Play pétanque
A friend has invited you to do this with them.
Pétanque is the French game of throwing hollow steel boules as close as you can to a small wooden jack, and it is more tactical than it looks. Clubs in England and the US lend boules to newcomers, and some charge only a few pounds a year to join.
GentleUnder £100 / $130A few weeksOutdoorsWith othersUK and US
Ways to start playing
| Way in | What it involves | Cost (as last listed) |
|---|---|---|
| Club taster, Croydon Petanque Club (Ashburton Park, London) | Play up to three times before joining; leisure boules to borrow; coaching from experienced members if you want it | Free to try; then £12 a year (adult) |
| Club play, Heckmondwike Petanque Club (Kirklees, West Yorkshire) | Saturday mornings and Wednesday afternoons, year round, weather permitting; boules to borrow | £20 a year |
| Pétanque England Club Player membership | For people who mainly play at their local club; new members only | £10 a year |
| Pétanque England Competitor membership | Playing licence for regional and national competitions and leagues | £25 a year, plus a regional fee |
| Les Boulesfrogs, Richmond, Virginia (FPUSA club) | Sunday and Thursday games at Chimborazo Playground; loaner boules and teaching for anyone who wants to try | Not listed |
Pétanque England says paid-up members of affiliated clubs have public liability cover for club-based pétanque from 1 April 2025.
Boules for leisure and for competition
The game is played in singles and doubles with three boules each, or in triples with two each, usually on a gravel terrain at least 12m (about 39ft) long, says Pétanque England. Each set of three boules carries identical grooves, called striations, so you can tell yours apart.
Clubs such as Croydon keep leisure boules for newcomers to try. Licensed competition is stricter. Under the international federation's rules, boules must be hollow and metal, weigh 650g to 800g (about 1.4lb to 1.8lb) and measure 70.5mm to 80mm (about 3in) across.
For FPUSA tournaments, boules must be on the international federation's approved list, carry the maker's trademark and have their weight engraved on them, and the jack must measure 29mm to 31mm (about 1¼in).
How to start
- Use Pétanque England's club finder, or in the US the Federation of Petanque USA's regions and clubs, to find a group that plays near you.
- Turn up at a club session; clubs such as Croydon have leisure boules you can borrow while you learn.
- Once you are hooked, decide whether you want to play only at your club or enter licensed competitions, which need approved boules and a playing licence.
Where to go
- Pétanque England: join a club (club finder) UK
- Croydon Petanque Club, Ashburton Park (Friends of Ashburton Park) UK
- Federation of Petanque USA: how the FPUSA is structured (regions and clubs) US
- Les Boulesfrogs Pétanque Club of Virginia, Richmond US
We opened these links on 9 November 2026 and found them to be what we say. Dates, places and prices are on the official page, where they stay up to date.
Plan this
Pick a day, or a month, and we will set out how to get ready, step by step, with a date and a reason for each. Courses and classes have start dates and can fill up, so the plan begins with finding and booking one. Kit comes after the first session, once you know what you need.
Questions people ask
How many boules do you need to play pétanque?
Three each in singles and doubles, two each in triples, according to Pétanque England.
Can you use cheap boules in a pétanque competition?
Not in licensed play. Competition boules must meet the international federation's weight and size rules, and FPUSA tournaments require boules on its approved list with the maker's mark and weight engraved.
How much does it cost to join a pétanque club?
Often very little. Croydon Petanque Club lists £12 a year for adults and Heckmondwike Petanque Club £20 a year; Pétanque England's Club Player membership is £10 a year.
Do I need my own boules to start pétanque?
No. Croydon Petanque Club and Heckmondwike Petanque Club in England and Les Boulesfrogs in Virginia all lend boules to people trying the game.
Where this comes from: Pétanque England, Join a club; Pétanque England, Membership; Pétanque England, How to play pétanque; Friends of Ashburton Park, Croydon Petanque Club; Kirklees Council community directory, Heckmondwike Petanque Club; FIPJP, Rules for the approval of boules; Federation of Petanque USA, Equipment; Federation of Petanque USA, How the FPUSA is structured; Federation of Petanque USA, Les Boulesfrogs Pétanque Club of Virginia. Opened 9 November 2026.
Read next
Twenty-three hours across three Hawaiian channels made Ted Lomicka the first man to finish the Maui Nui swim
How a Tennessee healthcare executive who came to open water through triathlon swam three Hawaiian channels non-stop, through a night and alongside a young humpback, and how to start swimming in open water or build towards a long swim yourself.
No one left behind on the Expresso trail: fifteen years of Tuesday rides with Girls Outside
How a group of women in Colorado's Roaring Fork Valley turned a Tuesday mountain bike ride into a 15-year habit: the motto, the tailgate and why the group keeps them riding. How to start mountain biking on easy graded trails, or ride harder terrain with a group if you already ride.