The France Triplette Jeu Provençal Championship 2026 took place from July 3 to 5 in Blaye-les-Mines in the Tarn (81), on a Tarn terrain once again hosting a major national event. The PACA team of Anthony Khemissi, Cédric Soma and Mickaël Martini (Var 83) won the final against the Alpes Maritimes team of Christophe Martello, Anthony Kerfah and Julien Martinez, on a score of 13-9, at the end of a final of 3h30 played in the heat.
The dominance of the PACA region was the standout feature of this championship: of the four semi-finalists, three teams came from the PACA region. The final pitted two teams from the same geographic block — Alpes Maritimes (06) and Var (83) — against each other in a southern derby of exceptional technical level.
Soma Cédric
Martini Mickaël
Kerfah Anthony
Martinez Julien
(Loiret 45)
(Allier 03)
Final stages results
| Phase | Teams | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Final | Khemissi-Soma-Martini (PACA 83) vs Martello-Kerfah-Martinez (06) | 13 - 9 |
| Semi-final | Martello-Kerfah-Martinez (06) vs Abgrall-Trembleau-Bua (Loiret 45) | 13 - 4 |
| Semi-final | Khemissi-Soma-Martini (PACA 83) vs Dubost-Matz-Dubost (Allier 03) | 13 - 9 |
| Quarter-final | Matraglia-Aguero-Lacroix (Var 83) vs Martello-Kerfah-Martinez (06) | 4 - 11 |
| Quarter-final | Khemissi-Soma-Martini (PACA 83) vs Abruzzo-Michel-Fonta (31) | 11 - 5 |
| Quarter-final | Dubost-Matz-Dubost (Allier 03) vs Hut D.-Hut A.-Ait Hamma (IDF 094) | 11 - 5 |
| Quarter-final | Abgrall-Trembleau-Bua (Loiret 45) vs Pignon-Laurent-Morisseau (17) | 13 - 9 |
The final: a dramatic comeback
The final lived up to all its promises: the 06 team held out until 8 then 9 points, seriously threatening the 83 team. The match turned on four consecutive shots — two from the shooter and one from the middle — that propelled the champions to 11 then 12 points. A final jack shot at 21 meters ended the game at 13. A final of exceptional level, under a tough Tarn heat.
Jeu provençal differs from pétanque in that a run-up is allowed: players can take up to three steps before throwing, which allows for longer lobs and shots at greater distances. The discipline remains strongly rooted in the South-East, and the national finals regularly reflect this geographic dominance.
The outgoing champions eliminated early
The title holders — Johan Reynaud, Mickaël Zapata and Geoffrey Bossone (Hautes Alpes 05), reigning champions after their 2025 final against Matraglia-Lacroix-Aguero (Var 83) — didn't make it back to the final four. Their team, qualified and present in Blaye-les-Mines, was eliminated before the quarter-finals, opening the way to the current contenders.
The Var team (Matraglia-Aguero-Lacroix), 2025 finalist and heavy favorite, was beaten in the quarter-final by the 06 team (Martello-Kerfah-Martinez) on a 4-11 score, in a 100% PACA clash settled by superior shooting and two spectacular holding carreaux from the 06 team.
This championship confirms the dominance of the PACA region over national jeu provençal. In 2025, a Hautes Alpes team won against Var — in 2026, two PACA teams face each other directly in the final. The quality of players trained in the South-East continues to pull the level of this discipline upward.
The calendar of upcoming 2026 championships
The French championship season continues throughout the summer. Here are the upcoming events:
| Event | Venue | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Junior Precision Shooting | Blaye-les-Mines (81) | July 10, 2026 |
| Youth Triplet | Blaye-les-Mines (81) | July 11-12, 2026 |
| Mixed Triplet | Nice (06) | July 18-19, 2026 |
| Women's Doublette | Bergerac (24) | 25-26 July 2026 |
| Senior Individual | Bergerac (24) | 25-26 July 2026 |
The carreaux and decisive shots seen in the Jeu Provençal final demand precision and consistency beyond the ordinary. This guide details all the shooting techniques — in front, carreau, piston, tire-bouchon — to progress toward competition level.
Discover the guide