Start of Play

The starting team is selected at random by flipping a coin. Any player in the starting team selects a place on the playing field and draws a circle in the soil 35 50 cm 14 20 inches in diameter. When throwing the boules, each player must stand within the circle and not raise their feet completely off the ground until their boule is thrown. The cochon, which serves as the aim ball, is thrown from the circle to a distance of 6 to 10 meters. The cochon, after it lands, must also be at least 1 meter from the boundaries of the playing area if there are boundaries. If the cochon is thrown invalidly, then it must be rethrown. Any member of the starting team that tossed out the cochon throws their first boule as close as possible to the cochon. Being closest to the cochon is called having the point. A member of the opposing team then stands in the circle and attempts to throw their boule closer to the cochon than the other teams boule. That team must keep trying until it has the point or runs out of boules to throw.