History Invention of the game thumb|Boules players on the Champs-Élysées around 1840 Boules games have a very long history, dating back through the Middle Ages to ancient Rome, and before that to ancient Greece. thumb|Boules player, by Paul Gavarny, 1858 In France in the second half of the 19th century, a form of boules known as jeu provençal (or boule lyonnaise) was extremely popular. In this form of the game, players rolled their boules or ran three steps before throwing a boule. Pétanque originally developed as an offshoot or variant of jeu provençal in 1910, in what is now called the Jules Lenoir Boulodrome in the town of La Ciotat near Marseilles.
history invention of the game thumb|boules players on the champs-élysées around 1840 boules games have a very long history dating back through the middle ages to ancient rome and before that to ancient greece thumb|boules player by paul gavarny 1858 in france in the second half of the 19th century a form of boules known as jeu provençal (or boule lyonnaise) was extremely popular in this form of the game players rolled their boules or ran three steps before throwing a boule pétanque originally developed as an offshoot or variant of jeu provençal in 1910 in what is now called the jules lenoir boulodrome in the town of la ciotat near marseilles