Submitted by Patti Auburn
November 10, 2015 11:30 a.m.
There is a big event happening in Fernandina Beach this weekend, but, if you are not a fan of the French game, pétanque, then you probably don’t know about it. Our small island hosts the largest international pétanque tournament in the United States.
On November 14th and 15th the parking along Front Street will be transformed into pétanque courts, hosting almost 400 competitors, playing in teams of two, with overflow games at Broome and 2nd Street. According to Tom Leon of Pétanque America, 14 countries as well as 23 states will be represented. There will be six world champions competing and on Friday the 13th, they will be holding clinics and demonstrations.
What is pétanque? It’s a French bowling game, similar to the Italian bocce, but also similar to horseshoes. It was invented in La Ciotat, France around 1910, as an adjustment to the more traditional bowling game where the bowler runs a few steps before releasing the ball. Why the adjustment? To accommodate a local player whose rheumatism didn’t allow the full motion of running. Hence we have pétanque, which translates roughly to “feet fixed”. The game is played from a standing position inside a circle. The ball is usually rolled underhand for backspin, and can be played on any firm surface – sand, gravel, or firm turf.
Pétanque is essentially a social game, in France the courts are often near a bar. It can be played at any pace, and is conducive to conversation and meeting people. The balls are made of hollowed steel and the object is to get them closest to the target ball, called the cochonnet, or piglet. This can be done by “pointing”, which is rolling the balls closer, or by “shooting” which knocks opponent’s balls out of range or moves the cochonnet. At the tournament this weekend, you can see some expert pointing and shooting – plays that will give you the same thrill as witnessing a hole-in-one.
Fernandina Beach has become a town that loves pétanque. There is a local club, part of the Federation of Pétanque (FPUSA) that meets for play on Saturday mornings and Wednesday afternoons as well as Friday afternoon workshops. Membership only costs 25 dollars per year and a set of boules (6 balls/1 team) is 30 dollars.
The tournament this weekend is brought to you by the hard work of the club and the inspiration and dedication of Philippe Boets, owner of Pétanque America.
If you are looking for free entertainment and an international atmosphere, check out the tournament this weekend. In addition to sport there will be live music, a bar, food trucks featuring crepes and merguez – a French sausage – and arts and crafts. All the details are at http://www.petanque-america-open.net/
Editor’s Note: Patricia Auburn is a recent transplant to Amelia Island in Florida. When she isn’t riding her bike across the country, she is writing: fiction, non-fiction, and blogging. When she isn’t writing she’s hanging out with the cats or at the beach, constantly amazed that she gets to live in this amazing place.