The box caterpillars have an unusual risk

Not content with ravaging all our box hedges and trees the "pyrale du buis" caterpillars are risking the heart of French culture and sporting life.
It appears that practically all the "cochonnets" used by petanque players are made from box wood. The wood turners based in the Jura who manufacture almost all the "buts" or "petits" used in France, around a million a year, are afraid that within a few years there will be no more wood supplies in the country.
So it is not inconcevable that in a few years when a bouliste asks you "have you got a petit" (practically every "amical" your correspondent has played in seems to be against teams who have forgotten to bring one), you will reply, "yes, but made in China".
The manufacturers are trying to source imports of the vital material.

Breath tests for boulistes

The French Federation of Petanque has had a "no drinking" rule for some years, but it is rarely enforced. The regulation applies to official competitions, but the need for a medically qualified person to carry out the random tests has meant little or no enforcement.
Now some departmental federations have agreed to train certain members to interpret breath tests using approved breathalysers. Players with more than 0.5 mg of alcohol indicated will be given 15 minutes to recover, then if still over the limit will be excluded.
The sport is almost indivisible from the consumption of pastis and beer. Many bars which support boule clubs would suffer badly if the rule was introduced at "amical" competitions, but the Haute Garonne federation is worried at the increase in alcohol fuelled violence at some competitions and wants to crack down. The FFP wants to present a cleaner image in the hope of getting petanque into the 2022 Olympics, to be held in Paris.

Midnight boules banned

Many of us have played in "nocturnes", those petanque tournaments which start around 19h and go on well into the early hours. Fuelled by pastis and crepes they can be great entertainment on a warm summer's evening. But often the results are fought out until after midnight and the noise of the players and the click of the boules can disturb neighbours.
The maire of Decazeville (Aveyron) has issued a decree banning all such sport from 11pm to 8am.
Naturally exceptions are made for village fetes and official competitions. But the weekly nocturnes run by local clubs could be seriously curtailed by the ban, probably to the relief of neighbours.

Not just a marechal ferrant

You will have read about our blacksmith (marechal ferrant) Patrick Rossetti, but  he is also a passionate petanque player and coach of juniors at Lafrancaise.
His two sons  Joffray and Lucas are also up and coming players, but in Laguepie last summer these two youngsters won the departmental  championship in the youngest category under Patrick's tutelage. The club at Lafrancaise is thriving at all levels and the indoor bouledrome has a concours "a la melee" every Sunday afternoon if you fancy a day out.
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