Welcome to Pétanque - A Beginner's Guide to the French Art of boules

Learnpetanque.com is an introductory website to the game and sport of pétanque, known in France often simply as “boules”. The word “pétanque” (pronounced “pay-tonk”) is an old French word meaning “planted feet”, since in petanque your feet are “planted” on the ground when you throw. Our aim is to introduce this enjoyable game to as many people as possible. This simple website contains links to other sites where you can delve deeper into all the aspects of the sport.

Despite some stereotypes out there, the game can be enjoyed by people from all age groups. It’s not just an ‘old man’s pastime’. There is actually a lot of strategy and foresight required that makes it ideal for youngsters to sharpen their cognitive thinking skills. As you play this game, you will notice how it resembles golf in several ways. For example, developing a consistent swing of the arm will help to attain better accuracy with each boule you throw.

Buy some boules, keep them handy at home or in your car or RV, and have fun playing a relaxed game with friends or family almost anywhere.

No matter what age group you are, we can guarantee that after a few games, you will end up loving Pétanque!