Pétanque is a variant of several different boule games played outdoors

Already the ancient Egyptians threw round stones against a fixed target. Via ancient Greece came the game to the Roman Empire. The Romans then brought out the predecessor of modern boules to their provinces. The modern form of the game pétanque that really means globe comes from France and it is the form that is today called pétanque and whose main characteristic is that the player should stand in a ring.