Barette, Barrette or Barrette Acquitaine was a form of football, originating in the south-west of France. Very similar in outward appearance to rugby union, it was codified in the 1880s and evolved into a popular women's team sport in the 1920s before disappearing shortly before the Second World War. Background La Barette, or "the football", was played for many years prior to the nineteenth century in southern and central France. Also known as hien in Picardy, Artois and Brittany, and sometimes soule or shul its name comes from the name for the ball - the "barette". Originally there were fairly large local differences: in some areas the ball or barrette could (or had to) be struck "with the fist" (sometimes protected by a gauntlet, a leather cuff, or wood) while elsewhere only the foot could be used, although in all versions the ball could also be carried. The shape of the ball was also variable: sometimes it is spherical, sometimes ovoid, and it also varied in size. The "goal" also varied: here a simple line on the ground, there a pair of poles or stakes driven into the ground, elsewhere, a hoop. However, by the end of the nineteenth century the rules adopted in Paris had prevailed. Players (and particarly schools ) from across France wanted to play against each other, and a common set of rules were required. An inter-school tournament began in 1890, initially with only three teams, but the number of entries grew quickly as over the next decade. "Paris" rules (circa 1889) The following is a summary of the nationally adopted "Paris rules" of Barette, as played in schools and clubs at the end of the nineteenth century. The "barette" was ovoid and about a 30 cm long and 20 cm wide. It consisted of a rubber bladder covered with a heavy leather sheath, with the bladder inflated and properly closed, the sleeve securely sewn to the saddle point and laced on the side (resulting in a ball that resembled a rugby of the same period). The nature of the playing area was not defined but "the best is a large lawn or meadow that does can deal with the trampling of twenty to thirty players". However, even grass was not essential - "In the absence of lawn, you can simply come to the any open ground. Overall the playing area recommended was roughly 60 m