French Winetasting 31 May

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Rules for Boules

This is just a brief set of rules of Boules (or Pétanque). The full set of rules can be found here at

1. Size of teams, number of boules
You can play the game with two teams of one, two or three players on each side. With
teams of one or two, each player has 3 boules; with teams of 3, each has 2 boules.
2. Size of boules and cochonnet
Boules should have a diameter between 7 and 8 cm; ideally made of steel and weighing
between 650g and 800g. They should be marked so each player can tell which boules
belong to them. The cochonnet should be made of wood, about 3 cm in diameter.
3. Choosing the throwing place
Toss a coin to choose which team plays first. A ny player in this team chooses where to
draw a circle on the ground in which every player will stand to throw their boules. The
circle should be about 0.5m in diameter and at least 1m from any obstacle (wall, tree,
edge of playing area, etc).
4. Throwing the cochonnet
He/she then throws the "cochonnet" between 4m and 8m, or 6 to 10 paces from the
circle in any direction. It also must not be closer than 1m from any obstacle.
5. The first boule
Any player from the first team then throws the first boule, trying to get it as close as
possible to the "cochonnet". Both feet must stay together on the ground and within the
circle while throwing and until the boule has landed.
6. The other team
A player from the other team then steps into the circle and tries to place a boule closer
to the cochonnet than their opponent, or to knock the opponent’s boule away.
You must throw within 1 minute of your turn starting. The boule nearest to the
cochonnet is said to be “holding the point”.
7. Who plays when
The players in the team that is not “holding” continue throwing until they place a boule
closest to the cochonnet, and so on. Players on the same team do not have to take alternate
throws, but player must always play their own boules.
8. When one team has no more boules
When a team has no more boules to be played, the players of the other team throw
theirs and try to place them as close as possible to the cochonnet.
9. Counting the points
When both teams have no more boules, you stop and count up the points. The winning
team scores one point for each boule nearer the cochonnet than the opponents closest.
Only one team can score points in each round.
10. Starting the next round
A player from the team that has won throws the cochonnet from a new circle drawn
round the cochonnet’s last position. The winners are the first team to reach 13 points
(or whatever total you decide).