It is an incredible adventure, that of a village of 3000 inhabitants in the Ardèche that is preparing to become the world crossroads of pétanque. The international federation joins the French federation in exchanging Marseille for the Ardèche.
“There were 13 candidate municipalities!”starts explaining Francois Arsac, the mayor of Chomérac. “We were little thumbs and we were chosen” he adds, not without a hint of pride and satisfaction.
Chomérac, 3000 inhabitants, is a village in the Ardèche that is not destined to become the French capital of petanque. An unexpected meeting with the president of the French federation, a suitable location and a challenge launched by the mayor and some enthusiasts. The project then grew into a rivalry with Lausanne, in Switzerland, and became the headquarters of the international federation.
The petanque federation is currently located in the center of Marseille, in a dilapidated building, and has been wanting to move for several years. Initially thought to be around the capital of Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur, the move could not be carried out.
The project provides for the installation of the international federation’s headquarters, a training center, an official store and a development center. “We expect players from all over the world to come to us to improve, because this training will be the only one in the world. We will meet people from Morocco, Madagascar, Spaniards, Belgians, Danes… and pétanque is growing more and more in Latin America. he specifies before jokingly adding: “I’m going to have to learn foreign languages”. On a sporting level, a petanquodrome will host major competitions with 32 outdoor courts and 32 indoor courts.
The municipality of Chomérac defends the statue “from a village in the Ardèche in the heart of the Payre Valley in the country of Cigales” and the mayor promises that “the crickets sing as loudly as in Marseille”. He adds that the Ardèche and its attractiveness are a great asset.
Embed YouTube video Chomérac / pétanque =
On the 200 hectares that Chomérac has available, prices can also make the difference. LThe selection between the various candidate sites was based on about forty criteria. According to federation officials, there was a difference of more than €2 million between the last two competing locations, Valence and Chomérac, out of a total budget of around €10 million.
