Bocce is the Italian rolling game played with 107mm resin balls on a long packed-dirt court. Pétanque is the French throwing game played with 73mm hollow metal balls from a fixed circle on rougher ground. Boules is the family name for both, plus the heavier Lyonnaise volo variant played in southeastern France. The three share an ancestor, a Roman ball-tossing game, but split into distinct sports with different equipment, surfaces, and throwing styles by the early twentieth century.
If you have only played one and are wondering whether the others are worth trying, the short answer is yes. The same basic objective applies to all three (get your team's balls closest to the small target ball), but the technique, body posture, and tactical play differ enough that picking up the second sport feels new. According to Encyclopedia Britannica's entry on bocce, the modern Italian form was codified in the early twentieth century with the founding of the Federazione Italiana Bocce; pétanque was codified separately in Provence in 1907.
Key Takeaways
- Bocce uses 107mm resin balls (about 920 grams) and is rolled along a smooth court roughly 12 ft by 76 ft.
- Pétanque uses 73mm hollow metal balls (about 650 to 800 grams) and is thrown underhand from a fixed circle onto rough ground.
- Boules is the umbrella term for both, plus Lyonnaise volo, which uses 90 to 110mm metal balls and an aerial throwing technique.
- Pétanque is governed by the FFPJP and the CMSB; bocce by the FIB internationally and USBF in the US.
- For a backyard, 107mm bocce sets play well on grass or stone dust; 73mm metal pétanque sets fit gravel, dirt, and packed travel.
Bocce: the Italian rolling game
Bocce is what most North Americans picture when they hear the word boules. The balls are 107mm resin (sometimes 110mm or 114mm for variant rules), weigh roughly 920 grams, and are rolled along a long, flat playing surface. Players stand at one end of the court and roll their balls toward a small target ball, the pallino, typically about 5 ft from the far end. The team closest to the pallino at the end of each frame scores.
The Italian tournament style, called raffa, is regulated by Federazione Italiana Bocce (FIB), the national governing body in Italy, and internationally by the Confederation Mondiale des Sports de Boules. North American clubs typically play raffa under USBF (United States Bocce Federation) rules with 107mm balls. Courts are 12 ft wide by 76 ft long for regulation tournament play, though backyard variants run shorter and narrower.
Pétanque: the French throwing game
Pétanque, codified in 1907 in La Ciotat near Marseille, looks similar in concept but is a different sport in practice. Players stand inside a 50cm circle scratched into the ground and throw the boules underhand toward a small wooden target ball, the cochonnet (also called jack or piglet). The balls are hollow steel, 70.5 to 80mm in diameter, and weigh 650 to 800 grams.
The key technical difference: pétanque players throw, not roll. The arc is shallow and the ball lands close to where it will stop, so the surface does not need to be smooth, gravel, dirt, and crushed-stone surfaces all work. According to coverage in BBC Travel, pétanque is the dominant boules variant in France and across former French colonies, with the Fédération Française de Pétanque et Jeu Provençal (FFPJP) sanctioning the world championships in cooperation with the international Confédération Mondiale.
Boules: the umbrella term and Lyonnaise volo
Boules is the French word for balls and the umbrella term that covers bocce, pétanque, and the heavier aerial variant called bocce volo (or boule lyonnaise). Volo is played in southeastern France and northwestern Italy with 90 to 110mm metal balls, thrown overhand in a high arc to land near the target ball. It is the most physically demanding of the three, requiring a running approach and shoulder-driven release.
For most North American players, the practical distinction matters at the equipment level. If a set is sold as bocce, expect 107mm resin balls and a rolling-style game. If it is sold as pétanque or boules, expect 73mm hollow metal balls and a throwing-style game. Both formats are recognized by the international Confederation Mondiale des Sports de Boules.
Throwing styles compared
Bocce: roll the ball along the ground, palm-up or palm-down release, follow-through low. Pétanque: stand in a circle, throw underhand with a slight arc, palm-down release, follow-through toward the target. Volo: running approach, overhand throw with full body rotation, palm-up release, follow-through high. Each technique took a century to mature and each rewards different physical attributes.
Equipment side-by-side
Bocce balls are resin (modern) or composite (legacy), 107mm (raffa) to 114mm (Italian volo), and weigh roughly 920 to 1,200 grams depending on diameter. Pétanque boules are hollow steel, 70.5 to 80mm, and 650 to 800 grams. The target ball in bocce is the pallino, usually 40 to 60mm. In pétanque it is the cochonnet, 25 to 35mm wood.
Surface requirements also differ. Bocce wants a long, level court with a hard-packed surface (stone dust, crushed oyster shell, decomposed granite, or even short grass). Pétanque is played on gravel, dirt, packed sand, or any rough natural surface, no court construction required. Outside Magazine has covered the surge in casual boules play across North American backyards, where the lower setup cost of pétanque is appealing.
Which one is right for you
Pick bocce if you have a yard with room for a 6 to 12 ft wide, 30 to 60 ft long strip, want a slower-paced family game, and like the heavier feel of resin balls. Bocce works for ages 8 to 80 and rewards finesse over strength. Pick pétanque if you prefer playing on natural ground without building a court, want a more portable kit (a 6-ball set fits in a backpack), and don't mind the metallic clack of hollow steel. Pick volo if you have a strong arm and access to a club; recreational volo play is rare in North America.
Product picks: bocce, pétanque, and a mini for both
1. 107 mm 8 Bocce Ball Set Bundle
Best for: backyard bocce on grass, stone dust, or decomposed granite.
An 8-ball regulation 107mm resin bundle, sized for full team play with two contrasting colorways and a pallino. This is the standard equipment for North American bocce, recognized by USBF and FIB tournament rules. Good for ages 8 and up, plays well on most prepared surfaces.
2. 73 mm Metal Bocce/Petanque 8-Ball Set
Best for: pétanque on gravel, dirt, or any rough natural surface.
A full 8-ball hollow steel pétanque set in 73mm. Heavier than it looks, with the metallic clack that gives pétanque its character on gravel courts. The 73mm size sits in the recreational range; sanctioned pétanque tournaments use 70.5 to 80mm in standardized weight categories. For backyard French-style play, this kit covers two teams of four players each.
3. 73 mm Metal Bocce/Petanque 6-Ball Set
Best for: three-player pétanque (the most common French recreational format).
A 6-ball hollow steel pétanque set, the right size for three-player triplette play, the standard French recreational format. Each player throws two balls per frame. Compact enough to fit in a small bag and travels easily for picnics, gravel paths, or rough fields.
Why buy from BuyBocceBalls
We carry the full range of bocce and pétanque equipment, from 107mm tournament resin to 73mm metal boules, plus the pallinos, cochonnets, and bags each game needs. Most US orders ship in three business days from US warehouses. Browse the full metal pétanque and boules collection for hollow-steel sets in multiple colorways and sizes.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between bocce and pétanque?
Bocce is Italian, uses 107mm resin balls (about 920 grams), and is rolled along a smooth long court. Pétanque is French, uses 73mm hollow metal balls (650 to 800 grams), and is thrown underhand from a fixed circle onto rough ground. Same objective, different equipment and technique.
Is boules the same as pétanque?
Not quite. Boules is the French umbrella term covering bocce, pétanque, and the heavier Lyonnaise volo variant. Pétanque is one specific type of boules, the most popular in France and the version most North Americans mean when they say boules.
Can I use bocce balls for pétanque?
Not effectively. Bocce balls are too large (107mm vs 73mm) and too heavy for pétanque's underhand throwing technique. Pétanque is best played with hollow metal boules sized 70.5 to 80mm. You can adapt bocce rules to play a rolling game with pétanque balls, but the experience will be different.
Which game is older, bocce or pétanque?
Bocce in its modern form predates pétanque by several centuries. Roman soldiers played rolling-ball games that evolved into Italian bocce by the Middle Ages. Pétanque was codified later, in 1907 in Provence, as a fixed-circle variant of the older Provençal game jeu provençal.
