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Petanque Games

Developed from the Italian game boules, petanque is a game originating from Provencal, in southeast France. Petanque players throw hollow steel balls, or boules, at smaller wooden boules, referred to as a jack, cochonnet or bouchon. The game of petanque can take place on gravel, grass, dirt, sand or other rough surfaces. Throughout history, the Romans, Greeks and Egyptians played games similar to petanque. The form and theory of the game is comparable to lawn bowling in the United States.

Word Meaning
- The word petanque originates from the Provencal word pes' tanques, meaning to tie down or to anchor. Petanque players do not move or walk when aiming their boule at the cochonnet. The players must keep their feet flat on the ground, as opposed to other boule games, such as boule Provencale, where the players may take several steps when taking their turn.
History
- Most likely created between 1907 and 1910 in La Ciotat, France, the game Jules le Noir is considered by the French to be the progenitor of petanque, while many versions have existed between the births of the two games. The direct ancestor of petanque is considered to be Jeu Provencal, derived from the game Jules le Noir. In 1945, the French Petanque Federation, known as the FFPJP, or Federation Francaise de Petanque et Jeu Provencal, was founded. The game became widely popular and by the end of 1945, the FFPJP listed over 10,000 active members. Today, the membership of FFPJP has grown to over 450,000, with over 600,000 individuals playing petanque worldwide. While many different types of boules or bowls are played globally, petanque is considered the most popular of this type of game.
Rules
- Like most games, petanque has a set of rules that must be followed. The normal game of petanque uses six players, three on each team. The game may also be played as a doubles or a singles game; however, in a doubles or singles game players use three balls instead of two. The Federation International de Petanque et Jeu Provencal regulates and approves the exact size of balls that are used. The FIPJP ensures that the boules have not been tampered with or modified any way and approves all jacks used in the game.
Equipment
- The most fundamental piece of equipment needed for the game of petanque is a set of three steel boules. In tournament play, the boules must conform to FIPJP regulations. Other than boules and jacks for actual gameplay, players may want to carry their own steel measuring tape in case arguments arise regarding which player's boule lies closer to the jack.

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