Discover Marseilles’ Petanque on Bastille Day!

Bastille Day is the French national holiday celebrated annually on the 14th July in commemoration of the storming of the Bastille in 1789. The event is steeped in history and has become firmly established as the definitive symbol of French nationhood.

Bastille Day is the French national holiday celebrated annually on the 14th July in commemoration of the storming of the Bastille in 1789. The event is steeped in history and has become firmly established as the definitive symbol of French nationhood.

This summer, on Sunday 12th July, London will have its very own Bastille Day in Battersea Park. The celebrations, marking 2009’s 220th anniversary, will see French-themed activities aplenty, from an open-air picnic with gourmet food for sale to sets from top DJs.

A day-long p�tanque tournament of the traditional Provencal game will be another of the event’s highlights. Decide whether you fancy your chances in the competition or if you simply prefer to watch the petanque players from under the Ricard umbrellas.

At this occasion, the Provence Alpes C�te d’Azur tourism board is offering a prize draw to win three weekends for 2 people in three 4-star hotels (Dolce Fregate in Bandol, Ateliers de l’Image in St-Remy de Provence, and the last one to be confirmed in Marseille). You have to be present at the event to enter and winners will be selected by random draw.

P�tanque was invented at the beginning of the 20th century and is derived from the term ‘pieds tanqu�s’, which in the Marseilles dialect of French means “stuck feet”. This is down to the fact that when playing the game, the players’ feet have to remain fixed together within a (small) circle.

Nowadays, p�tanque is by far the most practiced version of the game of bowls because of the simplicity of its rules.

After playing p�tanque in Battersea Park, come to visit a special place in France where more than just a credo, Art de Vivre in Provence-Alpes-C�te d’Azur is a genuine art.

People there take the time to live and they even have a name for it: Art de Vivre or the Art of Living. But what lies behind these words?

Visitors touring the region will come across many craftsmen, big names in French cuisine, genuine Proven�aux (people born and bred in Provence) and simple lovers of Provence who have set up home here.

So there’s no doubt about it, you’ll be getting into the local lifestyle in a matter of minutes: savouring the very best bouillabaisse on Marseille’s Old Port, truffle hunting in the ancient Papal Enclave, grape harvesting in the C�tes de Provence vineyards, hunting down rare objects at the most famous antiques market outside Paris, making your own essential lavender oil and even brewing your own wine!

Abundantly served by air and rail, Provence-Alpes-C�te d’Azur is THE destination for travellers looking to enjoy exclusive experiences and revel in the Art de Vivre in all seasons.

Take a look at www.discover-southoffrance.com

P�tanque Tournament Prizes

By taking part in the P�tanque tournament you could win one of the following weekend breaks…

– 1 weekend for 2 by the sea at the 4-star Dolce Fr�gate hotel in Saint-Cyr (2 nights with breakfast and free spa access). Courtesy of www.dolce.com

– 1 weekend for 2 in Saint-R�my-de-Provence, at the 4-star Ateliers de l’Image hotel (2 nights with breakfast and welcome drinks). Courtesy of www.hotelphoto.com

– 1 weekend for 2 in the City of Marseille (2 nights with breakfast at 4-star hotel including city pass and free activities in the Calanques fjords).Courtesy of www.marseille-tourisme.com