La Pétanque

Toss your boules closest to the cochonnet — outscore the AI in 3 rounds!

You
0
Round
1/3
AI
0
Click & drag to aim, release to throw • Get your boules closest to the jack!

About La Pétanque

Inspired by the Google Doodle celebration of pétanque, this game brings the beloved French sport to your browser. Pétanque (from pieds tanqués — "feet planted together") is a form of boules where players toss metal balls toward a small wooden target ball called the cochonnet (piglet). Invented in 1910 in La Ciotat, a coastal town in Provence, it quickly became one of the most popular recreational sports in France and is now enjoyed worldwide.

Fun Facts

  • Pétanque was invented in 1910 in La Ciotat, a coastal town in southern France.
  • The name comes from pieds tanqués (Provençal for "feet planted together"), describing the stationary throwing stance.
  • It was created because champion boules player Jules Hugues had rheumatism and could no longer take a running start.
  • Pétanque is the most popular sport in France, with an estimated 17 million casual players.
  • Games are played on gravel or sandy courts called terrains de pétanque, though any flat ground works.
  • The small target ball, the cochonnet, literally translates to "piglet" in French.

How to Play

Objective

  • Get your boules (blue) closer to the cochonnet (small orange ball) than your opponent's boules (red).
  • Play 3 rounds. The player with the most total points after all rounds wins.

Controls

  • Mobile: Touch and drag on the court to set aim direction and power. Release to throw.
  • Desktop: Click and drag to aim. The direction of the drag sets where the boule goes. The length of the drag sets the power.
  • A dotted line shows your projected throw path while aiming.

Gameplay

  • Each round begins with the cochonnet being thrown to a random spot on the court.
  • You and the AI each have 3 boules per round.
  • The player whose boule is furthest from the cochonnet must throw next.
  • After all 6 boules are thrown, the round is scored.

Scoring

  • The player with the closest boule to the cochonnet scores points.
  • They earn 1 point for each of their boules that is closer than the opponent's closest boule.
  • For example, if two of your boules are closer than the nearest red boule, you score 2 points.
  • After 3 rounds, the player with the higher total score wins!