Top Tips

Top tips for playing Petanque. These are foolproof. Follow these and you will win every game*

  1. Petanque is fun. Yes you'll probably want to win but primarily it is a sociable, enjoyable game. A good boule is a good boule regardless which team plays it. Appreciate and learn from the good shots you see.

  2. Petanque is the game. Also known as Boules which are the

round metal things you play with. The cochonnet or jack is the

small wooden ball, usually coloured, that you aim at. Pastis is

the aniseed tasting drink that it is customary to drink whilst playing.

The piste is what you play on. And what you are if you over indulge

on the pastis. A smile is what you wear when you're on the piste.

  3. Once you and your team have been playing together for a while try and work out who's good at what. Some people will be good at getting the boules close - they're known as 'pointers'. Others will be good at knocking (oppostion) boules out of the way - they're 'shooters'. Others will feel that they're good at nothing - don't worry you will improve!

  4. Everyone has off days.

  5. If a team has scored no points at the end of a game this is known

by the French as getting 'fanny'. This is not something to aspire to.

  6. Play the boules with both feet on the ground. No flamingo postures

or zebedees please.

  7. Throw the boules underarm with your hand on top. A bit of backspin

will help. A bit of visualisation about where you want the boule to go might help. A bit of pastis probably won't help. But it's a useful excuse for poor play.

  8. Get a decent set of boules. The ones you find everywhere at about 8 for £15 are ok for casual play but if you are keen on boules then it is worth investing in a decent set. These take into account of how you play, your hand size, and comfortable weight. Have a look on our links page for suppliers.

* Actually that's not true. But never mind. Think positive and it might have a placebo effect.