My Journey: First toss, big grin — I played pétanque! (plus the UK starter video)

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My Journey: First toss, big grin — I played pétanque! (plus the UK starter video)

Reader, I stood in a plastic circle, squinted at a tiny wooden piglet (why is it called a cochonnet?!), and lobbed a shiny ball like a Californian trying to look naturally Provençal. Ten minutes later I was saying “Bien joué !” as if I’d been born under a plane tree. A neighbor measured a close point with serious little calipers, and I pretended this was totally normal and not the most charmingly high-drama moment of my week.

And you know what? I get it now. The rhythm, the dust, the good-natured teasing… and the way everyone greets each other before play. It’s like social yoga with steel oranges.

Quick-start rules I actually remembered

  • Play singles (3 boules each), doubles (3 each), or triples (2 each).

  • Stand in a circle (35–50 cm across), throw the jack 6–10 m, then try to finish each end with your team’s boules closest to the jack. Tape measures and calipers may be deployed with theatrical gravitas. (fipjp.org)

Where to play in Aix (bring your best “bonjour”)

  • Parc Jourdan – Boulodrome municipal (free, outdoors, glorious plane trees). It’s a classic local spot—watch, learn, and jump in when invited. (Lonely Planet)

  • The city lists other boulodromes too (Georges Carcassonne, Orbitelle, Val Saint-André), handy when Parc Jourdan is buzzing. (Mairie d'Aix-en-Provence)

The UK video that taught me (almost) everything

If you want one concise, friendly walkthrough in English, this is the one I used:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F2tkFwse2l8 ← Petanque England’s training video (21 minutes, gold). (YouTube)

Tiny etiquette that made locals smile (and didn’t require C2 French)

  • Arrive with “Bonjour !”, leave with “Bonne soirée !”

  • Ask to join: “On peut jouer avec vous ?”

  • Compliment a good shot: “Bien tiré ! / Bien pointé !”

  • Before measuring, announce: “On mesure ?” (and don’t bump anything!)

French-by-level cheat sheet (learners welcome!)

A1

  • C’est à qui ? — Whose turn is it?

  • Je pointe. — I’m pointing (placing softly).

  • Bravo ! Encore ! — Nice! Again!

A2

  • On joue en doublette ou triplette ? — Doubles or triples?

  • Tu tires ou je tire ? — You shoot or shall I?

  • À toi l’honneur. — You start.

B1

  • Elle est “première” ou “seconde” ? — Is it first or second closest?

  • Le terrain est un peu roulant / cassant. — The ground is fast / choppy.

  • On change de côté ? — Switch sides?

B2

  • Si je pointe devant, ça te fait un bon bouchon. — If I park one in front, it gives you a nice screen.

  • Tente le carreau, sinon je sécurise. — Try the perfect hit; otherwise I’ll secure a point.

Advanced

  • On privilégie la stratégie: pose à 50 cm court pour fermer la ligne et forcer le tir adverse. — Let’s go strategic: place it 50 cm short to block the line and force them to shoot.

  • Mesure croisée, s’il te plaît—on est au millimètre. — Cross-measure please—we’re down to millimeters.

Etranger Things corner (aka: things I learned the charming way)

  • The “circle” matters! Don’t step out when you throw. Yes, the auntie who sees all will notice.

  • That little piglet (cochonnet) has many names (but, leçon du jour: do not call it “the nugget”).

  • Measuring is ceremonial. Breathe. Smile. Let the calipers do their ballet. (Or carry a tiny tape like a pro.) (Wikipedia)

Want to try today?

  • Wander to Parc Jourdan late afternoon; say bonjour and watch a few ends. If it feels right, ask to join the next partie. Worst case, you’ll leave with new vocab and dusty shoes—both très chic in Aix. (Wanderlog)

Your turn 🗣️

Did you get adopted by a squad of pétanque wizards too? What tripped you up first—distance, the circle, or pretending you weren’t holding your breath during measuring? Drop a comment with your funniest pétanque moment or your best beginner tip (A1 to Advanced welcome). And if you’ve got a favorite local spot or meetup, share it so other newbies (like me, forever humble) can join!