Thibodaux Pétanque Club

What is Pétanque?

Pétanque originated in the south of France in the early 1900’s. It is played with metal balls called boules. The object of the game is to throw your boules close to a target ball called the jack. What started as a social game in a small French town has steadily grown in popularity throughout France and around the world.

The game of pétanque is suitable for everyone; it requires no special physical ability or skill. For many it's an enjoyable leisure social activity – a chance to get outside and play a few games with friends. Anyone can immediately pick up the game and enjoy playing, but it takes practice and experience to play well. As you develop skill and experience, you’ll find strategy plays a greater role and games can be quite lively and engaging!

Esprit de Pétanque

Pétanque is inherently a social activity. When pétanque is featured in art or French film, it often shows a group of "locals" playing outside a cafe or other public space like a square or park. The scene instantly embodies a spirit of community - a connection between the subjects. Although such games are social, they may be very competitive and lively as well. It's all part of the charm of the pétanque.

The sense of community is further reinforced after the game, by what's known in French as après pétanque. This refers to activities continuing after the game when, win or lose, players sit down and share highlights of the games (and anything else), sometimes over a refreshing beverage.

Who We Are

As a group we share an enthusiasm and enjoyment for the game of pétanque. Everyone's story is different, in part because pétanque has a way of bringing people together from different ages, backgrounds and walks of life. When pétanque players gather in casual play, teams are often formed at random. Teammates and opponents may start out as strangers but soon develop a bond and common purpose that gets reinforced with each round of play. Pétanque is a great way to forge new friendships, and also to connect with old friends.

As an organization, the Thibodaux Pétanque Club is one of approximately 50 member clubs that make up the Federation of Pétanque in the U.S. (FPUSA). FPUSA is the governing body of pétanque in the US and its primary purpose is to promote and support the sport of pétanque in the USA. FPUSA is a part of an international federation of similar organizations known as the Fédération Internationale de Pétanque et Jeu Provençal (FIPJP) that serves a similar purpose as FPUSA but on an international scale.

Pétanque Moments