It all began in 1978 in Toulouse, when I was 12 years old. I was a rather “well-behaved” boy, curious about new sensations… Near our home was a long avenue of plane trees, where many games of pétanque were played, as well as some great competitions…
Regularly observing all these enthusiasts of “la petite boule”, I quickly felt the desire to discover this very special sport, where humor and melodrama follow one another in turn. Through the finest competitions organized in the region, such as La Toulousaine, formerly Les 3 jours de St Pierre, the Paul Ricard National, the Montauban National, the various Federal Championships, and the famous Christmas Cup at the Parc des Expositions…
And all this while simply savouring the magic of the moment, and being aware that we’re all part of the picture too!
Watching all these Champions in their slightest gestures, their faces tanned by the sun, accompanied by that great determination which could be seen in their attitudes, taking it in turns to absolutely dominate the proceedings, accompanied by that furious desire to win the major titles, where every stratagem was used: Either by an “inappropriate” position on the pitch to destabilize the opponent, or by their way of communicating, with little remarks made in certain delicate phases of the game, could even raise the pressure in the opposing team, or even “put them to sleep”… Our current Legends, for example, without mentioning any names…
Thanks Marco for the “galéjade”! That’s also what La belle Pétanque is all about, while remaining within the bounds of respectability!! or in the way they move with fluidity, elegance and solidity, or for others, cultivating a grain of eccentricity, a hint of arrogance and nonchalance, risking to destabilize more than one …
However, with all the smiles exchanged between players, and with a large number of spectators, demonstrating the collective recognition, and the real pleasure of being once again brought together among enthusiasts. You could feel it all around you!
Pétanque instructor
Pétanque instructor
+33 (0)6 48 99 32 63
petanqueacademy@gmail.com
44 Nantes