Google Doodle Celebrating Pétanque
Today's interactive Doodle game honours Pétanque, a popular French outdoor game that is enjoyed all around the world. To play a random match or challenge your friends, simply click the Doodle!
Long before Pétanque became France's favourite afternoon recreation, the Ancient Greeks entertained themselves by tossing flat stones and, later, stone balls. Ancient Roman soldiers and sailors carried the game to France after changing it by adding a target ball.
Pétanque as we know it today began in 1907 in Provence, France, when a local café owner modified the rules to accommodate a player whose rheumatism prohibited him from sprinting. Pétanque swiftly swept across the country because to its shorter field length and stationary throw.
The game's rules are straightforward: throw, toss, or roll your team's metal boules closer to the target boule than the other team. The first individual or team to achieve thirteen points over a number of rounds wins! The aim may appear straightforward, but players can employ a variety of strategies to get an advantage over their opponent. "Shooting" is a common competitive technique in which players aim to knock an opponent's boule away from the target.
Pétanque is now more than simply a recreational pastime for friends; the game is played competitively at regional, national, and international levels all over the world. The greatest players compete in high-profile tournaments like as the Mondial La Marseillaise in France and the La British Open in England.