Palet Breton
Officially Palet Breton (Palet sur Planche)
TRADITIONAL BRETON precision throwing game — players toss METAL PALETS (~150g pucks) toward a small MASTER (target puck) placed on a WOODEN PLANK (or on ground in the Vendéen variant). Closest palet scores. Distinctive to BRITTANY + VENDÉE regions of FRANCE; still played in villages, campsites, festivals. National federation FÉDÉRATION FRANÇAISE DE PALET; National Championships since 1980s.
Quick facts
Category
Precision Sports
Type
Team sport
Players
2–4
Duration
~60 min
Where played
both
Field / court
Wooden PLANK (Palet Breton) or FLAT DIRT AREA (Palet Vendéen)
Country of origin
🇫🇷 France
Estimated origin
Palet games documented in Brittany 18th-19th c.; formal codification 20th c.; Fédération Française de Palet founded 1988; French National Championships from 1985.
Olympic
No
Popularity
regional
How it works
Objective
Land PALETS closer to the MASTER than opponent — closest palet(s) score 1 point each; first to 12 or 15 wins.
Rules
Basic rules
MASTER placed on PLANK at ~5m distance
Signature 5m plank distance.
Each player throws 4 PALETS per end (2v2 doubles have 2 palets each)
Signature 4 palets per player per end.
STAY ON PLANK: palet must LAND + STAY ON PLANK to score (Palet Breton only) — falls off = void
Signature stay-on-plank rule.
CLOSEST TO MASTER scores 1 point per palet that beats all opponent palets
Signature closest-scores rule.
KNOCKING opponent palets OFF PLANK is legal + often strategic ('déloger')
Signature knock-off strategy.
FIRST TO 12 (short match) or 15 (formal) wins
Signature 12-15 point match.
VENDÉEN VARIANT: on FLAT DIRT ground, longer 7m throw, similar closest-scores rules but no plank fall-off
Signature Vendéen ground variant.
Scoring
Closest palet(s) to master score 1 point each; first to 12/15 wins.
Win condition · First to 12 or 15 points (agreed at start).
Playing area
Called
Wooden PLANK (Palet Breton) or FLAT DIRT AREA (Palet Vendéen)
Dimensions
PLANK: ~1m × 0.5m raised board with slight rim; throw distance ~5 m; VENDÉEN: flat ~7m dirt zone
Equipment
PALETS: METAL (BRASS or STEEL), ~5-6cm diameter × 1cm thick, ~150g each — 4 per player
Signature 150g metal palet.
MASTER PALET (SMALLER, DIFFERENT COLOR) — target puck
Signature master target puck.
WOODEN PLANK ~1m × 0.5m, slightly raised (Palet Breton only)
Signature raised wooden plank.
MEASURING STRING for close-call adjudication
Standard measuring tool.
Terminology
- Palet
- The metal puck thrown.
- Maître / Master
- The small target puck players aim at.
- Planche
- The wooden board target (Breton variant).
- Déloger
- 'Dislodge' — knocking opponent's palets off plank/away from master.
- En bout
- 'At end' — the closest scoring position.
Major competitions
Championnat de France de Palet Breton
annual · France (Brittany + Vendée) · since 1985
Coupe de France Palet
annual · France · since 1990
Where it is played
Governing bodies
Fédération Française de Palet (FFPP)
Founded 1988 · Nantes / Rennes, France
Famous names & records
Famous athletes
- Champions of the Fédération Française de Palet regional + national championships
Sources & provenance
- Wikipedia — Palet— Wikipedia FR
- FFPP Fédération Française de Palet— FFPP