Which boules does Henri Lacroix play?

Since 2023, Henri Lacroix has played Boulenciel boules in a demi-tendre (semi-soft) hardness, typically 73-74 mm in diameter and 680-690 g. Before that switch he was an Obut player, using the ATX model.

Which boules does Diego Rizzi play?

Diego Rizzi plays the Boulenciel RD, a signature model bearing his own initials. It's a very soft carbon-steel boule at around 110 kg/mm2 hardness, built to 'stick' on impact for carreaux.

Which boules does Dylan Rocher play?

Dylan Rocher plays Obut boules - mainly the Obut ATX, a hard stainless-steel model at 130 kg/mm2, and sometimes the Obut Match+. He typically uses a 73-74 mm diameter at 680 g.

Do most professional petanque players use Obut?

Yes. Obut remains by far the most common sponsor among elite French players - Rocher, Quintais, Suchaud, Fazzino, Foyot, Weibel, Papon and Hureau all compete with Obut boules - but rival brands Boulenciel (Lacroix, Rizzi, Johansson) and Oddeka (Escacho Alarcon) have signed some of the sport's biggest names too.

What's the difference between the boules pros use and beginner boules?

Pro-level boules are built to tighter manufacturing tolerances and offered in precise hardness/diameter/weight combinations chosen to match a player's role (a soft carbon boule for a shooter who wants boules to stick, a harder stainless one for a pointer who wants predictable roll). Beginner sets prioritise durability and a forgiving, all-round hardness instead. See our guide to choosing your first boules for how to translate what the pros use into a sensible starting setup.

Which Boules Do Top Pétanque Players Use? (2026 Roundup)

One of the questions we get asked most after "how good is player?" is simpler: what boules do they actually play with? Pétanque fans searching for "avec quelle boule joue Henri Lacroix" or "Diego Rizzi boule" aren't just curious - equipment choice is one of the clearest windows into how an elite player approaches the game, and it's a genuinely useful reference when you're shopping for your own set.

Below is a roundup of the boules used by some of the sport's biggest current and recent stars, cross-checked against manufacturer listings, player interviews, and club/federation sources. Every player links through to their full profile for career details, and we've noted diameter, weight, or hardness where it's publicly documented.

At a glance

Player	Country	Brand	Model	Notes
Dylan Rocher	France	Obut	ATX / Match+	73-74 mm, 680 g, stainless (130 kg/mm2)
Henri Lacroix	France	Boulenciel	Lacroix Demi-tendre	73-74 mm, 680-690 g, semi-soft; ex-Obut ATX
Diego Rizzi	Italy	Boulenciel	RD (signature)	Very soft carbon steel, ~110 kg/mm2
Philippe Quintais	France	Obut	ATX	Stainless steel
Philippe Suchaud	France	Obut	ATX	72 mm, 700 g
Christian Fazzino	France	Obut	ATX	71 mm, 690 g, stainless (130 kg/mm2)
Marco Foyot	France	Obut	C13 MF (signature)	Also used Obut Match+
Claudy Weibel	Belgium	Obut	ATX	Stainless steel
Angélique Papon	France	Obut	Match+ / ATX	Dual shooter/milieu setup
Damien Hureau	France	Obut	Match+	Favours grip and low bounce
Tyson Molinas	France	Obut	(current model unconfirmed)	Used the discontinued Obut RCX as a junior
Jessica Johansson	Sweden	Boulenciel	Diego Rizzi Carbone 110	Soft carbon-steel, tuned for shooting
Jesús Escacho Alarcón	Spain	Oddeka	Zeus	Premium Spanish-made carbon steel

Obut still dominates the elite ranks

The clear pattern: Obut remains the default choice at the top of French pétanque. Dylan Rocher, Philippe Quintais, Philippe Suchaud, Christian Fazzino, Marco Foyot, Claudy Weibel, Angélique Papon, Damien Hureau, and Tyson Molinas all compete with Obut boules, most of them on the Obut ATX - a hard stainless-steel competition boule (130 kg/mm2) valued for consistent, predictable behaviour under pressure. A couple of players carry Obut's flagship Match+ instead, and two - Foyot and Quintais - have had signature models built around their own game (the C13 MF and a long-running ATX association, respectively).

That dominance isn't an accident: Obut has sponsored French pétanque's biggest names for decades, and the ATX in particular has become something close to a default "if in doubt, this is what champions play" recommendation.

Featured