Tête-à-tête: 2 individual players, each with 3 boules.
Doublette: 2 teams, each with 2 players. Each player has 3 boules, so each team has 6 boules.
Triplette: 2 teams, each with 3 players. Each player has 2 boules, so each team has 6 boules.

First, a draw is made to decide who starts. That person draws a circle on the ground with a diameter of about 35 to 50 cm.

They stand in the circle and throw the small wooden target ball (the cochonnet) to a distance of between 6 and 10 meters. The target ball must come to rest at least 1 meter away from any obstacles. After that, the player or another member of their team tries to place the first boule as close to the target ball as possible.

Then the opposing team takes over. They continue throwing until one of their boules is closer to the target than their opponent’s, or until they have played all their boules. Then it's the other team's turn again, and so on...

You are allowed to "push" or "shoot away" any boule – your own, your opponent’s, or even the target ball – to improve the position of your boules. However, if the target ball hits an obstacle or boundary, the round must be restarted.

The Rules – Boules in 5 Minutes
Only after all boules have been played are the points counted. The player or team whose boule is closest to the target ball wins the round. If they have two boules closer than the opponent’s, they get 2 points, and so on! A maximum of 6 points (3 in tête-à-tête) can be scored per round.

The winner of the round draws a new throwing circle at the spot where the target ball was and throws the target ball for the next round.

The game is won when the individual player or team reaches 13 points.