Pétanque originated in 1907 in La Ciotat, Provence, France, evolving from ancient games of boules or bacci. The game's distinct format was created when a player with rheumatism, Jules Lenoir, was unable to run and throw, leading to the rule of a stationary, stationary stance. The name itself comes from the Provençal expression pès tancats, meaning "feet planted". 

• Ancient roots: The game has roots in ancient games played with balls, which became boules over centuries.
• The change: In 1907, a player named Jules Lenoir, crippled by rheumatism, was the first to play with his feet together in the circle. This was a direct contrast to earlier games where players would run before throwing the ball.
• The name: The name "pétanque" comes from the Provençal phrase pès tancats (or pè tancat), which means "feet planted" or "feet anchored".
• First tournament: The first pétanque tournament was organized in 1910 by Ernest and Joseph Pitiot, who ran a local café.
• Modernisation: The balls were originally made of clay, stone, or wood, but the development of hollow steel balls in the 1920s made the game much more popular.