REPORT. "I love this sport": can pétanque become a youth sport?

In France, barely 4% of members of the French Pétanque Federation are under 21 years old. Yet, on the Opal Coast, as elsewhere, the courts attract players of all ages every summer.

Every week, at a campsite in Berck-sur-Mer, players of all ages gather around the pétanque court. Sacha, 17, is the youngest. He has been playing boules since he was a child. "It was a long time ago, but I have no idea how old I was," explains the young man, who considers himself to be "at a good level."

Sacha goes to shoot, he focuses on the ball and… it misses. Opposite, the players are responsive despite their white hair. But for Sacha, pétanque is anything but a sport for "old people": "It's for all ages. I love this sport."

"What makes me laugh is that I'm useless and I try to place and ten seconds later I have no balls left," describes Laura, 23. She has her own technique: "Sometimes we throw and we say it goes through... And it goes through! But sometimes it doesn't." The game is clearly in favor of the seniors. "We try to learn a bit of everything, but let's say that the main thing is to have fun. It helps pass the day and that's what we come for," continues Laura, who believes that "while some are really there to win, most of them are mainly there to pass the time and be together."

With his cap on, Sébastien is playing a series of "squares." He is a member of the Neuville pétanque club, which is attracting more and more young people. "They're very young, between 18 and 20 years old ," says Sébastien. "We have a young player at the club that we're training, who must be between 6 and 10 years old." And we need to recruit young people to develop this sport, to make it grow. "For the Olympic Games, that would be cool, that would be good. I hope we'll get there, we're on the right track," continues the member. In 2025, the French Pétanque and Provençal Game Federation (FFPJP) will have 302,864 members. Among them, 4% are under 21 years old, or some 12,114 young people.

For Sébastien, it's important to break down stereotypes, such as the "senior sport" and the one that associates boules with drinking. "When we do national competitions or other competitions, there are always breathalyzer tests, there's no more alcohol. No, that's over!" says Sébastien. He hopes that these little camping games during the summer will encourage young people to join clubs when the school year starts.