Magnets for French Boule give a glimpse to the history of the game
A lot of players use magnets to pick their boule up and this points to a game that is suitable for players of all abilities. The sport of Lyonnaise is the direct relation to Pétanque. A master of the sport in Lyon suffered from arthritis in his later years and found the running and throwing in the sport of Lyonnaise difficult to maintain with accuracy. In 1910 he devised a game where a player stood with their feet together in a circle. With no run up allowed the game was played between six and ten metres from the circle. The game caught on very quickly and Pétanque was born. One of the few sports played at World championship level created by a disadvantaged person. With this beginning the sport is indeed suitable for all. Bending down to pick your boule up can be a limiting factor but playing with boules of steel does have a hidden advantage. They are magnetic.
