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Pétanque in New York City
Free lessons five days a week in Bryant Park with boules lent on arrival, four clubs across the metro and the first dedicated pétanque bar in the country.
New York has four pétanque clubs, free lessons five days a week in Bryant Park through the season and the first dedicated pétanque bar in the country.
Nothing about starting here costs money. Boules are lent at every free session in the city.
Pétanque, once a month
Club spotlights, new court listings, equipment notes and events across the US, Canada and Mexico.
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No cost
Playing for free
Four places to play without paying anything or joining anything. Boules are lent at the first two.
| Where | Area | When | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bryant Park | Midtown Manhattan | Monday to Friday, 11am to 7pm | April through September. La Boule New Yorkaise gives free lessons and lends boules, and Hudson Pétanque plays here too |
| Washington Square Park | Greenwich Village | Monday and Wednesday, 1pm to 4pm | Free lessons and open play with La Boule New Yorkaise |
| Prospect Park Parade Grounds | Brooklyn | Varies | Local 718’s home ground and the venue for most of the city’s Brooklyn tournaments |
| Hoboken waterfront | New Jersey | Saturdays | Hudson Pétanque, with midweek and Sunday sessions by request. PATH access from Manhattan |
Start here. Bryant Park, any weekday between 11am and 7pm from April to September.
La Boule New Yorkaise runs free lessons there and hands you boules, and nobody expects you to know the rules first.
Four clubs
The four clubs
Three play public parks and one runs a venue. All four take newcomers.
| Club | Where | Courts | What it is |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carreau Club | Industry City, Brooklyn | 13 | The first bar in the country built around the game. Nine indoor courts and four outdoor across 8,000 square feet |
| La Boule New Yorkaise | Bryant Park and Washington Square | Public park | Founded 1968, the oldest and largest club in the city. Free lessons every weekday of the season |
| Hudson Pétanque | Bryant Park and Hoboken | Public park | Founded 2025 and the only club playing both sides of the Hudson. First session free, no signup |
| Local 718 Pétanque | Prospect Park, Brooklyn | Public park | Plays the Parade Grounds and at Carreau Club, and runs much of the city’s tournament calendar |
A fifth group, Afriboules of Queens, was incorporated as a New York nonprofit in February 2026. It has no published schedule yet, so treat it as emerging rather than active.
Two hours south, the Philadelphia Pétanque Club plays Sunday mornings in Clark Park, at the circle near 43rd Street and Baltimore Avenue. It is the nearest FPUSA club outside the metro, and newcomers are welcome.
Industry City
Carreau Club
Thirteen courts in Brooklyn, indoors and out, and the reason New York can play pétanque in February.
What it is
A bar and restaurant built around the game at Industry City, in Building 6 at 68 34th Street. Four outdoor courts opened in 2020 and nine indoor courts followed in a 2022 expansion.
The indoor and outdoor space runs to about 8,000 square feet. Carreau was the first venue of its kind in the country.
Playing there
A court costs $70 for two hours for up to eight people, with equipment and someone to show you the game. Each guest adds a $20 food and drink minimum, a 20% service charge comes on top and walk-ins are welcome.
Friday nights carry a free open melee at 7pm, aimed squarely at beginners. Leagues run Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 7:15pm to 9:30pm.
A second site
Carreau runs a seasonal outdoor site on Governors Island, open Friday through Sunday in the warmer months.
It is a beer garden with courts rather than a second full venue, and the ferry is part of the appeal.
A court there costs $50 for two hours for up to 12 people, plus a $15 food and drink minimum per guest and a 20% service charge.
2026
The 2026 calendar
New York carries more tournament dates than any other US metro, split between Prospect Park, Bryant Park and Hoboken.
| Date | Event | Where | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| July 11 | Northeast Regional Select Singles | Prospect Park | Local 718 |
| July 12 | Brooklynaise | Brooklyn | Local 718 with Carreau Club |
| September 5 | Northeast Regional Mixed Triples | Bryant Park | La Boule New Yorkaise |
| September 6 | African Open, select doubles | Bryant Park | La Boule New Yorkaise |
| September 19 | Northeast Regional Select Doubles | Clark Park, Philadelphia | Philadelphia Pétanque Club |
| October 10 to 11 | US Open of Pétanque | Pier A Park, Hoboken | Doubles, $130 per team |
| October 24 | A+A+B Triples | Prospect Park | Local 718 |
| October 31 | Halloween Select Doubles | Prospect Park | Local 718 |
Entry for the regionals runs through FPUSA. The full national calendar is on our events page.
Common questions
Questions about pétanque in New York
Where can I play pétanque in New York for free?
Bryant Park, Monday to Friday from 11am to 7pm between April and September. La Boule New Yorkaise runs free lessons there and lends boules to anyone who turns up.
Washington Square Park adds Monday and Wednesday afternoons, 1pm to 4pm, on the same terms.
Do I need my own boules?
No. Free park sessions lend them, and Hudson Pétanque provides equipment for a first session that costs nothing.
If you decide to buy, our boule selector turns hand size and playing style into a specification.
What is Carreau Club?
A pétanque bar and restaurant at Industry City in Brooklyn, with thirteen courts: nine indoors and four in the courtyard. It was the first venue of its kind in the country.
A court costs $70 for two hours for up to eight people, with equipment and a guide included, plus a $20 food and drink minimum per guest and a 20% service charge. Friday nights carry a free open melee at 7pm that anyone can join.
When is Carreau Club open?
Monday from noon to 8pm, Tuesday to Saturday from noon to 11pm and Sunday from noon to 7pm.
League nights run Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 7:15pm to 9:30pm.
Which is the oldest club in New York?
La Boule New Yorkaise, founded in 1968. It is also the largest in the city, and it began in Central Park before spreading to Washington Square, Bryant Park and Prospect Park.
It is not the oldest in the country. The first was Le Mistral in Worcester, Massachusetts, founded 1958, whose line continues today as Charlesgate Pétanque in Boston.
What does club membership cost?
La Boule New Yorkaise charges $45 for a new membership and $50 to renew, with an associate rate of $20. That includes FPUSA and FIPJP association.
None of that is needed to play in the parks. Membership is required for sanctioned tournaments.
What is the biggest tournament here?
The US Open of Pétanque, run by La Boule New Yorkaise over two days at Pier A Park in Hoboken. The 2026 edition runs October 10 and 11, doubles, at $130 per team.
Local 718 runs most of the rest of the calendar out of Prospect Park.
Is pétanque the same as bocce?
No. The boules are metal and much smaller, the throwing action is different, the court is shorter and the scoring differs.
Our comparison of the two games sets out the detail.
When is the season?
Park play runs April through October, and Bryant Park lessons specifically run April to September. Carreau Club plays indoors year-round.
Winter in New York means Industry City or nothing.
Elsewhere in the US
Other American regions
Twelve regional pages cover the United States. The nearest to New York are New England and Washington DC.
Know a New York group we have missed?
Informal play in the outer boroughs rarely reaches any listing. Send the details.
Pétanque, once a month
Club spotlights, new court listings, equipment notes and events across the US, Canada and Mexico.
Free. One click to leave.
Overview
- Clubs: four in the metro
- Free lessons: Bryant Park, weekdays April to September
- Oldest club: La Boule New Yorkaise, 1968
- Largest venue: Carreau Club, 13 courts
- Indoor play: year-round at Industry City
- Club dues: $45 new, $50 renewal at LBNY
- Biggest event: US Open of Pétanque, October
- Park season: April to October
Boule selector
Six questions on hand size, throwing style and budget return the specification that suits you.
Free Starter Kit
The rules, a boule sizing chart, court dimensions and the glossary in one printable PDF.