Most commonly played in France, petanque is a variation of the game of boules; it also is very similar to bocce. To play, competitors stand inside a circle with their feet together and toss hollow metal balls, called boules, at a small wooden ball called the cochonnet. Petanque can be played with teams of one to three players. A point is scored when all three of a team's boules are closer to the cochonnet than any of the opponents', and games are generally played up to 13 points.

Choose a flat area with the dimensions of approximately 10 feet by 40 feet to be the location of the petanque court.

  • Most commonly played in France, petanque is a variation of the game of boules; it also is very similar to bocce.
  • Choose a flat area with the dimensions of approximately 10 feet by 40 feet to be the location of the petanque court.

Create a rectangular border for the court with the dimensions above using 2 x 4s fastened together by screws. The border should be approximately 4 inches high.

Deposit a layer of between 1 and 2 inches of gravel inside the court. This will allow any precipitation or moisture to easily drain from the court.

Lay down a fine rock mixture, such as sand, over the gravel until the gravel is approximately 1 inch beneath the top layer.

TIP

Sand may settle into the voids in the gravel over time, and additional sand can be added on top. Variations in the playing surface are normal; petanque can be played on nearly any soft, flat surface.