Boules

Boules is a game similar to lawn bowls and bocce ball. It is a popular game in many countries around the world, especially in France. Boules is a relatively simple game to learn, but it can be very challenging to master.

Boules can be played by two teams of one, two, or three players. The game is played on a flat surface, such as a park, beach, or car park. The objective of the game is to throw or roll heavy balls nearer to a small target ball, called the jack, than the opposing player or team. 

Boules played in southern France

Points are scored when everyone is out of boules: one point for each boule closer to the jack than the best-placed boule of your opponents. First team to 13 wins

The history of boules is long and complex, but it is thought to have originated in ancient Greece or Egypt. The game was later adopted by the Romans, who spread it throughout their empire.

Boules became so popular in Europe during the Middle Ages that King Henry III of England had to ban his archers from playing it due to it becoming such a distraction. King Charles IV of France even made a law to ban commoners from playing it, which lasted nearly 300 years until the 17th century.

A French boules game called  Pétanque was invented in 1910 in the town of La Ciotat, near Marseille. It was originally designed for people with disabilities, as it could be played from a standing position.

The name "pétanque" comes from the Provençal word "pès tancats," which means "feet together."

The only really essential equipment is a set of six steel boules. A set costs anywhere from US$5 for a rusty old set you may be lucky enough to come across to US$150-200 to a set of La Boule Bleue Obut steel boules

A case of six boules, plus cochonnet (the small jack), will weigh between four and five kilos.

The book L'esprit de la pétanque (The Spirit of Pétanque) by Buddhist monk Maître Kaisen advocates the game as an aid to meditation. Kaisen argues that pétanque requires similar qualities to Buddhist prayer, such as focus, concentration, and the ability to ignore distractions. To support his argument, Kaisen draws on his own experience as a Buddhist monk and pétanque player. He describes how pétanque has helped him to develop his concentration and mindfulness, and how it has taught him to let go of negative emotions.

Maître Kaisen - who was born Alain Krystaszek to a family of Polish immigrants in northern France and now lives in the Dordogne - has practised the game for decades and still plays once a week.

Source Marseille-provence.info