game set includes a small wooden ball called a jack or cochonnet ('piglet'), six or eight larger hollow metal balls (boules), and a measure.The rules of the game are easy to learn — the challenge comes in mastering your throwing skills. The goal is to throw the hollow metal balls as close as possible to the jack, while standing inside a starting circle with both feet on the ground. The game is normally played on hard dirt or gravel, but can also be played on grass, or sand.
The French name pétanque comes from petanca in the Occitan language, derived from the expression pès tancats ('feet together'.)
Learn more about pétanque during your week aboard a luxury barge from Boutique Hotel Barges.
