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Play with feet tied together!

GAZETTE NEWS April 21, 1995

Last Updated: [Date]

IN BRITAIN, bowls is thought of as a game for aduits and older people. In France, petanque or bottle are now being played by the young. They are weaned on them.

Bowls goes far back into history. Two bowls and a jack, the small white target ball, were found in the sarcophagus of a 52nd century BC Egyptian prince.

Many forms of bowls were played throughout the world and Sir Francis Drake was famous for finishing his game on Plymouth Ho! before defeating the Spanish Armada. Soldiers and sailors of old played with bow shot and cannon balls.

The traditional English game is played on finely mowed greens or indoors on an imitation surface with large bowls rolled towards the jack.

In France, the national game was jeu provencal and takes the more energetic form of throwing large wooden boules into a marked-out scoring area.

In 1910, Frenchman, Jules le Noir, prevented by rheumatism from playing, experimented by throwing boules over shorter distances of around three metres. With friend, Ernest Pitiot, they devised a new game which the handicapped Jules could play.

"So it was that the French game of boules or petanque, as it is know, was created and is probably best known to British holiday makers who have observed impromptu games taking part in village squares," said Mike Searle. public relations officer in Avon and West Gloucestershire for the British Petanque Association.

"The game gets its name from the stance adopted by the early players - 'pieds lanques' which means 'feet tied together'. Over the years it has become petanque.

The game quickly spread throughout France and and having been discovered by the English, spread throughout Europe and crossed continents to become a world wide sport," said Mr. Searle.

Many clubs have since formed and a ruling body, the British Petanque Association was set up in 1974 to help with competitions, rules and etiquette.

Its attraction is that petanque may be played on a variety of surfaces, the most popular being gravel. Many pubs, finding petanque popular from games on the car park, built proper pistes for players of all ages, including the disabled. "Most clubs have sets of boule which may be borrowed and members who are more than willing to show newcomers the ropes. There is sure to be a piste near them - so search it out and have a go!" urged Mr Searle.

If you fancy doing just that, there arc several local venues, including the popular Old Spot Inn at May Lane, Dursley. It is a friendly pub and, that role spills over into the garden where landlord Rick Sainty has ruled out league boules.

"League gets a bit spiteful," he claimed. It's better for games to be friendlies - only as far as I am concerned.", So far the Old Spot team has played against the Anchor at Oldbury-on-Severn: "They have an abundance of boule pistes there."

The Old Spot has just one piste but to get into' the league, three are needed, said Ric. Why did he create a boule piste in the garden of the Oid Spot? "I wanted something different and I wanted an adult game.

"I played it at the Anchor and thought 'this is good'. It's something different for Dursley." The town has taken to boule and Rick has joined one of the top teams at the Anchor to gain experience and hone his skills so he can help budding players and see rules are observed.

"We have a lot of interest here. People know about the game and more and more are getting involved. As soon as the weather is good, they are here."

The Boule piste at the Compass Inn at Tormarton is viewed as a free facility for patrons and is greatly under used according to landlord Paul Monyard.

He explained the double piste, one of only a few in the county, was built a number of years ago and provides great entertainment for several groups and oganisations.

"But it is still under used and 1 would he delighted it if more people used it," said Mr Monyard

Qlthough the pub does not have its own team or is involved in a league, regulars use it to practice on in readiness for the annual Sherston Bottle Tournament.

However there are occasions when the piste is well frequented particularly on Bastille Day when a local French group play for hours.

He added: "We play mainly on Sundays before we open and one day had a German couple taking pictures of us playing Boule. We; then found out they had not seen it played when they were in France.

Open to anyone who wants to play including companies the pub is based just off the A46/ Junction 18 of the M4.

After the resounding success of' last year's Boule Tournament plans are already afoot for a second one in Marshfield this summer.

Held in July,. 28 teams took part in the first tournament in the car park of the Community Centre.

Villager John James explained he had organised the event after seeing the game played in France over the past few years.

"I just thought it would be a bit of fun and was very pleased with the response."

Although no date has been set for the tournament Mr James is hoping for a good turnout again.

"It was a bit worrying the week before the event but on the day we had plenty of teams." Keeping the French feel the event was played to French music and even the refreshments had a decidedly Continental feel.

WHERE YOU CAN HAVE A GO

The Petanchors PC at The Anchor Inn, Oldbury-on-Severn (01454-413331)

Public piste owned by Alveston Parish Council on Lime Kiln Field, Jubilee Hall Playing Fields, opposite St Helen's School, Alveston.

The Pickwick Inn, Lower Wick off the A38 at Newport, Glos. (01453-810259)

Chalford PC, Chalford Sports and Social Club, on the Stroud-Cirencester road, Gloucestershire. (01453-882901).

The Swan, Tockington. (01454614800)

The Fox Inn, Old Down near Tockington. (01454-412507)

The Old Spot, Hill Road, Dursley, Gloucestershire. (01453-542870)

Minety PC, The White Horse Inn, Malmesbury-Cricklade road, Wiltshire. Contact Richard Everitt (01666-860637).

CAPTION: Proprietor of the Old Spot, May Lane, Rlc SsInty (left) and Phil Jones measure up during their game of boules

Reproduced courtesy of Dursley Gazette - 21st Apr 95.