Chalvington and Ripe Amateur Pétanque Club
Welcome - Come along and play its great!
What's the club all about?
The club was formed six years ago and started life as a Saturday morning gently athletic but very competitive activity that was played regularly on the car park of the old Lamb pub until building work started on the new homes. During lockdown we continued to operate outdoors in public spaces through a series of one-on-one competitions. We now have our own purpose built pitch at the new Community Space Field behind Ripe Village Hall and Church.
The club has a constitution which you can find here and membership is open to anyone over the age of 18. If there is enough interest from under 18s we can set up some games very easily for them too. At the moment the club has no outgoings so membership is free. It's a competitive game, but we all enjoy good banter during the games too, usually at the expense of the opposing team and between games there is a brief opportunity to set the world to rights
The club President and “chief measurer” is currently Joe Ruddock-West whose opinion is always final.
How can I join?
Come along and have a game or two. If you enjoy it come along regularly. If you are interested drop an email to
What’s Pétanque about?
Pétanque is a sport that falls into the category of boules sports, along with boule and to some degree, lawn bowls and crown green bowling. All of these sports share something in common, in that players or teams play their boules/balls towards a smaller target ball. In English, this will commonly be referred to as the Jack, however in France, and in Chalvington and Ripe its the Cochonnet.
The aim of the game is to be the first player/team to score thirteen points. Points are scored by having one or more of your boules closer to the Cochonnet than those of your opponent, after all boules have been thrown.
The game is played out over a series of rounds, often referred to as an end, with the scoring team of an end being first to start the next round. Pétanque isn't just about throwing your Boule to get as close to the Cochonnet as possible.
Alternatively, there are a number of other tactics that can be employed in order to gain the advantage. Shooting your opponents boule is another option that can be applied. Shooting has the potential to remove your opponents boule from the field of play. However, this doesn't come without risk as if you miss, it could be your boule that exits the field of play. At the highest levels of the sport, shooting is often the preferred option.
Here’s a short YouTube video
Community Pétanque Pitch
After much planning and fundraising the long wait for a community pétanque pitch in the Community Field ended in November 2024 with the completion of the construction works and the first club game played. Whilst the club look after the pitch it is a community facility and available to all in the community. Families can compete with each other, small groups also. Just two can spend a competitive half hour playing a game before, or after, a little refreshment. Children can enjoy an occasional game with adult supervision just as much as seasoned amateurs
Where do I get my balls?
If you want to have a go the club can loan you what you need. But if you get the bug sets of balls are easily found on-line.
Do I need to book?
The club plays regularly on a Saturday from 11am to 1pm on a Saturday. If you would like to give it a try come along. If you want to arrange a match between friends best to book a slot to be sure no one else has the same idea.
Is Pétanque a proper sport?
Yes. Whilst pétanque, like many other sports can be played socially, it is also played competitively at regional, national and international level. Many countries host large showcase events such as the Mondial La Marseillaise in France, The Amelia Island open in the US and the La British Open in the UK.
In the UK the governing body, Pétanque England, has over 180 clubs and more than 2800 registered players. This figure excludes a large number of players that are unregistered - including us! The official rules as set by Pétanque England can be found here
Is there any difference between Pétanque and Boule?
“Pétanque” and “boules” are two different names for the same game. In French, the word “boule” means “ball” and in France people often refer to the game simply as boules (pronounced BOOL). Outside of France the game is usually referred to as “pétanque” (pronounced pay-TONK).
To play some games email paulatchalvington@gmail.com
Want to know more?
Here is some extra reading:
