Since these two European ball games have a similar look, they can be easily confused. Bocce originated in Italy and involves rolling balls down a smooth, flat court like the one shown here. Bocce is more widely known in the U.S. than pétanque, so you might find more friends who already know how to play. However, since the balls are rolled, you’ll need a really smooth, level court — and that can get expensive.
Originally from France, pétanqueuses slightly smaller balls than those used in bocce, and the balls are tossed down the court. Because the balls are tossed rather than rolled, the smoothness of the court is not as important, making pétanque a better option if you’re trying to rein in the budget — you can even use a lawn.
Since these two European ball games have a similar look, they can be easily confused. Bocce originated in Italy and involves rolling balls down a smooth, flat court like the one shown here. Bocce is more widely known in the U.S. than pétanque, so you might find more friends who already know how to play. However, since the balls are rolled, you’ll need a really smooth, level court — and that can get expensive.
Originally from France, pétanque uses slightly smaller balls than those used in bocce, and the balls are tossed down the court. Because the balls are tossed rather than rolled, the smoothness of the court is not as important, making pétanque a better option if you’re trying to rein in the budget — you can even use a lawn.
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