Playing La Boule is an enjoyable way to share a timeless French pastime with your friends and family. Additionally, it helps develop hand-eye coordination and teamwork abilities.
Before beginning a game, one team draws a circle on the ground (usually 20” or 50 cm in diameter) where all of the players will throw their boules from.
Rules
La Boule is a game of skill and technique played between two teams. Players throw their boules (small balls) to land closer to a jack ball than their opponent’s, known as the jack.
The goal of the game is to score as many points as possible. Points are awarded for each boule that comes closer to your jack than that of your opponent’s.
If your team can’t get their boule closer than the opponents’, you will ‘lose the point’ and must keep throwing until one of your boules is closer than all others.
On the ground, draw a circle approximately 0.5m across and all players must stand inside it when throwing their boules. It is essential that these circles not be stepped outside of as this makes throwing difficult and could lead to injury.
Equipment
Petanque is played with two or three metal balls called boules, made of hollow metal (usually steel), measuring between 70.5mm and 80mm in diameter and weighing between 650g and 800g.
Competition-certified boules must meet the specifications set by the International Petanque Federation (FIPJP). Generic boules used in FPUSA-sanctioned tournaments are produced from carbon, stainless or nickel chromium steel and priced accordingly.
They must also be number-stamped and certified. Most reasonably priced sets of eight, whether for singles or doubles (two matched boules for triples), consist of four pairs of differently grooved or patterned boules.
To play, a player places the boule in front of a cochonnet or jack and waits for it to rest there – usually as close as possible.
Players may hit their opponent’s boule with the aim of knocking it away from the jack, or throw the ball so that it comes to rest near it – this technique is known as pointing and is one of the skills most experts hone.
Variations
Boules is a game in which players attempt to place their ball near a target ball by throwing or rolling it. It’s similar to bocce and bowls but played on rough ground rather than smooth grass.
Variations:
The rules of the game are straightforward, but there are numerous variations available. Players may prefer using a lighter boule and even switch up their balls’ weights.
Depending on the player’s style, they can opt for either striations or not. Some prefer them to help distinguish their balls from those of opponents; others don’t want the striations distracting them from throwing action.
La Boule is an avant-garde design that brings function and aesthetics together with a twist of innovation. Fifty years after Helen von Boch crafted the original La Boule, Villeroy & Boch is reintroducing this ground breaking creation in a contemporary edition.
Scoring
Scoring a boule creates an eye-catching pattern on the surface of the loaf and helps control its expansion as it bakes. The most popular scoring pattern is tic-tac-toe, but you can also score your bread using more complex designs such as diamonds.
The scoring system may seem complex at first, but once you understand the rules, you can have some fun with it. Each team throws one boule from a throwing circle and attempts to get their boule closer to “cochonnet” (a small target ball) than their opponents’ boule.
The game is played over a series of rounds, known as an end. At the start of each round, whichever team won the coin toss draws a circle and starts throwing. The goal is for your team to win as many ends possible in order to score 13 points (or enough jacks) for victory! Whoever scores this milestone first wins!