HISTORY

Pétanque is ..

 

Played regularly by more than 20 million people worldwide,
About 600 000 of these players are registered with more than 50 national federations representing all continents.
An art of Living
A game easily adapted to any conditions and climates, including the snow of Canada,
A game accessible to all irrespective of age or physical condition,
A sport linking all social sectors and bringing together generations
A serious sport demanding a great deal of training and deserving of a place in the Olympic Games.

Origin of the games of bowls …

 

Although a rather recent invention, pétanque, as all other modern games of bowls, finds it's origins in ancient history. Bowls were found in Egyptian sarcophaguses dating back 5 200 years, the Greeks used the throwing of bowls as a demonstration of strength and when the Romans conquerd Gaul, their luggage contained bowls.
In the wake of the invasion, the game got forgotten for about 700 years.
It was revived during the crusades and it's qualities of skill and control won it a place of high regard during the Renaissance. The benifits attributed to the game during this period, led it to be siezed from the common people - who need to wait till the night of August the 4th, 1789 and the Abolition of Privileges before they can lead the game further into the future.
In 1850 "Boule Lyonnaise" becomes a recognised sport with the forming of the first official society: "Clos de Jouve".
In the south "Jeu Provencal" gains more popularity and in time will give birth to the modern game of Pétanque.

The birth of the pétanque...

 

Pétanque gets it's name from the provencal expression - "pés tanqués" - meaning "joined feet". Is was developed by a group of players of Jeu Provencal that rewrote the rules to enable Jules "the Black", a renowned player from their group, to continue playing after he had become paralised. Different sources claim that this took place in 1907, 1908 or 1910 in La Ciotat.

The pétanque, the game of bowls the most spread in the world, became an universal discipline.

The pétanque spreads through France...

 

Irrespective of the exact date, the fact remains that the first tournament organised in La Ciotat, a small town between Marseille and Toulon, was a huge success.
Pétanque rapidly became part of the way of life in the south and has been immortalised by many of the artists and writers of the time. At the end of the 30's, the generalisation of the holidays, combined with the games low cost and accesibility, give the game it't first big boost and it spreads like wildfire across France.

…And, worldwide...

 

The thousands of yearly international visitors to the south of France become the international ambassadors of Pétanque and the game rapidly spreads as far afield as Australia and Alaska.
Juzo Itami, a Japanese film-maker and regular visitor to the Cannes film festival, is credited with introducing the game to the land of the rising Sun - which now boasts three federations and several thousand registred players.
Thailand's Queen-Mother discovered the game on a visit to Switzerland and mainly through it's introduction into the Army it has become practicaly a national sport.

The pétanque becomes a recognised sport...

 

· In 1927 Pétanque is codified as a sport.
In 1945 the French Union of Pétanque and Jue Prevencal (FFPJP) is born.
In 1953, the Swiss Federation of Pétanque (FSP) is created in Thônex, Geneva.
In 1958 the International Federation of Pétanque and Jue Provencal is established at Marseille.
In 1983 Pétanque is admitted to the world games and two years later, in 1885 the World Confederation of Sports Boules (CMSB) is formed.
The following year the CMSB becomes a member of the CIO.
In 1999 the European Confederation of Pétanque is born.