FAQs
What is this tournament all about?
This tournament is being organized by petanque players in Austin, Texas in cooperation with the village of Annot, France. It will be a "casual" tournament with no connection to any official petanque organization. It will be open to players from Texas, local players from Annot, friends and family.
Even though the tournament is the focal point, it's really intended to provide an opportunity for Texas petanque players to have some fun and visit this beautiful part of Provence. Because Annot is a little bit off the beaten path (in the foothills of the Alps), we strongly recommend that participants spend at least a couple of days in the area.
What are the tournament details?
The exact organization of the tournament is yet to be determined, however players can expect to play several games. (In other words it will not be a single elimination style tournament.)
There will be no entry fee. This will be a totally "friendly" tournament. The rain date will be the next day if necessary.
Aside from the formal tournament we expect to play a lot of informal games in the days leading up to the big show. There may even be a shooting competition, etc.
Feel free to Contact us if you have any input or questions.
What will the terrain be like?
Here is a short video of the terrain in Annot.
Where is Annot?
Annot is in the south of France. Nice is the nearest big city.
What are the famous Les Grès formations of Annot?
Annot is surrounded by a geology that attracts climbers from around the world. The film below explains (in French) how the famous boulders of Annot were formed and gives an overview of the village, surroundings and nearby hiking trails. (The classroom scene just happens to be filmed right in front of our building.)
What about transportation and lodging?
There is a Resources page with information about places to stay in the area. We add new places as we think of them. Also, the Annot Tourist Office has a new website with lodging options. One important thing to note is that there is a train line, the Train des Pignes, that goes form Nice directly to Annot. That means that renting a car would not be absolutely necessary. (But it is fun to be able to drive around in that area!)
Don't expect to travel to or from Annot on the day of the tournament. Unless you have a car and are willing to drive at night, you will need to arrange to stay at least a couple of nights in the Annot area.
What about activities around Annot?
Even though Annot is a small village it has just about everything you need. There is a post office, a library, a small bank with an ATM machine, even a doctor and a dentist. In the middle of the village there are bar/restaurants, a pâtisserie - boulangerie (bakery), a couple of delicatessen shops, a bookstore and a pharmacy. At the edge of town, about one kilometer from the center, is a grocery store.
Every Tuesday morning there is a fun farmers market in the center of the village with people selling everything from wood stoves to shoes to wine and vegetables.
Annot is a medieval village surrounded by many beautiful trails that attract hikers from all around the world. The ancient roman trails are an ideal place for hiking.
Beyond Annot there are many beautiful sites to see, some of them on the Train des Pignes line. The Gorges du Verdon, known as the Grand Canyon of France, is approximately two hours away by car.
Most players will probably want to spend some time in the city of Nice (where the closest international airport is). Please look on the Resources page to find advice on places to stay and things to do there.
Will there be any group activities?
We are working on a day-by-day Timeline so we can coordinate group activities.
What will the weather be like?
The month of September usually has ideal weather conditions. Since Annot is in a valley and at about 2000 feet altitude it warms up and cools off relatively quickly.
Thanks to Gary Ragan for the weather data

USA Tournament Teams in 2018
- 1Kathy Ragan + Gary Ragan + Nolan Cheatham
- 2Walt Elder + Estefi Mochón + Mary Margaret Burnette
- 3Julie + Laurent + Yannis
- 4Jeff Brown + Marion Peyre + Menzina Churchman
- 5Marion Bermondy + Cheryl McRae + Rudy Vallée
- 6Peter Gray + Mary Stratton + Ed Priest
- 7Mike Klein + Kelly Brown + Tommy Woods
??? Tournament Teams in 2023 ???
Once the date is set for 2023 we will open up the tournament for registration.
Next -> Visit the Blog pages for discussion of planning details.