A throw that works on your home terrain can fail on the next one. The surface decides how far a boule runs after landing, how much it bounces and how a shot behaves on impact.
Good players change one thing at a time: where the boule lands and how high it travels. Here is how that plays out on the common surfaces.
Four surfaces, four behaviors
| Surface | What the boule does | Pointing | Shooting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hard, smooth ground | Runs far and true | Roll or low half lob | Direct shots work well |
| Fine gravel | Slows evenly | Half lob | Predictable |
| Loose or deep gravel | Stops fast, deflects | High lob close to the jack | Hit the boule directly |
| Sand or soft ground | Sinks and stops | Land close to the jack | Hit the boule directly |
Watch the first boules of the day before you trust the table. Every terrain has its own mix.
Pointing adjustments
Hard, smooth ground
The boule keeps rolling long after it lands, so a landing spot well short of the jack works. Backspin from a palm-down release keeps the run from getting away; our page on distance control covers it.
Loose or deep gravel
Stones absorb and deflect the boule. Throw higher and land close to the jack so there is less ground to cross.
Our post on pointing on gravel has a full practice session for this surface.
Shooting adjustments
Hard ground
A boule that lands short of the target skids fast on hard ground and can still hit it. Players call that shot a rafle.
It is less precise than hitting the target directly, but it forgives a short throw. Use it when the ground in front of the target is flat and clear.
Soft ground and sand
A short shot digs in and stops, so only a direct hit on the target boule works. Aim at the boule itself, not the ground before it.
After a hit
On soft ground, a hit boule rarely travels far. On hard ground it can run a long way and knock other boules around, which matters when yours are nearby.
Conditions change during a game
Well-built terrains have a thin loose top layer over a compact base, the structure Brian Forbes’ construction notes describe. Play wears that top layer unevenly.
Terrain dries, compacts and gets marked while a game goes on. Keep reading it:
- Morning damp dries out around midday and speeds the ground up
- Feet and boules pack down the areas around the jack
- Holes from earlier boules change lines near the jack
Watch where each boule lands and how far it runs, including your opponents’. Our page on reading terrain goes deeper.
What the rules let you touch
Article 10 of the FIPJP rules forbids pressing, moving or crushing anything on the terrain. Sweeping in front of a boule you are about to shoot is named in that article and penalized.
The player about to throw or a teammate may fill in one hole that an earlier boule left. Everything else stays the way the game made it.
Frequently asked questions
How do you point on sand?
Land close to the jack with a higher throw, since sand stops the boule quickly. A long roll will not reach the jack.
What is a rafle in pétanque?
A shot that lands in front of the target and skids into it. It works on hard, flat ground; our glossary lists other terms.
Can you clear stones before throwing?
No. Moving or pressing anything on the terrain is forbidden; you may only fill a hole that an earlier boule left.
Why does the terrain change during a game?
Moisture dries, feet compact the ground and boules leave holes. Watch every throw to keep up.
