Pétanque courts

Overview

A boulodrome is a ground laid out for pétanque: a flat surface of packed earth, compacted sand or fine gravel, often edged with timber or concrete boards. Some are divided into lanes side by side; others are one open area where several games share the space. The word pétanque comes from Provençal and refers to feet kept planted on the ground: you throw from a circle, without a run-up. On some longer grounds you may also come across jeu provençal, played with a run-up over greater distances. Boules lyonnaises, for its part, uses larger balls and has grounds of its own.

The rules of the FIPJP, the international federation for pétanque and jeu provençal, specify a 15 × 4 m ground for competitions. A neighbourhood court does not need to match those figures. What matters is a surface that is neither too hard nor too loose, so the boule rolls without sinking, and enough length to throw the jack a fair distance. A good court also has benches, shade in summer and sometimes lighting for evening games.

Pétanque belongs to the town square. In Brussels, more than 80% of the sports facilities in public space are football pitches, basketball courts or pétanque courts, according to Brussels Environment. On the Oukonjou map you will find free-access courts in France, Belgium, Switzerland, Luxembourg, Andorra and Monaco. You can also sign up for an email alert when a new court is listed in a town you follow.

Where to find pétanque courts

70 pétanque courts listed in 29 towns.

By country

• Pétanque courts in France 50
• Pétanque courts in Belgium 12
• Pétanque courts in Andorra 5
• Pétanque courts in Luxembourg 2
• Pétanque courts in Switzerland 1

Best-equipped towns

• Toulouse 6
• Bordeaux 6
• Montpellier 6
• Lyon 5
• Nice 5
• Marseille 3
• Annecy 3
• Brussels 3
• Liège 3
• Antwerp 3
• Paris 2
• Rennes 2
• Grenoble 2
• La Ciotat 2
• Ghent 2
• Luxembourg City 2
• Encamp 2
• Sant Julià de Lòria 2
• Mérignac 1
• Lille 1

Who it's for

Rules of the game

The official rules are those of the FIPJP. Casual games on public courts often bend them a little, but the basics are the same everywhere.

• Formats: in head-to-head and doubles, each player has 3 boules; in triples, each player has 2.
• After a coin toss, one team draws a circle 35 to 50 cm across and throws the jack between 6 and 10 m away.
• When you throw, both feet stay inside the circle and on the ground until your boule has landed.
• The team that is not holding the point keeps playing until it takes the point back or runs out of boules.
• Once all the boules have been played, the winning team scores one point for each boule closer to the jack than the opponents' best boule.
• The next end starts where the jack finished. The team that has just scored draws the circle and throws the jack.
• A game is played to 13 points.
• In competition, boules measure 70.5 to 80 mm across and weigh 650 to 800 g.
• If in doubt, measure before touching anything, and do not pick up a single boule until the points have been counted.

Safety and gear

• Never stand in front of the circle or in the line of a shot: a steel boule weighs several hundred grams.
• Only throw when the lane is clear, including the gaps between neighbouring courts.
• Keep young children well away from nearby games, especially when someone is shooting.
• Wear closed shoes. A boule dropped on your foot hurts.
• In summer, bring water, a hat and sun cream. A game often lasts longer than you expect.
• Pick up the boules and the jack when you finish so nobody trips over them.

Regulations

European standards are voluntary, but they are the reference when an accident happens. The rules posted on site always come first.

Etiquette

• If others are waiting, offer to share the lane or hand it over when your game ends.
• Do not walk across a lane while a game is on: wait until the end is finished.
• Keep your voice down in the evening. Laughter and the clack of boules carry a long way near homes.
• Take your rubbish home, cigarette ends included, and leave the benches clean.
• Welcome beginners: explain the rules rather than leaving them on the sidelines.
• Stay on the court. Playing on lawns or paths damages green spaces and gets in the way of passers-by.

Glossary

Jack (cochonnet)

The small wooden or synthetic ball everyone aims for. Its French name, cochonnet, means piglet.

End (mène)

One round of play, from throwing the jack until every boule has been played.

Pointing

Throwing your boule so it comes to rest as close to the jack as possible.

Shooting

Throwing your boule to knock an opponent's boule, or the jack, out of position.

Carreau

The perfect shot: your boule knocks the opposing boule away and stops dead in its place.

Biberon

French slang for a boule touching the jack. The word means baby's bottle.

Fanny

Losing a game without scoring a single point. Tradition says the loser must kiss Fanny's bare bottom, shown on a picture or a figurine.

Doubles and triples

Teams of two or three players. A one-on-one game is called head-to-head, or tête-à-tête.

What to bring

• Set of leisure boules
• Spare jack
• Tape measure or boules measure
• Magnetic boule lifter
• Cloth to wipe your boules

FAQ