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The Thibodaux Petanque Club has announced they will host their first ever “Boules on the Bayou” Mardi Gras Open Select Doubles beginning Saturday, February 3, 2024 at Peltier Park in Thibodaux!
Thibodaux Petanque is a club that is dedicated to promoting the French game of Petanque in the Bayou Region of Louisiana. Petanque, a French activity originating in the early 1900’s, is a boules game (similar to bocce, raffa, and crown green bowling), where players/teams score points by throwing or rolling a ball towards a smaller, target object, while hitting opponent’s balls away from the target.
There is strong national interest in Petanque across Europe, as well as in many nations with histories of French colonial influence, particularly southeast Asia and parts of Africa. Petanque, however, is not widely known across America– something shocking particularly in the French-influenced bayou regions of Louisiana.
Petanque came to the Lafourche Parish around the early 2000’s, and the game began to gain popularity in the local area. “My wife, daughter and I began playing Petanque during COVID,” said club member Guy Diebold. “More and more people started to become interested in the game, so we began the Thibodaux Petanque Club to give people a place to play. As more people joined and we become more organized, we began to realize there is a wider community of people who play this relatively obscure game that we could get connected with!”
Diebold explained that the Thibodaux Petanque Club began hearing of clubs around Lafayette, Atlanta, Athens, the Pacific northwest, Texas, Florida, the northeast, California, and more, and were invited to participate in tournaments. “We started traveling and attended Petanque tournaments and meeting people who played and enjoyed Petanque as much as we do,” said Diebold. “That inspired us to host our own tournament here in Thibodaux for families across the country who share enthusiasm for this game.”
Following this inspiration, the Thibodaux Petanque Club decided to create the “Boules on the Bayou” Mardi Gras Open Select Doubles this February. Things will kick off on Saturday, February 3, 2024 with a one-day open select doubles tournament, with qualifying matches and bracket eliminations after lunch. Following the tournament, all players are invited to meet at a local venue for drinks, seafood, and delicious Cajun food. On Sunday, February 4, 2024, two local krewes will parade through Thibodaux– those here for the Petanque tournament will get to enjoy the Mardi Gras parade and a potluck picnic near the route.
“Friends from other clubs out-of-state often expressed interest to visit Thibodaux and kept encouraging us to hold a tournament here,” said Diebold. “Our Sunday activities will give out-of-town guests reason to stick around and enjoy our small-town Mardi Gras celebrations. We’re excited to share in this experience with them. I know we all have a great time.
“Boules on the Bayou” will have cash prizes for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd places. If you are interested in registering for the tournament, please click here.
“We are excited to extend the same hospitality we have received to others, and share a bit of our culture with them,” said Diebold. “Petanque is wonderful because it really brings together people from many different walks of life– you get a chance to meet and spend time with people you may not have otherwise. We are all looking forward to this tournament.”
If you are interested in joining the Thibodaux Petanque Club, there is regular club play on Saturday mornings in Peltier Park starting around 8:30 am. Everyone is welcome, just show up. No experience required, equipment is available to borrow (no charge). (https://www.usapetanque.org/
