🔴 The French cities with the most pétanque players

Per inhabitant, the town with the most licensed pétanque players in France is Agde, with 14.6 / 1,000 inhab., ahead of Lavaur (13.8 / 1,000 inhab.) and Onet-le-Château (13.6 / 1,000 inhab.).

What are the 10 French cities with the most pétanque players per inhabitant?
In order: Agde, Lavaur, Onet-le-Château, Saint-Gaudens, Villefranche-de-Rouergue, Yzeure, Limoux, Ploufragan, Argelès-sur-Mer and Frontignan.
What is the top 5 of French cities with the most pétanque players per inhabitant?
Agde (14.6 / 1,000 inhab.), Lavaur (13.8 / 1,000 inhab.), Onet-le-Château (13.6 / 1,000 inhab.), Saint-Gaudens (13.5 / 1,000 inhab.) and Villefranche-de-Rouergue (13.4 / 1,000 inhab.).
Which city is 2nd in the ranking of French cities with the most pétanque players per inhabitant?
Lavaur, at 13.8 / 1,000 inhab., just behind Agde (14.6 / 1,000 inhab.).
Is Agde really the French city with the most pétanque players per inhabitant?
Yes, at 14.6 / 1,000 inhab., ahead of Lavaur (13.8 / 1,000 inhab.) and Onet-le-Château (13.6 / 1,000 inhab.).
In which département is Agde?
Agde is in département 34, in the Occitanie region.
What is the difference between Agde and Lavaur?
Agde is at 14.6 / 1,000 inhab., Lavaur at 13.8 / 1,000 inhab. The table gives the same figure for all 100 places, so any two of them can be compared the same way.
Which city is 10th in the ranking of French cities with the most pétanque players per inhabitant?
Frontignan, at 12.5 / 1,000 inhab.
How many French cities does this ranking compare?
1,035, with the top 100 listed in full in the table below.
What are the French cities with the most pétanque players per inhabitant in 2026?
This ranking uses the most recent official figures published as of 2026: Agde leads with 14.6 / 1,000 inhab.
Is there a complete ranking of French cities with the most pétanque players per inhabitant?
Yes, the table below: the top 100 of 1,035, each with its département and its region, and the exact method and scope stated underneath it.
Where is pétanque most played in France?
Agde (14.6 / 1,000 inhab.), Lavaur (13.8 / 1,000 inhab.), Onet-le-Château (13.6 / 1,000 inhab.), Saint-Gaudens (13.5 / 1,000 inhab.) and Villefranche-de-Rouergue (13.4 / 1,000 inhab.). The south leads, as the cliché has it, but the licence rate is highest in medium-sized towns rather than on the Marseille waterfront.

The table below ranks the top 100 of the 1,035 cities in the dataset, each with its département, its region and the figure it is ranked on (pétanque players per 1,000 inhabitants), so you can see not just the order but how far apart the places are. The numbers are official public data: INSEE legal populations and the IGN commune registry, with the exact method and the exact scope stated under the table rather than left to be guessed at.

The same data answers neighbouring questions too: see The French cities with the most golfers and The French cities with the most hikers, or all rankings for the full list. All of it comes from Le Bon Rang, a free daily game that gives you five French cities and one of these statistics and asks you for the order.

Top 100 of 1,035 cities
#CityRegionPlayers / 1,000Population
134AgdeOccitanie14.6 / 1,000 inhab.29,939
281LavaurOccitanie13.8 / 1,000 inhab.10,965
312Onet-le-ChâteauOccitanie13.6 / 1,000 inhab.12,080
431Saint-GaudensOccitanie13.5 / 1,000 inhab.12,139
512Villefranche-de-RouergueOccitanie13.4 / 1,000 inhab.11,271
603YzeureAuvergne-Rhône-Alpes13.3 / 1,000 inhab.12,897
711LimouxOccitanie13.2 / 1,000 inhab.10,532
822PloufraganBretagne13.1 / 1,000 inhab.11,507
966Argelès-sur-MerOccitanie13.1 / 1,000 inhab.10,616
1034FrontignanOccitanie12.5 / 1,000 inhab.24,136
1166Saint-CyprienOccitanie12.3 / 1,000 inhab.12,068
1231AuteriveOccitanie12.2 / 1,000 inhab.10,456
1384Le PontetProvence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur12.1 / 1,000 inhab.18,386
1407Guilherand-GrangesAuvergne-Rhône-Alpes11.7 / 1,000 inhab.11,235
1548MendeOccitanie11.5 / 1,000 inhab.12,464
1613PélissanneProvence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur11.5 / 1,000 inhab.11,085
1734MauguioOccitanie11.3 / 1,000 inhab.16,522
1813Fos-sur-MerProvence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur11.3 / 1,000 inhab.15,862
1966Canet-en-RoussillonOccitanie11 / 1,000 inhab.13,227
2012MillauOccitanie10.9 / 1,000 inhab.22,044
2126Portes-lès-ValenceAuvergne-Rhône-Alpes10.9 / 1,000 inhab.10,477
2281GraulhetOccitanie10.8 / 1,000 inhab.13,129
2306Mandelieu-la-NapouleProvence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur10.6 / 1,000 inhab.21,640
2430Bagnols-sur-CèzeOccitanie10.6 / 1,000 inhab.18,112
2503CussetAuvergne-Rhône-Alpes10.6 / 1,000 inhab.13,316
2634MèzeOccitanie10.5 / 1,000 inhab.12,669
2766PiaOccitanie10.4 / 1,000 inhab.11,615
2879BressuireNouvelle-Aquitaine10.3 / 1,000 inhab.19,970
2943Le Puy-en-VelayAuvergne-Rhône-Alpes10.3 / 1,000 inhab.18,540
3031Villeneuve-TolosaneOccitanie10.2 / 1,000 inhab.11,044
3131SeyssesOccitanie10.2 / 1,000 inhab.10,539
3284Pernes-les-FontainesProvence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur10.2 / 1,000 inhab.10,504
3312RodezOccitanie10 / 1,000 inhab.23,981
34972La Trinité (972)Martinique9.9 / 1,000 inhab.11,454
3553Château-Gontier-sur-MayennePays de la Loire9.8 / 1,000 inhab.16,584
3613Port-de-BoucProvence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur9.8 / 1,000 inhab.15,802
3783Sainte-MaximeProvence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur9.8 / 1,000 inhab.14,118
3806La Trinité (06)Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur9.8 / 1,000 inhab.10,602
3906Saint-Laurent-du-VarProvence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur9.7 / 1,000 inhab.32,172
4084SorguesProvence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur9.7 / 1,000 inhab.19,006
4109PamiersOccitanie9.7 / 1,000 inhab.16,473
4282CastelsarrasinOccitanie9.6 / 1,000 inhab.14,343
4313Saint-Martin-de-CrauProvence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur9.6 / 1,000 inhab.14,145
4431CastelginestOccitanie9.4 / 1,000 inhab.11,271
452APorto-VecchioCorse9.4 / 1,000 inhab.11,198
4631Plaisance-du-TouchOccitanie9.3 / 1,000 inhab.21,079
4781GaillacOccitanie9.3 / 1,000 inhab.16,162
4866Saint-EstèveOccitanie9.2 / 1,000 inhab.11,630
4946CahorsOccitanie9.1 / 1,000 inhab.20,050
5081MazametOccitanie9.1 / 1,000 inhab.10,085
5126PierrelatteAuvergne-Rhône-Alpes8.9 / 1,000 inhab.13,756
5285Saint-Hilaire-de-RiezPays de la Loire8.9 / 1,000 inhab.13,074
5329FouesnantBretagne8.9 / 1,000 inhab.10,436
5411Lézignan-CorbièresOccitanie8.8 / 1,000 inhab.10,343
5532AuchOccitanie8.7 / 1,000 inhab.22,428
5647MarmandeNouvelle-Aquitaine8.7 / 1,000 inhab.17,328
5784BollèneProvence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur8.7 / 1,000 inhab.14,024
5813Gignac-la-NertheProvence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur8.7 / 1,000 inhab.10,343
5963GerzatAuvergne-Rhône-Alpes8.7 / 1,000 inhab.10,335
6002TergnierHauts-de-France8.5 / 1,000 inhab.13,045
6157Stiring-WendelGrand Est8.4 / 1,000 inhab.10,956
6249Beaupréau-en-MaugesPays de la Loire8.3 / 1,000 inhab.23,989
6363IssoireAuvergne-Rhône-Alpes8.3 / 1,000 inhab.15,115
6413Septèmes-les-VallonsProvence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur8.3 / 1,000 inhab.11,995
6530VauvertOccitanie8.3 / 1,000 inhab.11,671
6631Saint-JeanOccitanie8.3 / 1,000 inhab.11,261
6769TarareAuvergne-Rhône-Alpes8.2 / 1,000 inhab.10,893
6830BeaucaireOccitanie8.1 / 1,000 inhab.15,692
6913TarasconProvence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur8.1 / 1,000 inhab.15,396
7057Saint-AvoldGrand Est8.1 / 1,000 inhab.14,755
7171AutunBourgogne-Franche-Comté8.1 / 1,000 inhab.13,172
7263ThiersAuvergne-Rhône-Alpes8.1 / 1,000 inhab.11,637
7306Mouans-SartouxProvence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur8.1 / 1,000 inhab.11,015
7483La FarlèdeProvence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur8.1 / 1,000 inhab.10,014
7505GapProvence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur8 / 1,000 inhab.41,293
7604Digne-les-BainsProvence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur8 / 1,000 inhab.17,979
7771Montceau-les-MinesBourgogne-Franche-Comté8 / 1,000 inhab.17,064
7884MonteuxProvence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur8 / 1,000 inhab.13,301
7911CastelnaudaryOccitanie8 / 1,000 inhab.12,151
8087Saint-JunienNouvelle-Aquitaine8 / 1,000 inhab.11,415
8184OrangeProvence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur7.9 / 1,000 inhab.29,706
8233Gujan-MestrasNouvelle-Aquitaine7.9 / 1,000 inhab.22,153
8306CarrosProvence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur7.9 / 1,000 inhab.13,803
8442RiorgesAuvergne-Rhône-Alpes7.9 / 1,000 inhab.11,139
8583La Londe-les-MauresProvence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur7.9 / 1,000 inhab.10,584
8682MontaubanOccitanie7.8 / 1,000 inhab.62,945
8784CavaillonProvence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur7.8 / 1,000 inhab.25,636
8802LaonHauts-de-France7.8 / 1,000 inhab.24,220
8985ChallansPays de la Loire7.8 / 1,000 inhab.22,943
9006BiotProvence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur7.8 / 1,000 inhab.10,511
9157Marly (57)Grand Est7.8 / 1,000 inhab.10,286
9263Cournon-d'AuvergneAuvergne-Rhône-Alpes7.7 / 1,000 inhab.19,951
9313Châteauneuf-les-MartiguesProvence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur7.7 / 1,000 inhab.18,455
9406Villeneuve-LoubetProvence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur7.7 / 1,000 inhab.17,548
9534Villeneuve-lès-MagueloneOccitanie7.7 / 1,000 inhab.10,872
9613ArlesProvence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur7.6 / 1,000 inhab.51,811
9713IstresProvence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur7.6 / 1,000 inhab.44,292
9815AurillacAuvergne-Rhône-Alpes7.6 / 1,000 inhab.26,214
9931CugnauxOccitanie7.6 / 1,000 inhab.20,662
10013Berre-l'ÉtangProvence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur7.6 / 1,000 inhab.13,832

Scope: France, metropolitan and overseas, Corsica and the DROM included. This dataset holds every commune of 10,000 inhabitants or more, plus smaller communes famous enough to be household names, 1,131 in all. It is not the full list of 35,000 French communes, so a village can sit outside a ranking whose extreme it would otherwise hold. This particular ranking is a rate per inhabitant, so it covers towns of 10,000 people or more only: in a village of a hundred, three licence holders would read as thirty per thousand and outrank a town with a professional club, so no rate is published below that size rather than a meaningless one.

Method and sources: populations are the INSEE legal populations, boundaries and coordinates come from the IGN commune registry, both served by geo.api.gouv.fr. Density is the population divided by the commune's area; distances are measured as the crow flies from the commune's centre. Data read on August 11, 2026.

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FAQ

Which French city plays the most pétanque?

Per inhabitant, the town with the most licensed pétanque players in France is Agde, with 14.6 / 1,000 inhab., ahead of Lavaur (13.8 / 1,000 inhab.) and Onet-le-Château (13.6 / 1,000 inhab.).

What are the top 10?

In order: Agde (14.6 / 1,000 inhab.), Lavaur (13.8 / 1,000 inhab.), Onet-le-Château (13.6 / 1,000 inhab.), Saint-Gaudens (13.5 / 1,000 inhab.), Villefranche-de-Rouergue (13.4 / 1,000 inhab.), Yzeure (13.3 / 1,000 inhab.), Limoux (13.2 / 1,000 inhab.), Ploufragan (13.1 / 1,000 inhab.), Argelès-sur-Mer (13.1 / 1,000 inhab.), Frontignan (12.5 / 1,000 inhab.).

Isn't Marseille the home of pétanque?

It is, historically: the game was invented in 1907 in La Ciotat, just along the coast, for a player whose legs no longer let him run up to throw. But a licence is a club membership, and this ranking counts them per inhabitant, so the leaders are the mid-size towns of Occitanie and the Aveyron rather than the big Mediterranean cities. Marseille has a great many players and a great many more residents.

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