Introduce your students to the beloved French tradition of la pétanque—more than just a game, it’s a cultural institution deeply rooted in the daily life of many peoples across France. Through engaging listening comprehension activities based on a video featuring native French speakers, your students will:
Introduce your students to pétanque!
- What is pétanque? Pétanque was born in 1907 in La Ciotat, a town near Marseille on the Mediterranean coast. It evolved from an older game called jeu provençal, where players had to run before throwing the ball. When a player could no longer run due to illness, the rules were adapted so that players could throw while standing still — hence the name pétanque, from the Provençal pèd-tanca, meaning “feet planted.”
- Ways to play: Tête-à-tête: 1 vs. 1 (3 boules per player) Doublette: 2 vs. 2 (3 boules per player) Triplette: 3 vs. 3 (2 boules per player)
- Basic Rules: 1- A coin toss decides who starts. 2- A circle is drawn on the ground (35–50 cm in diameter). 3- The first player throws the small wooden target ball, called the cochonnet, 6 to 10 meters away. 4- Then, players take turns trying to throw their boules as close as possible to the cochonnet.
- At the end of each round, called a mène, the team with the boule closest to the cochonnet scores one point for each of their boules that are closer than the opponent’s closest boule. The game is played up to 13 points.
Activity: Watch, listen, and think! Then complete the questions.
Instructions:
- Play the video “Comment jouer a la pétanque | French Class Activity | Forum by Prométour”
- Complete student worksheet activities
- Replay the video and ask students to complete answers and correct his mistakes
- Discussion ans questions about what they learned, what’s surprised…
Discussion Questions
Facilitate a classroom discussion using the following prompts:
- Would you like to try playing pétanque ? Why or why not ?
- Do you think this game is easier or harder than it looks? Explain.
- What kinds of games or sports do you like to play with your friends? How are they similar to or different from pétanque?
- Do you know a traditional game in your country that brings people together, like pétanque does in France?
- Compare pétanque with another ball game you know (like bowling, bocce, or curling). What are the main differences and similarities?
Take it a step further…
Take your students to see Provence and play pétanque in person, check out our special offer for French teachers:
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