Petanque is a boules sport in which players throw hollow metal balls towards a small wooden target ball called the cochonnet. The objective is to finish an end with one team's boules closer to the cochonnet than the opponent's. Play takes place with the thrower standing inside a marked circle, feet planted, and the jack thrown 6 to 10 metres to start each end, according to the sport's official rules.
Games are contested by teams of one, two, or three players. Singles and doubles use three boules per player, while triples use two. After both sides have thrown their boules the team with the closest boule scores one point for each of its boules that is closer than the opponent's nearest boule. Play continues end by end until one team reaches thirteen points, which ends the game.
Players choose between pointing, placing a boule near the cochonnet, and shooting, striking an opponent's boule to change the score. A perfect strike that replaces the opponent's boule is called a carreau. Strategy includes placing boules in front of the cochonnet to block opponents and managing the team's remaining boules to limit potential opponent points.
History Governance Equipment And Global Reach
Petanque developed from jeu provençal in Provence and codified in La Ciotat around 1907 or 1910, after Jules Lenoir and Ernest Pitiot adapted the game for players who could not run before throwing. The first organized tournament was held in La Ciotat in 1910. The sport spread rapidly across France and beyond.
On the international level the Fédération Internationale de Pétanque et Jeu Provençal was founded in Marseille in 1958. The FIPJP reports almost 800,000 members as of 2022, while the French federation reports over 300,000 licensed members. Petanque has appeared in every World Games edition since 1985. The Mondial la Marseillaise à Pétanque draws more than 10,000 participants and over 150,000 spectators, as reported in source material.
National federations vary in size. The Federation of Pétanque USA records roughly 30,000 players nationwide and counted 2,141 members as of 1 December 2015. Equipment standards are set by the international body. Competition boules must be hollow metal, 70.5 to 80 mm in diameter and 650 to 800 g in weight. Jacks are traditionally wooden and around 30 mm in diameter. Retailers and suppliers named in source material include Obut, MS Pétanque, Boulenciel, Toro and La Franc.
