Marseille, France: la vie en bleu
Pétanque, blue skies and a sexy derrière: What's not to like in Marseille?
Bonjour c’est Véro.
The teacher’s at it again!
Just a few days ago I was telling you I have always been a teacher and illustrated this with a fun story - a teachable moment - that came to me at a Parisian train station. The appreciative comments you sent my way reassured me the teacher’s still got it. Merci beaucoup.
I’ve taught French as a Foreign Language for over 20 years in the United States first and now in France. In fact I am about to launch a new French immersion program in the Loire Valley this fall. Before that, my online beginner-level class (“French for the Traveler”) starts on February 24. That’s a fun one to take with a travel partner. Interested? Find more details at the end of last week’s publication and reach out.
La grisaille (grey skies) got the best of me this month. I fled to southern France looking for the glorious light that inspired so many artists in these parts. I am back in Marseille on the Mediterranean coast, still as lively, colorful and loud as I remembered her.
It’s not really a vacation. It’s not really a business trip either. It’s just me (the adult educator turned tour guide) taking a break before touring season starts and letting France’s oldest city inspire new stories.
Here’s one for you.
Heads-up: It’s in French. Good news: It comes with a free translation AND an audio track to practice your pronunciation.
More good news: It’s not behind a paywall (though I considered it.)
Off-season I make a living teaching and writing. If you’ve enjoyed exploring France with this French native for a while, if what you’ve learned is worth the cost of an elaborate coffee concoction to you each month, consider supporting my work here on Substack or on Patreon.
You win either way: I’ve treated ma bande (my posse) very well since 2020! Just ask around.
Ready? Allons-y!
Marseille, Quartier du Panier, février 2025
Nous y sommes déjà venus ensemble, vous vous souvenez? C’était à l’automne 2021, dans un autre monde.
A Marseille tout est bleu, le ciel, les chaises, les tables, les devantures des commerces.
Tout est bleu à la “Maison de la Boule” aussi. Une institution. Depuis 1904 sur la région, ils connaissent leur affaire.
La boule. Le jeu de boules. La pétanque, quoi!
A l’intérieur du magasin on peut tester les produits dans un coin spécial. C’est pas un boulodrome, hein, mais ça fait l’affaire.
“Alors, tu tires, ou tu pointes?” - La phrase qu’on entend souvent dans le Midi pendant les parties de pétanque.
En fait on est “tireur” ou “pointeur.” Et oui, on peut se spécialiser à la pétanque.
Le tireur préfère les boules plus légères et rapides. Sa mission: Déloger les boules adverses qui seraient trop près du Graal - “le cochonnet,” une toute petite boule en bois.
Le pointeur, lui, les préfère plus lourdes. Ça l’aidera à se rapprocher du cochonnet.
Les boules, ça s’achète toujours par trois, “la triplette.” D’ailleurs, on les porte dans une sacoche qui peut être personnalisée.



La taille de la boule dépend de la taille de la main du joueur.
Bref, c’est pas le produit à acheter sur Amazon sans l’essayer. La pétanque, c’est sérieux!
C’est pas un sport pour les marioles même si les amateurs s’y essaient en prenant des airs de professionnels, de la Provence à Paris (les Bobos citadins adorent la pétanque.)
La pétanque, c’est souvent accompagné d’un apéro - du Pastis évidemment - servi de préférence après la partie. Pendant, ça risquerait de compliquer les choses, non?
L’essentiel c’est de bien s’amuser, de discuter, de contester mais surtout, de ne pas “faire Fanny.”
Là ce serait grave, une vraie humiliation parce qu’on n’a pas marqué un seul point (score final: 13 à 0) et qu’après il faudra embrasser le derrière de Mademoiselle Fanny - ou encore pire payer une tournée générale?
Free translation
Marseille, le Panier neighborhood, February 2025
We’ve already been here together, remember? It was in the fall of 2021, in another world.
In Marseille everything is blue from the skies to chairs, tables and storefronts.
Everything is blue at “la Maison de la Boule” too. A local institution. They’ve been here since 1904. They know what they are doing.
The ball. the ball game. La pétanque in short.
Inside the store customers can test products in a special area. It’s not an official pétanque pitch but it does the trick.
“So, are you shooting or pointing?” - You hear that question often in southern France during pétanque games.
In fact one is either a “shooter” or a “pointer.” That’s right: One can specialize when playing pétanque.
The shooter prefers lighter, faster balls. His mission: to knock out his opponent’s balls away from the Holy Grail, le cochonnet (a tiny wooden ball.)
The pointer prefers heavier balls. They will help him get closer to le cochonnet.
Pétanque balls are purchased in threes, la triplette. They get carried in a special case that can be personalized.
The size of the ball depends on the size of the player’s hand.
In short that’s not the kind of product you want to buy on Amazon without trying it first. La pétanque is serious business!
It’s not a sport for clowns even if amateurs will give it a shot trying to look like pros from Provence to Paris (Parisian bobos and urbanites love playing pétanque.)
Pétanque often comes with an apéro - Pastis of course - served preferably after the game. Enjoying it during the game might complicate things, no?
What matters is to have fun, to chat and to argue but above all to avoid meeting “Fanny.”
That would be bad, real humiliation and the proof you haven’t scored once with an ending score of 13 - 0. After that you’d have to kiss Miss Fanny’s bottom or worse, buy a drink for everyone.
Improve your pronunciation with Véronique
Here’s an audio recording of the French text.
Bonne écoute!
Merci à Solen et à l’équipe de la Maison de la Boule, Marseille.
A bientôt,
Véro
Absolutely loved this episode,
if you will!
I was so pleased with myself because I understood the majority of the French text. However, I wish that I had listened to your reading of the text first. I truly need to force my ear to listen. Thank you so very much for all your effort. I know it’s a lot!
There is a large area where pétanque is played here in Nice. I have enjoyed going to watch. But more important, trying to listen to the conversations taking place.
Always a "plaisir" Vero! Merci beaucoup for all your lessons and opportunities to learn.