Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
»The team throwing the
cochonnet
(initially decided by a coin toss) has to throw it from a
small circle scratched in the gravel. It must be hurled 6m to 10m away. Each player aim-
ing a boule must likewise stand in this circle, with both feet planted firmly on the ground.
»Underarm throwing is compulsory. Beyond that, players can roll the boule along the
ground (known as
pointer
, literally 'to point') or hurl it high in the air in the hope of it
landing smack-bang on top of an opponent's boule, sending it flying out of position. This
flamboyant tactic, called
tirer
(literally 'to shoot'), can turn an entire game around in
seconds.
ENLIGHTENING READS
No titles better provide insight into Provençal living, past and present, than these:
»
Everybody Was So Young
(by Amanda Vaill) Beautiful evocation of an American
couple and their glam literary friends in the jazzy 1920s.
»
Côte d'Azur: Inventing the French Riviera
(by Mary Blume) Fabulous portrait of
Riviera life: fantasy, escapism, pleasure, fame, eccentricity…
»
Provence A-Z
(by Peter Mayle) The best, the quirkiest, the most curious moments
of the 20-odd years this best-selling author has spent in Provence.
»
Provençal Escapes
(by Caroline Clifton-Mogg) Image-driven snoop around beauti-
ful homes in Provence.
»
Words in a French Life: Lessons in Love and Language from the South of France
(by Kristin Espinasse) Daily life in Provence through a series of French words.
Football
Long the stronghold, not to mention heart and soul, of French football, Olympique de
Marseille (OM;
www.om.net
)
was national champion for four consecutive years between
1989 and 1992, and in 2010; in 1993 it became the first French team to win the European
Champions League. It reached the UEFA Cup final in 2004 but hasn't got that far since.
The club has a die-hard fan base and the city has spurned many football greats, chief
amongst them Zinedine Zidane, aka Zizou, the midfielder of North African origin who
captained France to victory in the 1998 World Cup.
Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger and star striker Thierry Henry both began their careers
with the region's other strong club, AS Monaco (ASM).
