Welcome

Pétanque players

What is Pétanque?
Pétanque (pronounced “PAY TANK”) is an outdoor game from the South East of France in the “Provencal” province. It is similar to the the Italian “Bocce” game but played with steel ball (Boule in French) instead of plastic or brass balls. Historically the game is as old as the ancient civilizations from the Egyptians to the Greeks and the Romans and was played by the Romans soldiers over 2000 years ago between battle campaigns.

The original boules were carved in stone, then made of wood and finally made of steel for the French Pétanque and plastic for the Italian “Bocce” game. The French Pétanque found its definition and official rules in 1908. The Pétanque steel balls are around 3” in diameter and approximately 1 pound, 10 ounces in weight. A “Jack” (Cochonnet in French) a small wood ball is used as a target point thrown at a distance of 20 to 30 feet maximum. The objective is to throw the steel “Boule” as close as possible to the jack from a fixed position with both feet on the ground. Teams of 2 players can play in groups of 2 or 3 teams. Single players can also play against one or two other single players.

The Pétanque game can be played anywhere there is a flat space of 15’ X 50’. Rough terrain is ok, however, Pétanque court made of compacted lime stone dirt can be found in Public Parks or private setting. Pétanque is a fun game that can be played by families for pure relaxation and enjoyment or played in competition on US national or international events.

Where does the word Pétanque originate?
As explained above, one should keep both feet on the ground when throwing a boule. There is no run-up to get speed. The word comes from the French Occitan Provençal language “Pè” (foot) and “tanca” (anchor or tie down) called "pieds tanquais" which in turn came out in the French expression “Jouer à la Pétanque” (Play Pétanque). This marked the difference with existing bowl games in Provence, like "boule Provençale" and "boule Lyonnaise" where one takes a number of steps prior to throwing the boule.

Mission Statement

Houston Pétanque Club is a non profit association

To promote the game of Pétanque and raise the public's awareness of the sport.

To create an environment and an opportunity to practice a game for fun, enjoyment in an open frame of mind.

To introduce Pétanque to public and private educational institutions throughout the city of Houston and the Harris county area.

To encourage community groups and the Houston Park and Recreation Departments to develop Pétanque courts in their parks.