Les boules font référence à un groupe de jeux apparentés bien aimés sur toute la France, mais surtout dans le sud. En Provence, le jeu s'appelle pétanque, du terme provençal pèd tanco (pied fixé [au sol]).
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| Boules © LKL |
Les joueurs se relaient à lancer leurs boules, et ils ont essentiellement deux choix : soit essayer de les mettre à côté du cochonnet, soit heurter les boules des adversaires pour les en éloigner.
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| Qui a gagné le point ? © LKL |
*Quand il y a deux joueurs, ils ont trois boules chacun ; quand il y au moins trois joueurs, ils n'ont que deux boules.
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English translation Please scroll down for the side-by-side translation.
Boules
Boules refers to a group of related games beloved all over France, but especially in the south. In Provence, the game is called pétanque, from the Provençal term pèd tanco (foot stuck [to the ground]).
The rules of the game are pretty simple: you start by throwing the cochonnet (literally, "piglet"), a small wooden ball, about 5-10 meters (approximately 16 to 31 feet). Each player has two or three boules* made of engraved steel which weigh between 650 and 800 grams (23 to 28 ounces), and the object is to have your balls as close as possible to the cochonnet.
The players take turn throwing their balls, and they basically have two choices: either try to put them next to the cochonnet, or use them to knock their adversaries' balls away from it.
Older men are particularly fond of this game, but you often see women too, and there was even a weekly class in Hyères for children.
*When there are two players, they each have three balls; when there are at least three players, they only have two.
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Side-by-side translation
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Boules Les boules font référence à un groupe de jeux apparentés bien aimés sur toute la France, mais surtout dans le sud. En Provence, le jeu s'appelle pétanque, du terme provençal pèd tanco (pied fixé [au sol]). Les règles du jeu sont assez simples : on commence en lançant (mot du jour) le cochonnet, une petite boule en bois, à une distance de 5 à 10 mètres. Les joueurs ont chacun deux ou trois boules* en acier gravé qui pèsent entre 650 et 800 grammes, et l'objet est d'avoir ses boules le plus proche que possible au cochonnet. Les joueurs se relaient à lancer leurs boules, et ils ont essentiellement deux choix : soit essayer de les mettre à côté du cochonnet, soit heurter les boules des adversaires pour les en éloigner. C'est un jeu particulièrement apprécié par les hommes plus âgés, mais on voit souvent des femmes aussi, et il y avait même une classe hebdomadaire pour les enfants à Hyères. *Quand il y a deux joueurs, ils ont trois boules chacun ; quand il y au moins trois joueurs, ils n'ont que deux boules. |
Boules Boules refers to a group of related games beloved all over France, but especially in the south. In Provence, the game is called pétanque, from the Provençal term pèd tanco (foot stuck [to the ground]). The rules of the game are pretty simple: you start by throwing the cochonnet (literally, "piglet"), a small wooden ball, about 5-10 meters (approximately 16 to 31 feet). Each player has two or three boules* made of engraved steel which weigh between 650 and 800 grams (23 to 28 ounces), and the object is to have your balls as close as possible to the cochonnet. The players take turn throwing their balls, and they basically have two choices: either try to put them next to the cochonnet, or use them to knock their adversaries' balls away from it. Older men are particularly fond of this game, but you often see women too, and there was even a weekly class in Hyères for children. *When there are two players, they each have three balls; when there are at least three players, they only have two. |
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Comments
Chère Laura,
Ma cousine habite à Mandelieu, and her husband plays boules everyday…….
Adieu,
Jacqueline
Bonjour Laura,
En Argentine, ce jeu s’appelle “bochas”, et les règles sont les mêmes qu’en France.
Amitiés,
-marian
The English speaking Quebec school I went to was in an Italian neighborhood where we Anglo/Franco students often stopped to watch them play what sounded to me like “Bocha” or “Bocca”.
Hé les enfants, allons voir les Italiens jouent leur jeu.
Because of the sound made, when two balls would collide we kids would shout “Pitank”; and the main goal of the game was to approach the “Coconut”. Your explanation clarifies the sounds of the names we used to describe the elements of this interesting game. Lauriate.
Laura,
After hearing about the game several years ago, I bought two sets. Now, with my smaller classes and with the French Club, we play pétanque about once a month. It’s great fun !
Dey play it in Cork too Boy (has to be said with Cork accent)
Dans l’été quand ma famille est au lac en vacances, nous jouons souvent les boules. Mais, parce que la terre est très raboteuse avec les roches et racines et plein d’obstacles comme des arbres et d’autre plantes, nous appellons le jeu « extreme bocce » .
In Venezuela this game is called “bolas criollas”. It is very popular at the country
I know that French are playing this game through movies, and I think that is quite a social event for people who participate ….