DÉCOUVERTE ET INITIATION À LA BOULE DE FORT À SAUMUR

This typically local game, which has been played mainly in Anjou and the west of Indre et Loire since the 19th century, requires skill, concentration and patience, as well as suppleness of movement and legs. The game is played over 10 points and can last between 1 and 3 hours. To begin your initiation, you need to put on your charentaises (we lend them to you) while a member of the circle polishes the balls. Your playing field is curved and your balls are not quite round. The balls have two flattened, almost oval sides and a strong side – meaning heavy – which determines the trajectory, with the result that they never follow a straight line. During your introductory session, you’ll learn the history of the game, its rules and a new vocabulary that will make more than one novice smile. The aim of the game is simple: the balls must arrive as close as possible to the “master” or “small” (similar to the jack in the boule de fort). You need to be delicate with your movements, almost putting the ball down rather than throwing it, otherwise it will go too far, ricocheting off the end of the track and overshooting its target. There are several categories of player: – Rollers are responsible for throwing their ball delicately, as close as possible to the master, without touching the other balls. – Shooters are responsible for clearing the opponent’s balls with a quick throw. To measure the distance between the balls and the master, the players use a metal “gauge” rod. And if a player does not score any points during the game, he must “kiss Fanny’s arse” or “go to Brion”, i.e. kiss the image of the buttocks of an icon representing a full-figured woman. One session is not enough to master this game, but it will help you understand the basics. You’ll have to try again! To encourage you, you’ll be offered a little “pot de l’amitié” at the end of your initiation.Spoken languages ​​:French