Petanque is life!
A wise man once said: “A campsite without a pétanque court is like a good meal without an aperitif!” And at l’Iscle de Prelles, we prefer 2 aperitifs to 1! So there are not 1, but 2 pétanque courts…
Beginner's luck?
Let’s start from the beginning: pétanque is a game…
The idea is to have fun. On that basis, pétanque is a game for everyone, beginners or experienced players, the very young, the young at heart, the not so young or the much less young. If you don’t have the petanque balls, we have plenty of triplettes waiting for you at reception. The courts are open all year round. At least from spring onwards. Finally, the only restriction on access to the petanque courts is snow.
Never played pétanque? We can only encourage you to give it a try… Especially as there’s a saying that’s particularly true of this game: the beginner’s luck.
2 pétanque courts, 2 atmospheres...
A word of warning for younger children: petanque courts are not sandboxes. We’re not building castles or car racing circuits!
The 1st petanque court is level with the children’s play area and the table tennis tables. A barrier separates the 2 areas for everyone’s safety. You can play 2 games simultaneously, and the snack bar is right next door!
The 2nd petanque court is next to the communal barbecues and picnic tables. You can also play 2 games at the same time, while keeping an eye on the sausages, kebabs, trout and vegetables crackling away.
Here's some information to get you started...
Quick reminder of the rules…
The principle is simple: get closest to the jack at the end of each lead. The team closest to the jack scores as many points as it has better balls than its opponent. The winning team throws the jack for the next lead… And so on, until one team reaches 13 points. No, there isn’t a 2-point difference. Any doubts about the rules? There’s Wi-Fi throughout the campsite, so you can check out the official website of the Fédération Française de Pétanque et de Jeu Provençal.
And let me remind you of the most important rule: have fun, have fun, have fun! Even if the dishes are in play, on the petanque courts of our human-sized campsite, it’s all about conviviality!
Do you shoot or point?
To point is to throw the ball upwards and roll it so that it stops as close as possible to the jack. To shoot is to make a tense shot to clear an opponent’s ball. You can shoot at diamond, the aim being for the ball to hit the opponent’s ball directly. It’s spectacular, because with the perfect diamond, your ball settles in place of the target ball. You can shoot “a la raspaille”, which consists of shooting hard and straight to roll your ball until it hits your opponent’s ball. But the most common form of shooting is the Marseillaise’ shoot, which involves making a hole next to the target ball! I’m joking, of course 😉 !
An institution: the pétanque tournament
The pétanque tournament is an institution at most campsites. At l’Iscle de Prelles, even if technically there are winners and losers at the end, and even if prizes are offered by our official sponsor, excessive competition is not welcome at the pétanque tournament. The main thing is to take part, with a smile on your face, focused on doing well. But if you lose, it doesn’t matter, you’ll have had a good time… That’s why, every Wednesday afternoon during the high season, the pétanque courts are not taken over by the competitors of the pétanque tournament, but by the Amicale des Boulistes. It’s the same thing, but with an added family spirit…
As you can see, you don’t need to be very good to take part in the amicale des boulistes meetings. And anyway, the teams are drawn at random, so everyone has a chance. This just goes to show what an excellent opportunity it is to get to know the other holidaymakers on the campsite. Everyone can play. Everyone has to play! All ages, including children. And of course, after the final, there’s a drink to the health of the winners…
And apart from pétanque?
Petanque is life. But there’s more to life than pétanque! At the campsite you’ll also find a heated swimming pool, a library and games library, table football, mini-golf, a home ball court… Adults and children alike will find plenty to do… And when it comes to services, you can buy fresh bread at the campsite bakery, grill at the communal barbecues, use the washing machines and tumble dryers at the launderette, recharge your electric vehicle at the charging points or discover the wonderful world of compost at the selective sorting area.
To find out more and plan your future holidays in Briançon, the Serre Chevalier and Clarée valleys and the Pays des Ecrins, you can consult the calendar of services and activities, season by season and month by month.
To go further in planning your holiday in Briançon, in Pays des Ecrins and in Serre Chevalier and Clarée valleys
THE CAMPSITE THE PITCHES THE RENTALS THE REGION
