It is a game played by two teams with metal balls a a wooden jack;  singles 1-1 with three balls each, doubles 2-2 with three balls each, triples 3-3 with two balls each. The jack (a cochonnet) is thrown by the winner of a coin toss, between 6 to 10 meters form a circle drawn or placed on the court. the that team plays first, to take the point by plying their ball near the jack. They then have to point. Then the other team plays until one of their ball is closer to the jack, thus taking the point. each 'End' when all the balls are played the score is tallied, only one team scores per 'end'. The Jack is tossed by the winner of each 'end' and the game continues until one team reaches 13 (unless otherwise decided) 

Yes anyone can play, from young to old, from physically athletic to wheelchair bound. One of the best aspects of this sport is that it is open to many levels of skill and ability 

Pétanque balls are made from a steel alloy, carbon steel, stainless steel and sometimes brass. They vary in size and weight and are hollow. They have different rebound qualities, from soft to hard balls depending on how you like to play. Each competition grade set is stamped with a serial number and the weight of the ball. Leisure balls or DOGs are not stamped nor regulated therefore are not allowed in tournament competitions.

There are various places on-line where you can buy sets and accessories. Pétanque America, Pétanque Shop for example or direct from the manufacturer OBUT, MS Petanque, La Boule Bleue, KTK etc. Investing in a high quality set of competition balls really does pay off over time and being that three balls and a jack is all you need to play, compared to any other sport, the in            itial purchase is very reasonable and will last you a lifetime. 

Yes, pétanque is a sport. Like other sports the are multiple levels of how it is played, from international professional competitors to leisurely playing in the park at a picnic. No matter the level you play, the game is the same as are the rules. 

We strongly recommend becoming a member and joining our club if you are interested in playing pétanque. We have many members at various skill levels and always welcome new players. Membership helps our club grow and keeps us connected. However if you are new to the game we will welcome you to it and teach you all we know. We will hold tournaments where non members can participate but the entrance fee is higher to benifit the club. So save money by becoming a member, this will allow you to play in all tournaments and weekly meet ups in the various parks around the city.

Go to our membership page HERE and fill out the application form.

info@minneapolispetanqueclub.com