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The PetanqueLand media

Petanque news that matters, in the right place

Paquita's stories, analysis and behind-the-scenes. Upcoming competitions, results and rules each keep their own section.

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Paquita's Articles

202 Articles

April 27, 2026 · 3,126 views

The specific cases where an end must be replayed

Cochonnet sorti, boule nulle, terrain perturbé... Toutes les mènes ne comptent pas. Il existe des situations réglementaires précises où une mène entière doit être annulée et rejouée. Paquita les liste toutes avec les Articles du règlement FIPJP.

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April 24, 2026 · 2,776 views

Why you always miss your first boule (and how to fix it)

You recognize the scenario: first lead, first ball — it falls 40 cm too short or deviates to the left. Second ball: good. Third: still good. You think “I wasn’t hot”. You were moving on. But it starts again on the next lead, and on the next one. The first ball misses significantly more often than the others. It's not a coincidence and it's not a question of level. It is a phenomenon documented in sports biomechanics and movement neuroscience —

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April 23, 2026 · 2,617 views

“Tricky” terrain: coincidence or advantage for certain players?

The previous article explained how to adapt to impossible terrain. This one asks a different, deeper question: Are these difficult terrains really fair? Or do certain profiles of players – through their technique, their experience or their psychology – find a structural advantage that others do not even perceive? The answer, based on physics and sports psychology, is clear: tricky terrains are not neutral. They redistribute

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April 16, 2026 · 2,784 views

Doublette vs Triplette: What communication?

In doublette you manage everything with a single partner. In triplette you navigate between three egos, three readings of the game and three personalities. Communication changes radically depending on the format. Paquita breaks down both dynamics.

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April 16, 2026 · 2,824 views

The mid: Why is it the hardest position?

Point and shoot. Read the game and decide. Make up for the mistakes of the other two. The triplette mid concentrates all the demands of the game into a single role. Paquita dismantles why this position is the most demanding — and how to master it.

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April 16, 2026 · 3,192 views

The rolling shot in pétanque: Genius strategy or an admission of weakness?

“He raids because he doesn’t know how to shoot.” We hear this phrase in almost every club. She says something right about shooting—and she also says something wrong. True: some players use the raid as a substitute due to lack of mastery of aerial shooting. False: the raid is a technique in its own right, with its own situations of use, its own tactical advantages, and its own mastery requirements. The best players have the roundup in their a

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April 14, 2026 · 3,203 views

The perfect pendulum in pétanque: Mastering arm-leg synchronisation

Ask a beginner how he throws his ball. He will tell you "I'm doing the arm movement". This is where everything starts to go wrong. The pétanque swing is not an arm movement — it is a whole-body movement, in which the arm is simply the last link in a chain that begins in the feet and works its way up to the fingers. Understanding this chain means understanding why good players seem to make no effort for specific results — and why early

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April 13, 2026 · 2,733 views

Arfoutni: The secret origin of the pétanque war cry

There are words that do not need translation for those who play pétanque. Arfoutni is one of them. You heard it. You may have shouted it yourself without really knowing why or where it came from. This cry of satisfaction - springing up spontaneously when a ball achieves what was asked of it - is one of the most characteristic expressions of the world of ball. And yet, ask ten players what it really means: you will get ten different answers, nine of which are correct.

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April 12, 2026 · 2,668 views

Portrait of a pétanque champion: the incredible anecdote of the one they call "The Chosen One"

*José exists. The facts reported in this article were verified with seven witnesses. Two asked to remain anonymous. A third simply said "I'd rather not get involved" and hung up. His first name was changed at his request. His municipality was changed at our request, because the local people asked us not to send journalists. So. Welcome to José's story. 23 titles in official competitions in 14 years 7 times where the opposing ball ricocheted off yours

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April 11, 2026 · 2,784 views

The 5 biggest beginner mistakes in pétanque (and how to avoid them)

There is good news and bad news. The bad: these 5 mistakes are so common that they define the “beginner” level in all clubs. The good thing: they can all be corrected quickly — as long as you identify them and work on them consciously. The problem is that most players don't know they're doing them. They think they are playing “normally”. They are progressing half as fast as they could. This article is the diagnosis that no one

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April 10, 2026 · 2,754 views

The battle of nerves: destabilising the opponent

Two teams of equal technical level. One wins. Always. Not because she shoots better or points closer — but because she plays on two fields at once: the bowling alley and the opponent's head. The battle of nerves in pétanque is not reserved for champions. It is played out in every village competition, every club final, every game where an issue creates pressure. Knowing how to lead it — and especially knowing how to resist it — is a skill in its own right. 📋 Summary Pou

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April 9, 2026 · 3,158 views

The war of the brands (obut, ms, boulenciel…)

“Do you have any Obut?” — the question we have been asking for 40 years. As if having Obut defined the level of a player. Except that in 2026, the pétanque boules market is no longer a monopoly. MS has built a strong technical reputation. Boulenciel has convinced champions. Geologic has made the approved balls accessible at €35. And other brands are emerging with serious proposals. So — who really makes the best boules? Paquita delved into the subject. The answer is less simple

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April 8, 2026 · 3,081 views

The little-known rules that lose pétanque games

Everyone knows the big rules: 13 points to win, feet in the circle, measure to know who is in front. But the FIPJP regulations also contain a series of provisions that most players have never read — and that they discover at the worst possible moment: in the middle of a competition, in front of a referee, with a game that is changing. These are not lawyer niceties. These are concrete, applicable rules that can change a score in seconds. 📋 Summary

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April 7, 2026 · 2,802 views

Mandatory equipment in 2026: the checklist

You arrive at the competition. The referee controls the balls. He checks the outfit. He asks for the license. And there — missing a detail. Result: forfeit on the first part, or worse, exclusion during the competition. It happens. Often for stupid oversights, resolved in two minutes if we had checked the day before. This checklist is here so you never have that conversation with a referee. 7 mandatory points checked by the referee before the first shot 3 new features coming into force or reinforced

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April 6, 2026 · 2,801 views

Video officiating on a smartphone in pétanque: Gadget or the future?

The scene is familiar to every player: two balls 2 millimeters apart, no one wants to give in, the tape measure gives a measurement that satisfies no one, and the referee is at the other end of the bowling alley on another dispute. “Wait, I’m filming.” For several years, the smartphone has been installed in this void — first unofficially, then with real thought surrounding its framework. In some championships, the video is already there. In the clubs, it is debated. Paquita dismantles

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Rules FFPJP

The rules, explained simply

Measuring, circle, jack, dead boule or obstacle: the useful answers are gathered in one place.

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