Bryant Park Petanque Courts

My days playing Petanque (a French version of bocce) started in my early 20’s when I studied abroad in France. Mais oui. Part of my semester involved spending two weeks in the countryside where I passed my days with these old French dudes who would spend every weekend playing in Petanque tournaments. Of course while playing they would get crazy sh*tfaced, which would then involve me driving them home in their manual Citroen (at this point I did not know how to drive a manual car), with only Dire Straits blaring from the stereo; the French do love their Dire Straits.
Yet, I wasn’t just a chauffeur. I played at times and from what I remember, very poorly.
2013 rolls around and Peter D from BK invites me to join him at the BK Bastille Day to play in a petanque tournament. It was real fun. The Petanque gangsters were all there. These dudes are borderline professional and were so nice and helpful, teaching us the rules, pointers, practicing with us and just lending a helping hand and support. They genuinely love the game and want more people to love it as much as they do, and it worked.
NYC Ruggy followed up and checked out the Petanque courts in Bryant Park where people play M-​F until about 6pm and reported back this was the cat’s pajamas. He was right. There are 4 courts absolutely free, they provide balls and lessons. The community is the sweetest, filled with mostly gentleman who played back in their home countries and a few locals and tourists alike. They do take the game seriously so although it’s fun, this is no joke, come to learn the game and play.
This is definitely my new jam. My Unilocal crew is training for next Bastille Day when we shall take the crown (and the free trip to Marseilles, France). I can’t express enough how glad I’m to have Petanque NYC in my life.

Like many French nationals, July 14^th, 1790 marks a date that forever changed the course of my life for the better. Sure I wasn’t dealing with the obstacles facing humanity 200+ years ago on the first Bastille Day (no running water, no Snap Chat, et al.), but before July 14^th (2013) on Smith Street in Brooklyn, I’d never embraced the wonder that is petanque. What a waste of 30 years.
Petanque is essentially bocce ball… but you use metal balls instead of the lighter, wooden variety. And you incorporate smug French flair while dismantling your competition. Don’t ask me why, but it’s just way more fun than the Italian version. Also, there aren’t many public (free) bocce ball courts in NYC, but you can play petanque for free every weekday from 11 – 6 in the middle of Bryant Park. It’s one of those «only in New York» things that make you stoked to live here.
Very few things are truly free in NYC, but this activity clearly flies in the face of convention. Just show up, shake a few hands, and in moments you’re chucking metal balls and engaging in friendly international competition. Think that sort of thing happens in Buloxi? Me thinks not.