Resources
Pétanque court dimensions
A pétanque terrain measures at least 15 m x 4 m (49 ft 3 in x 13 ft 1 in) for national championships and international competitions. Federations may allow smaller terrains for other events, down to 12 m x 3 m (39 ft 4 in x 9 ft 10 in). Outside competition the rules set no court at all, since pétanque is played on any surface.
Sourced from FIPJP Articles 5, 6 and 7. Last verified September 16, 2026.
- Terrain
- 15 m x 4 m49 ft 3 in x 13 ft 1 in
- Smallest allowed
- 12 m x 3 m39 ft 4 in x 9 ft 10 in
- Throwing circle
- 35 to 50 cm14 to 20 in
- Jack throw
- 6 to 10 m19 ft 8 in to 32 ft 10 in
On this page
Related pages
Find a club near you
Most clubs welcome beginners and keep loaner boules on hand.
Find your boules
Five questions on your hand size, style and budget. You get a diameter, a weight and a hardness to match.
Court diagram
What a terrain looks like, drawn to scale
The throwing circle sits near one end. The jack has to land between 6 m and 10 m (19 ft 8 in and 32 ft 10 in) from the inside edge of the circle, which makes the valid landing area a curved ring rather than a straight band. The jack also stays at least 50 cm (20 in) clear of any obstacle and of the end line. No minimum distance applies against the side lines dividing one lane from the next.
Scroll the diagram sideways to see the whole width.
Scale plan at the championship minimum of 15 m x 4 m (49 ft 3 in x 13 ft 1 in). The shaded ring marks every valid landing point for the jack, measured from the inside edge of the circle (FIPJP Article 7).
Why 15 m and not 11 m
Put the circle 1 m in from the end, throw the jack the full 10 m, add the 50 cm clearance and you have used 11.5 m. The rest is run out room, which is where shot boules and pushed jacks end up. Short terrains turn every strong shot into a dead boule.
Quick reference
Six numbers that cover most questions
Terrain length
The floor for national championships and international competitions.
FIPJP Article 5
Terrain width
Width of the lane itself, not a gap between lanes.
FIPJP Article 5
Smallest terrain allowed
Federations may permit this size for competitions below national level.
FIPJP Article 5
Throwing circle
Drawn on the ground, or a rigid circle of 50 cm inside diameter.
FIPJP Article 6
Jack distance
Measured from the inside edge of the circle, for juniors and seniors.
FIPJP Article 7
Jack clearance
From any obstacle and from the end line of the lane.
FIPJP Article 7
Before you measure anything
Does a casual game need a marked court?
No. The first line of Article 5 puts it plainly: pétanque is played on any surface. A marked terrain becomes a requirement only when the organizing committee or an umpire calls for one, which in practice means competition.
Gravel car parks, hard packed dirt, park paths, forest tracks and the strip beside a club terrace all work. Grass is the one surface that fights back, since boules stop dead and the jack disappears. Throwing room counts for more than the shape of your ground, so a strip 12 m long and 3 m wide (39 ft 4 in x 9 ft 10 in) already gives a full game.
Size comparison
Three sizes to build
Championship
Full terrain
The floor for national championships and international competitions. Many clubs build near 18 m so the circle can move between ends without crowding the end line.
- Length
- 15 m49 ft 3 in
- Width
- 4 m13 ft 1 in
- Jack throw
- 6 to 10 m19 ft 8 in to 32 ft 10 in
Club
Club terrain
Federations may permit terrains down to 12 m x 3 m for competitions below national level. The FPUSA has allowed lanes smaller than 15 m x 4 m for national play, with deviations approved in advance.
- Length
- 12 to 15 m39 ft 4 in to 49 ft 3 in
- Width
- 3 to 4 m9 ft 10 in to 13 ft 1 in
- Jack throw
- 6 to 10 m19 ft 8 in to 32 ft 10 in
Backyard
Backyard terrain
Nothing below 12 m x 3 m is regulation, and the shortfall shows in play. At 9 m the longest jack you can throw sits near 7 m, so the long jack drops out of your game. Build it anyway if that is the space you have.
Tighter spaces still play. A strip 10 m × 2.5 m takes a jack at 6 to 7 m, and 8 m × 2 m makes a practice lane.
About 8 m of length is the floor: the jack needs 6 m plus 50 cm clear of the end line, and the thrower needs a meter behind the circle. Give up width before length.
- Length
- 9 to 12 m29 ft 6 in to 39 ft 4 in
- Width
- 3 m9 ft 10 in
- Jack throw
- 6 to 7 m19 ft 8 in to 23 ft
All measurements
Every measurement in one place
The terrain
Length, championships and international
Article 5
Width, championships and international
Article 5
Smallest terrain federations may permit
Article 5
Barrier setback from the exterior line
Article 5
The circle
Drawn circle diameter
Article 6
Rigid or folding circle, inside diameter
Article 6
Circle to any obstacle
Article 6
Circle to another circle or jack in use
Articles 6 and 7
The jack
Throw distance, juniors and seniors
Article 7
Jack to any obstacle or to the end line
Article 7
Jack to another circle or jack in use
Article 7
Jack stays live between
Article 9
Jack live limit, benjamins to cadets
Article 9
Search time before a lost jack or boule is dead
Articles 9 and 11
Players
Opponents stand apart from each other, beyond the jack or behind the thrower
Article 17
Players stand clear while an umpire measures
Article 26
Time to play a boule or throw the jack
Article 21
Equipment
Boule weight
Article 2
Boule allowed for competitors aged 11 or under
Article 2
Jack diameter
Article 3
Jack weight
Article 3
Age categories
How far is the jack thrown for each age group?
Article 7 fixes 6 to 10 m for juniors and seniors and allows shorter distances for younger competitions. The French federation publishes the numbers most commonly applied, and its 2026 regulation keeps the same category names.
| Category | Age in the season | Metric | Imperial |
|---|---|---|---|
| Benjamins | 8 and under | 4 to 7 m | 13 ft 1 in to 23 ft |
| Minimes | 9 to 11 | 5 to 8 m | 16 ft 5 in to 26 ft 3 in |
| Cadets | 12 to 14 | 6 to 9 m | 19 ft 8 in to 29 ft 6 in |
| Juniors and seniors | 15 and over | 6 to 10 m | 19 ft 8 in to 32 ft 10 in |
Source: FFPJP application of Article 7, with age bands from the FFPJP 2026 administrative and sporting regulation. Veterans play at senior distance. North American youth events may set their own distances, so confirm with the organiser before a competition.
Boundaries
What is out of play?
A playing area holds any number of lanes divided with strings. The strings between lanes are not dead ball lines. The lines marking the end of a lane and the exterior of the whole area are dead ball lines (Article 5).
Scroll the diagram sideways to see the whole width.
The strings between lanes are not dead ball lines. Boules crossing into one neighboring lane stay live (FIPJP Articles 5 and 19).
Four points people get wrong
- A boule stays live when it crosses fully into the lane next door. It dies once it crosses more than one neighboring lane, crosses the end line or passes the exterior boundary (Article 19).
- A boule or jack straddling a line is still live. Death comes only once the whole object sits beyond the line, viewed from directly above (Articles 9 and 19).
- Games played to a time limit work differently. Every line of the marked lane becomes a dead ball line, so the one lane tolerance disappears (Articles 5 and 19).
- The jack dies past 20 m (65 ft 7 in) or inside 3 m (9 ft 10 in) from the circle, and it dies if it cannot be seen from the circle. The far limit drops to 15 m for benjamins, minimes and cadets (Article 9).
Setup
Marking a terrain in 20 minutes
Kit: a 30 m tape, mason line, eight pegs, marking chalk or turf paint, a rigid 50 cm circle.
Step 1
Set the long side
Run a string 15 m down the side you want, then peg both ends tight.
Step 2
Square the first corner
Measure 3 m along the string and 4 m out from the same corner. Slide the second line until the distance between those two points reads exactly 5 m. The corner is now square.
Step 3
Close the rectangle
Run the second long side and peg the remaining corners at 15 m and 4 m.
Step 4
Check both diagonals
Equal diagonals mean a true rectangle. Adjust until they match the figures below.
Step 5
Mark the lines
Chalk, turf paint or string all work. String sits low so it does not interfere with play (Article 5).
Step 6
Drop the circle
Place it 1 m in from the end line, clear of any obstacle and 1.5 m from any circle or jack in the game next door (Articles 6 and 7).
| Terrain | Diagonal, metric | Diagonal, imperial |
|---|---|---|
| 15 m x 4 m | 15.52 m | 50 ft 11 in |
| 15 m x 3 m | 15.30 m | 50 ft 2 in |
| 12 m x 4 m | 12.65 m | 41 ft 6 in |
| 12 m x 3 m | 12.37 m | 40 ft 7 in |
Backyard build
Building a terrain in your own yard
A terrain is three layers over drained ground. Get the layers right and it lasts a decade with raking. Skip the sub base and it ruts in one season.
Finished surface falls 1 to 2 percent to one side so water leaves the terrain
Playing surface
3 to 5 cm1 to 2 in
Crushed granite fines or limestone screenings
Compacted sub base
10 to 15 cm4 to 6 in
Crushed rock, laid and compacted in 5 cm lifts
Geotextile sheet
Keeps the stone and the soil from mixing
Native subsoil
Over heavy clay, deepen the sub base to 25 to 30 cm (10 to 12 in) and drain two sides
Edging boardTimber or steel on both sides, top set flush with the playing surface
Total dig15 to 20 cm (6 to 8 in), deeper over heavy clay. Depths are compacted, not loose.
Cross section through a finished terrain. Depths shown are compacted, not loose.
Step 1
Check drainage first
Dig a 30 cm hole, fill it with water and watch. Standing water after a few hours means a deeper sub base and a drain line on two sides. Set the finished surface to fall 1 to 2 per cent toward one side.
Step 2
Mark and excavate
Excavate 15 to 20 cm (6 to 8 in) across the rectangle, deeper over heavy clay, keeping the walls vertical.
Call the utility locate service before digging. Irrigation lines often sit within 30 cm of the surface.
Step 3
Lay geotextile
A sheet between subsoil and stone keeps the two from mixing and cuts weeding for years. It costs little, and it is the step people skip and regret.
Step 4
Build the sub base
10 to 15 cm (4 to 6 in) of crushed rock, road base or crusher run, laid in 5 cm lifts with a plate compactor pass on each lift. Level at every lift rather than at the end.
Step 5
Set the edging
Treated timber, steel or stone holds the surface in. Set the top flush with the finished playing height so boules never hit a lip.
Step 6
Lay the playing surface
3 to 5 cm (1 to 2 in) of crushed granite fines, limestone screenings or decomposed granite. Water it in, level with a screed bar, then compact lightly. You want firm underfoot with a little give, not concrete.
Choosing a surface material
Angular crushed fines pack and drain, which is why most club terrains use them. Avoid builders sand, since it goes soft and rutted. Rounded pea gravel is worse, since boules skid and no one can point. A 2 to 3 mm top dressing raked in each spring keeps the roll honest.
Material and cost
How much material does a terrain need?
Metric: metric tons in place = area in m2 x depth in cm ÷ 50
Imperial: one ton covers about 100 sq ft at 2 in deep
| Terrain | Area | Sub base to order | Surface to order |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 m x 4 m | 60 m2 (646 sq ft) | 18 t | 6.0 t |
| 12 m x 4 m | 48 m2 (517 sq ft) | 14.4 t | 4.8 t |
| 12 m x 3 m | 36 m2 (388 sq ft) | 10.8 t | 3.6 t |
| 9 m x 3 m | 27 m2 (291 sq ft) | 8.1 t | 2.7 t |
The order figures carry 25 per cent over the in place tonnage, since crushed rock loses about that much volume under a plate compactor. US suppliers price per short ton of 2,000 lb, roughly 10 per cent lighter than a metric ton, so add 10 per cent again when you order in tons.
What it costs
US planning ranges checked September 2026. Quarry pricing swings hard with distance, so treat these figures for budgeting and get a local quote before ordering.
| Item | Range |
|---|---|
| Road base or crusher run, per ton | $20 to $45 |
| Crushed granite fines or decomposed granite, per ton | $30 to $85 |
| Geotextile fabric, per 100 sq ft | $10 to $30 |
| Delivery, per load, 5 to 10 ton minimum | $50 to $150 |
| Plate compactor rental, per day | $80 to $130 |
| Timber edging, per linear foot | $2.50 to $7 |
| Steel edging, per linear foot | $5 to $11 |
Materials and tool hire, doing the work yourself on standard soil: $751 to $3,013 for a 12 m x 3 m terrain with 30 m (98 ft) of perimeter, and $1,087 to $4,564 for 15 m x 4 m with 38 m (125 ft). The low figures use timber edging and the high figures steel, and the terrain planner below prices every size on standard soil or heavy clay.
Excavation and install labor varies too much region to region to publish a single number. Get three local quotes and compare them against the material figures above, since materials should account for most of a fair price on a flat site.
Terrain planner
Enter the space you have. The planner picks the largest terrain on this page that fits, then lists the materials and cost to build it.
Ground
Terrain size
Your terrain
15 m × 4 m (49 ft 3 in × 13 ft 1 in)15 m × 4 m fits your space, with 9 in to spare in length and 2 ft 11 in in width.
Your space is smaller than 9 m × 3 m, the smallest terrain on this page.
Your space: 15.2 m × 4.9 m Terrain: 15 m × 4 m
Your space (outline) and the terrain (filled), to scale.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Dig depth | 15 to 20 cm (6 to 8 in) |
| Sub base: crushed rock (10 to 15 cm) | 15.0 to 22.5 t |
| Playing surface: granite fines or limestone screenings (3 to 5 cm) | 4.5 to 7.5 t |
| Geotextile sheet | 60 m² (646 sq ft) |
| Edging | 38 m (125 ft) |
| Diagonal to check square | 15.52 m (50 ft 11 in) |
| Item | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Sub base | $330 | $1,114 |
| Playing surface | $149 | $701 |
| Geotextile | $65 | $194 |
| Delivery (3 to 7 loads) | $150 | $1,050 |
| Plate compactor, one day | $80 | $130 |
| Edging (Timber) | $313 | $875 |
| Total | $1,087 | $4,064 |
Unit prices come from the cost table on this page, September 2026, in US dollars, with 10 percent added for short tons. Tonnage to order uses the page’s formula, area in m² × depth in cm ÷ 50, plus 25 percent for compaction.
Printable court plan
Layout, measurements and materials list on one page.
Maintenance
Keeping a terrain playable
- Rake the surface level after every session, working the holes closed.
- Water before play in dry weather. Damp fines hold a line, dust does not.
- Top up 2 to 3 mm of fines once or twice a year, more at the shooting end.
- Pull weeds early. A geotextile sheet turns this into a ten minute job.
- Keep boules off a frozen or waterlogged surface, since both crater under impact.
- Re-level the circle area every few weeks, since it takes the most wear on the terrain.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
How big is a pétanque court?
15 m x 4 m (49 ft 3 in x 13 ft 1 in) minimum for national championships and international competitions. Federations may permit down to 12 m x 3 m (39 ft 4 in x 9 ft 10 in) for other events. Casual play needs no marked court (FIPJP Article 5).
Can I play in a smaller yard?
Yes. A strip 12 m x 3 m (39 ft 4 in x 9 ft 10 in) supports a full game with the jack at 6 to 9 m. Below that you lose the long jack, since the throw is measured from the inside edge of the circle and has to reach 6 m minimum.
How far do you throw the jack?
Between 6 m and 10 m (19 ft 8 in and 32 ft 10 in) from the inside edge of the circle, for juniors and seniors. Younger categories throw shorter. The jack also stays 50 cm (20 in) clear of any obstacle and of the end line (Article 7).
How big is the throwing circle?
A drawn circle measures 35 to 50 cm (14 to 20 in) across. A rigid or folding circle has an inside diameter of 50 cm (20 in) with a 2 mm tolerance. Both feet stay inside it until the thrown boule touches the ground (Article 6).
How much space goes between two lanes?
The rules set no gap. What they set is clearance: a circle stays more than 1 m (3 ft 3 in) from any obstacle and at least 1.5 m (4 ft 11 in) from another circle or jack in use (Articles 6 and 7). Lanes divided with string sit edge to edge.
Is a boule that rolls into the next lane dead?
No. It dies once it crosses more than one neighboring lane, crosses the end line of its own lane or passes the exterior boundary of the playing area (Article 19). In games played to a time limit, every line of the lane ends the boule.
What is a pétanque court called?
A terrain. Inside a terrain, a marked playing strip is a lane, called a piste or a cadre in French. The whole marked space holding several lanes is the playing area (Article 5).
Does the surface make a difference?
Yes, more than the dimensions. Compacted crushed fines give the truest roll and drain well. Grass kills the game, sand goes soft and rounded gravel makes pointing a lottery.
How far from the end line does the jack have to be?
At least 50 cm (20 in), and the same clearance applies against any obstacle. No minimum applies against the side lines dividing lanes (Article 7).
How much does a backyard terrain cost?
Materials and tool rental run $751 to $3,013 for a 12 m x 3 m terrain and $1,087 to $4,564 for 15 m x 4 m on standard soil, at 2026 US aggregate prices. Contracted labor sits on top and needs local quotes.
Sources and verification
Where these numbers come from
- FIPJP, Official Rules for the Sport of Pétanque, approved December 2020. Articles 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 9, 11, 17, 19, 21 and 26.
- FFPJP, Règlement officiel, French text of the same rules, carrying the youth throwing distances.
- FFPJP, Règlement administratif et sportif 2026, for the age bands behind each category.
- FPUSA annotated rules, for North American practice on terrain size.
- Aggregate price ranges: US market price surveys current to 2026.. Verify with a local quarry.
Last verified September 16, 2026. Spot an error? Tell us and we will check it against the rulebook.