('game of Provence'; also longue provençale or the Provençale) is a French form of boules during which the games are played on the move on a pitch measuring between fifteen and twenty metres, which is twice as long as that used for pétanque, of which it is the predecessor. The (or boule lyonnaise), which is played with bronze balls, follows a similar set of rules.Petanque.org - Italian Games (accessed 18 May 2008)
History The current version of the game developed during the 18th century around the area of Lyon.
The was formed in 1906. About the same time, in 1907, the sport of split off to become its own sport. It led to the formation of in 1933. That became the in 1942.
Rules
The rules are similar to the game of except that: A court is about twice the size of a court. In , the normal practice is to take a short run-up to the throw. (In , the feet are fixed in one spot while throwing.)
These differences reflect the reason that was invented to create a sport that was accessible to an arthritic player who could no longer make the run-up to a throw.
In addition: in (as in ), each player has four boules when playing as singles (in , each has three).
Grounds and equipment Under official rules, the court must measure in length and between in width, with a clear play area of and at each end (one end is the Landing zone, and the other is where the players stand and throw).
When the jack is thrown, it must land at least away from the player.
Boules
The boules vary in size, weight, and composition, usually to accommodate the player's comfort, but tend to be made of bronze (with the jack being wooden) and are usually in diameter and weigh .www.BocceVolo.com - Official Rules - Chapter 1 - Materials They must be centrally balanced.
References
External links Fédération Internationale de Pétanque et Jeu Provençal web site BocceVolo.com - World Class Bocce Confederation Mondiale des Sports de Boules Fédération Internationale de Boules (FIB) Bocce in Volo - La community boccistica della specialità volo italiana (Portale e forum sulle bocce italiane e mondiali) A short video showing Jeu Provençal being played sport-boules in French Wikipedia