The buttocks of Fanny from Clos Jouve

Welcome to this very special metal ball. But before talking about this object, let me tell you a charming story that marked the origin of this tradition.

The tradition I am going to tell you about today was born with a certain Fanny, a friendly woman from Lyon who used to roam the bowling alleys charming the pétanque players. You may be wondering what her secret was? Well, the losers of these wild games were forced to kiss her posterior! Yes, you heard correctly. It was a somewhat surprising custom but one that seemed well anchored in the habits of the players.

As Gérard Truchet, an old Croix-Roussien and president of the Republic of Canuts, tells us, even if Fanny has disappeared, this tradition has remained. From now on, it is no longer the buttocks of the real Fanny that are honored, but those of a buxom statue signed Geneviève Böhmer, which the bowlers of Clos Jouve honor with their kisses.

And to add a little poetry to this tradition, some even sing this song by Brassens, entitled "Vénus callipyge": "Seeing him pass by, I had goosebumps/Finally, I came into the world, and, since then, I have devoted to him/A true cult and, when I lose at boules,/Kissing Fanny, I think only of you..."

So, this metal ball before us is much more than a simple game object, it is imbued with this tradition full of history and charm, a living testimony to the passion and conviviality that reign in the world of pétanque.