Boule

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Stockholm is a fun-loving city. It is always filled with active and smiling people who want to do something but to sit. As most of the Europeans they try to stay in shape and at the same time to have a good time. Apart from traditional picnics, football, tennis and swimming, Stockholm has some extraordinary types of sport. One of such sports is called boule.

Originated in France, boule is a famous outdoor game that is played by a group of people of any age. The game is similar to bawling but instead of a normal bawling ball, the metal one is used.  These balls are usually called “boules”. The main aim of the game is to get heavy and rather large balls to small ones which are called “cochonnet” also known as “jack”.

Boule is played in 2 teams that consist of one, two or three players. In case there is one or two players there is one boule for a team, if there are three, then each team gets two balls.

Fun and simple game starts with an international tradition of throwing a coin. The team that guessed the side of the coin chooses the playground. Simple like in a childhood, the distance of 0.5 meters is chosen from any obstacle, which can be a tree, a wall or a fence.

Every player of the team throws a bowler, trying not to touch cochonnets. Both of the feet should stay together until the ball lends.

The game is usually played in summer when joyful crowds of kids gather in the little Stockholm yards, waiting to go on a vacation with parents.

Boule forms a part of Stockholm outdoor culture. Preferably played by children it is very popular among granddads and grandmas who mix their casual outdoor chatting with nice and cute game called boule.