Official Pétanque Rules

These regulations are based on the latest official rulebook of the Fédération Internationale de Pétanque et Jeu Provençal (FIPJP). Whether you are playing in a backyard or competing in the World Pétanque Championship, understanding these rules ensures fair play and strategic depth.

1. Game Formats & Team Composition

Pétanque can be played in three official formats. In all formats, the first team to reach 13 points wins the match.

2. Official Equipment Specifications

To be used in sanctioned competitions, all equipment must meet strict FIPJP standards.

The Boules

• Material: Hollow metal (usually steel or bronze).
• Diameter: Between 70.5mm and 80mm.
• Weight: Between 650g and 800g.
• Certification: The manufacturer's trademark and the weight must be engraved and visible.
• Prohibitions: It is strictly forbidden to heat, file, or fill boules with lead or sand (tempering).

The Jack (Cochonnet)

• Material: Wood or a synthetic material bearing the FIPJP logo.
• Diameter: Exactly 30mm (tolerance of +/- 1mm).
• Weight: Between 10g and 18g.
• Color: Any color is allowed as long as it is clearly visible against the terrain.

See our Best Cochonnets 2026 guide for a comparison of compliant wood, composite, and colored jacks.

3. The Playing Area & Circle

Competition Terrain

While pétanque can be played on any surface, official competition courts (boulodromes) have specific dimensions:

• Standard: 15 meters long by 4 meters wide.
• Minimum: 12 meters long by 3 meters wide (for some tournaments).

The Throwing Circle

• Placement: The circle must be placed at least 1 meter from any obstacle and 1.5 meters from another throwing circle or jack in use.
• Dimensions: If drawn on the ground, it must be between 35cm and 50cm in diameter. If a prefabricated rigid circle is used, it must be 50cm (internal diameter).
• Posture: A player's feet must be entirely inside the circle, not touch the perimeter, and remain on the ground until the thrown boule has landed.

4. Throwing the Jack (The Start)

The team that wins the coin toss chooses the starting point and throws the jack.

Valid Jack Distances

The required distance varies based on the players' age category:

• Seniors / Juniors: 6 to 10 meters.
• Cadets (13-15): 6 to 9 meters.
• Minimes (10-12): 5 to 8 meters.
• Benjamins (Under 9): 4 to 7 meters.

Jack Placement Rules

For a throw to be valid, the jack must also:

1. Be at least 50cm from the end line of the terrain or any obstacle (as of the FIPJP's 2020 rule change, no minimum distance applies from the side lines - the jack can even touch or cross one).
2. Be visible to a player standing perfectly upright in the circle.
3. Not be in a position where a measurement cannot be made.

Note: If a team fails to throw a valid jack after one attempt, the jack is handed to the opposing team, who places it by hand in a valid position. The starting team still throws the first boule.

5. Playing the Round (The Mène)

1. The First Boule: A player from the team that placed the jack throws the first boule.
2. Changing Turns: The opposing team then throws until they either gain the point (get a boule closer to the jack than the opponent) or run out of boules.
3. Running Out: When one team has no boules left, the other team throws all their remaining boules to maximize their score.
4. The 1-Minute Rule: In competition, a player has exactly one minute to throw their boule after the previous boule has stopped or after a measurement has been completed.

6. Terrain & Boule Interaction Rules (Article 10)

Players may not deliberately alter the state of the terrain to improve their position. Article 10 of the FIPJP rulebook forbids removing, moving, or crushing any obstacle on the playing surface, and sweeping the court is illegal whenever it changes the terrain's condition, such as brushing gravel smooth in front of a boule you are about to shoot. Violating this rule is sanctioned under the same card system used for other infractions (see Penalties & Discipline).

Two narrow exceptions are written into the rules:

Tater la Donnee (Testing the Landing Spot)

Immediately before throwing the jack, a player may test where their boule would land or roll by tapping the ground with one of their own boules, without striking the surface more than three times.

Filling a Hole

The player about to throw, or one of their teammates, may fill in a single hole made by a boule - but only the hole made by the immediately preceding boule played. Older holes, or holes from earlier in the round, may not be filled in. This keeps the terrain fair: a player can restore the one divot just created, but cannot "clean up" the court's accumulated wear from earlier throws.

These two rules are unchanged for 2026, though France's national federation tightened how they're enforced at domestic competitions - see Pétanque Rules 2026: What Actually Changed for the details.

7. The Advantage Rule (Article 24)

This is one of the most important tactical rules in competitive pétanque. If a boule is thrown "contrary to the rules" (e.g., played out of turn, from the wrong circle, or while stepping out), it is technically dead.

However, the opponent has the choice:

• Apply the Penalty: Declare the boule dead. Anything it moved is returned to its original position (if marked).
• The Advantage Rule: Declare the throw valid. The boule stays where it is, and everything it moved stays in its new position. This is chosen if the illegal throw actually helped the opponent's position.

8. Dead Boules and Jacks

When is a Boule Dead?

A boule is considered dead if:

• It crosses the boundary of the designated playing area.
• It is played from the wrong circle or out of turn (unless the advantage rule is applied).
• It hits a "dead" jack.

When is a Jack Dead?

The jack becomes dead if:

• It is knocked into out-of-bounds terrain.
• It is moved and becomes invisible from the circle.
• It is moved to less than 3 meters or more than 20 meters (for Seniors) from the circle.

Outcome of a Dead Jack:

• If both teams still have boules: The round is void (no points) and restarted from the opposite end.
• If only one team has boules left: That team receives as many points as they have boules remaining in hand.

9. Scoring & Measurement

Counting Points

Only the team with the closest boule to the jack scores. They receive 1 point for every boule that is closer to the jack than the opponent's best boule.

Measurement Rules

• The team that threw the last boule is responsible for measuring.
• Measurements must be made using appropriate tools (tape measure, calipers, or a feeler gauge). Using feet or boules to measure is strictly forbidden.
• If boules are extremely close, an umpire should be called. If an umpire cannot decide, the round is void or the point is split if it's the final boule.

For a more detailed explanation of counting points, dead jack scenarios, and measurement etiquette, see our Pétanque Scoring Guide.

Where to Buy: Regulation Measuring Tools

Since measuring by hand is against the rules, every serious player should carry a proper tool.

10. Penalties & Discipline

Pétanque umpires use a three-tier card system to handle rule violations:

1. Yellow Card: Official warning.
2. Orange Card: The boule played (or to be played) is disqualified and removed from the game.
3. Red Card: Exclusion of the player for the game or the tournament.

11. Special Regulations

Disabled Players

The FIPJP allows for accommodations for players with disabilities. This includes allowing wheelchair users to have one wheel inside the circle or allowing players to sit on a stool, provided their feet remain within the circle's projection.

Substitution

In many tournaments, one substitution is allowed per team, but only before the start of a match or between rounds, never during a "mène" (round) unless due to medical emergency.

Footwear (Article 39)

Since a 2016 update to the rulebook, players must wear footwear that fully encloses the foot. High heels, open sandals, open-back shoes, and soft slippers are not permitted. The rule exists because official terrains are marked with string boundaries, and open shoes are far more likely to catch on a string and cause a fall. Umpires are the sole judges of compliance, and a player in non-compliant footwear can be asked to change shoes or forfeit. Players who cannot wear enclosed footwear for a documented medical reason should contact the competition organizer in advance. See our Best Pétanque Shoes guide for shoe recommendations.

!TIP Always mark the position of the jack and all boules before measuring. If an unmarked boule is accidentally moved during measurement, it cannot be returned to its original spot, and the opponent gains the advantage.

For more deep dives into strategy, check out our Pointing Techniques or Shooting Guide.