On July 8, 2024, La Poste issues a stamp on pétanque as part of the EUROMed competition whose 2024 theme focuses on Mediterranean sports. Pétanque was officially born in 1907 in La Ciotat (13). It results from a simplification of the rules of the Provençal game, its ancestor.
Its name comes from the Provençal expression “pés tanqués” meaning tanqués feet, that is to say planted on the ground. Initially a regional discipline, anchored in the south of France, it was exported over the decades throughout France, then throughout the world. France has 13 regional committees, 106 departmental committees and nearly 6,000 clubs affiliated to the French Federation of Pétanque and Provencal Games, bringing together almost 300,000 members.
Pétanque was a leisure activity for a long time before becoming a sport in its own right for those who practice it competitively. France, creator of pétanque, is also the world's leading nation both in terms of the number of its fans and the world champion titles gleaned by French teams. Since 1988, France has won 21 gold medals in the men's world championships in 28 editions.
To date, pétanque has conquered more than 100 countries on all continents. Some Asian countries, in particular, are very keen on pétanque.
Increasingly popular, pétanque benefits from television broadcasts in the same way as other major sporting disciplines. For many tour operators, it is a symbol of France since it is often included in the program of activities for foreign tourists. Much more than a sport or a leisure activity, it is an integral part of French culture and contributes to the influence of France in the world.
