In every town or village square, particularly in the south, you'll see berret-clad men playing boules or pétanque. The game is similar to British bowls but the terrain is always rough (never grass) and the area much smaller. The metal balls (boules) are usually thrown from a distance of about six to ten metres, the aim being to place them as close as possible to the wooden marker (cochonnet). Although more women are taking up boules, at competition level it remains very male-dominated: there are café or village teams and endless championships.
|
