SPY agents, tasked with intercepting communications between in-the-know assets and engaging in constant, tireless cultural reconnaissance, regularly file field reports on new and meaningful trends. Some of the trends they monitor will change how we live. Field Report captures those early leads to keep you informed on what might be the next big thing.
After snooping around the habits of New Yorkers on any given sunday afternoon, our operatives found two kinds of people generally lounging around Central Park: the mellowed-out picnickers, with wine in plastic cups, some cheeses, maybe a tiny speaker, and the agro finance bros off duty playing Spikeball. Both of these are good things that can co-exist in the park, but recently our agents have spotted more and more of the chilled out enclave taking up their own park game—an import from France that’s slowly sweeping its way across Sheep’s Meadow called pétanque.
While people walk off the Spikeball pitch (Court? Arena? Whatever…) dripping with sweat and needing a shower, the pétanque players remain cool as a cucumber, with the ease to hang out, chat, sip on wine, all while honing that same competitive edge. Pétanque may seem like a new foreign import, but for those unaware of its origins, another similar version of the game is probably somewhat familiar: bocce. Pétanque and bocce are largely the same, apart from a few standardizations and minor rules, and coming from France and Italy, respectively.
In Pétanque, two to three players are each given two boules, specially weighted metal balls. The boules must be thrown underhand, palm-down, from a planted position within a small circle. (Regulation courts are made of dirt, and circles are drawn. In the park people just approximate.) In bocce, players are allowed a small run up before throwing. Players throw the boules toward the cochonnet, a small wooden ball. The player with the most balls landed closest to the cochonnet wins the round.
The rules and simplicity of the game make it easy enough to pack a set of boules along in a tote bag for a day in the park. The sight of multiple games going on across Sheep’s Meadow, of players with a boule in one hand, plastic cup or rosé in the other, brings to mind the Georges Seurat painting, A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte.
The game encourages some friendly competition, without disturbing the chilled out vibe of the afternoon meant to be relaxing for people. It also respects the nature of the other park goers. Anyone who’s ever been bonked in the head with an errant frisbee needn’t worry about the slow-rolling metal boules tumbling only a few meters from their owners. To follow this trend, all people need to do is buy a set and stick them in their tote bags.
This standard set is perfectly affordable and is meant for friendly games in the park. The six boules each have different stripe patterns to tell them apart from your opponent’s, and allow for three players to each throw two boules per round.
Obut is basically the leader in pétanque products in France. To put this in American terms, Obut is to pétanque gear what Rawling’s is to baseball gear. For professional-grade equipment and boules perfectly standardized for competitive play, invest in Obut boules. These ones are also customizable with engravings. 
Kikkerland Standard Boules Set
Obut: Sport-Range Customizable Boules
Field Report: Petanque is This Summer’s Pickleball
