La Pétanque

About this board game

La Pétanque is a four-player, 2-vs-2 board game that simulates the French team sport, with matches lasting about 60 minutes. Using dice, players throw and shoot balls across a board representing a pétanque playing area.

Each team includes a thrower and a shooter. The thrower sends balls from the starting position toward the cochonnet, the small target ball, trying to place them close enough to score. The shooter attempts to hit opposing balls and improve the team’s position.

Dice determine ball throws, trajectories, and the resolution of shots. Once one team has the point, the other team decides whether to throw a ball or shoot at an enemy ball in an effort to take the point. This creates a choice between placing a ball and disrupting the opponent’s best position.

• Hexagonal playing board representing sand, soil, and pebbles
• Four six-sided dice for throws, trajectories, and shots
• 18 ball markers in two colors
• Four position markers and four cochonnet markers

When both teams have played all their balls, the round ends. The team with the greatest number of balls closest to the cochonnet wins the round and adds its points to its total score; only that team scores for the round.

In La Pétanque, every turn can change the balance between careful placement and aggressive shooting. The first team to reach 13 points wins the match.