Year 8 French Activity

Year 8 French plays pétanque

To complete their studies of French sports and leisure activities, the year 8 French classes (8O and 8I) spent a day out on the oval to experience the most classic French sport of pétanque for themselves. Pétanque, similar to lawn bowls, bocce or boules, is played all over France, with special lawns in every French town.

Before we went outside, we learnt essential pétanque vocabulary through a game of Lire Courir Écrire (Read Run Write), where students have to memorise and relay a written script hanging outside the classroom to their partner on the inside. Useful phrases included “je joue à la pétanque” (I’m playing pétanque), “c’est mon tour!” (it’s my turn), “c’est un carreau” (it’s a diamond/great shot), and “j’adore ce jeu!” (I love this game).

We then went outside to have a go for ourselves. We experienced many successes and also learnt that it’s not always as easy as it seems. Some groups of students also played croquet (debatably not a French sport but with an undeniably French sounding name, perhaps descended from the French game ‘paille-maille’).

It was lovely to get out of the classroom and to put our French knowledge into action. Special mention must be made of Sophie, Hannah and Cara’s exceptional close shots, an achievement worthy of les Jeux Olympiques. Now that we have flexed our pétanque muscles, it’s time to move on to a delicious French breakfast feast.

Mr de Jong

French Teacher