I love watching petanque in the shade on a warm sunny day. It’s so relaxing, and I feel transported to Provence, where the game originated. These courts in Washington Square Park are quite busy in nice weather and are home to La Boule New Yorkaise, a local club which also plays in Bryant Park and Central Park. What’s interesting is that although they are centrally located in a such a small and heavily used park, it is easy to overlook them, and most people are probably not aware of their existence. I know nothing of the game, but in observing, I have noted a lot of French being spoken, so I would imagine that this is quite serieux…
Fantastic, petanque in New York wow! I am sure there is a lot of French ex-pats living in and around New York, and playing petanque transports them backhome, even for a short time.
Hmmm…I have not heard of the game too…is it a ball game?
How great! Petanque in NY!
Ahh… I remember that game being played in front of me in Brittany and my fiance explaining the rules. It was a lovely summer’s evening with the one I love so I associate it with happy times. Can’t say I’ve ever played it though.
I saw it in France quite a few times, but never noticed it in NYC before – now I’ll be on the lookout (was just in Bryant Park yesterday!)
There were a lot posts about petanque a while back.
That is really unexpected! This is so French I would have never thought they would have Pétanque in NYC. I have to show the Jardin du Luxembourg version some day!
I’m really surprised to see such a french place and sport in the US. I will definitely look for it next time around. But hey, we play pétanque in Denmark too…
Petanque is a fun and easy sport to learn. Basically, you have 2 teams (singles, doubles, triples) and each player has 2-3 balls – called “boules” made of metal (the size of an orange and 1.5 lbs.). The aim ball (call the bouchon or cochonnet) is tossed on to the field (piste) from a circle scrawled in the dirt. Then Team-A tosses a boule as close as possible to the bouchon (using a palm-down throw with some backspin). Then Team-B stands in the same circle, ad tries to get their boule closer than Team-A’s boule. You’re allowed to hit away opponent’s boules, move the aim ball by hitting it, using all sorts of strategy. A fun game and fun for a lifetime too.
Check out my site: http://www.detroitpetanque.com for more information.
Heck, we even have Petanque now in Minneapolis; just recently met some new players from Malaysia. I played in Washington Square Park during the 1980’s. What a great way to spend the afternoon. I was going to bring my boules with me on this trip to NYC but forgot them in my car at the train station. Bummer
im very god traner of petanque and try to find clubs how need somme cotch in amerika