Fancy a game? (Petanque in General)

Member Name: Beanie8844

Product:	Petanque in General
Date:	10/10/08 (76 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: a simple yet enjoyable game

Disadvantages: can get boring after a while

I first played Petanque when on a school trip to Normandy in France about 8 years ago and thoroughly enjoyed it. It is similar to boules, but is usually played on a funny dirt / gravel surface which is rather odd. The aim of the game is to throw your metal balls as close as you can get them to a smaller wooden ball called a cochonnet or 'jack' which is first thrown into the middle of the playing area. It can be played by two, four or even six people and the winners are decide when all balls have been thrown. The scoring works in a way that for every ball closer to the jack than the opposing balls that team scores a point, for example if I had two balls closer to the jack than my opponent I would be winning by two points. The overall winner is the player of team to get to thirteen points.

It's an extremely popular game, although more so in France than England. Would you believe that approximately 17million people play this game in France, I find that staggering. It's eapecially popular during the summer months when people can play into the night due to the longer hours of sunshine. The fact that it doesn't require much physical exertion means that its great for older people, much like the boules clubs of England.

I must say that I did enjoy the game when I played it and always play a similar game when on holiday or at the beach to entertain and pass the time, as have many other people I assume. Obviously, I only play for a laugh but there are professional tournaments and even a governing body! They do take this game very seriously indeed. I'd definitely recommend it.

Thanks for reading.

Summary: worth a go if you're in France