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🏅 Full medal table for the French team
The Blues' five results in Lorca
| Medal | Discipline | France team | Final result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🥇 Gold | Men's singles | Mickaël Bonetto | 13–11 against Italy |
| 🥈 Silver | Women's singles | Aurélie Bories | 9–13 against Sweden |
| 🥈 Silver | Mixed doubles | Darodes & Cousin | 12–13 against Italy |
| 🥉 Bronze | Men's doubles | Bonetto & Cousin | Semi-final — 11–13 vs Italy |
| 🥉 Bronze | Women's doubles | Darodes & Bories | Semi-final — 6–13 vs Switzerland |
🥇 Mickaël Bonetto, 2026 European champion
Mickaël Bonetto is the great champion of these Europeans. In the men's singles, he finished top of qualifying with a perfect 5 wins out of 5 games, before rolling out his path to the final:
Mickaël Bonetto's run
| Round | Opponent | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Qualifying | Netherlands | 13–1 |
| Qualifying | Sweden | 13–8 |
| Qualifying | Finland | 13–8 |
| Last 16 | Croatia | 13–4 |
| Quarter-final | Portugal | 13–4 |
| Semi-final | Israel | 13–10 |
| Final | Italy | 13–11 🥇 |
Bonetto crushed the competition from start to finish. Five perfect wins in qualifying, top of the table, then a tight but controlled final against Italy. A thoroughly deserved title for the best player in the competition.
🥈 Aurélie Bories takes silver, so close to the title
In the women's singles, Aurélie Bories put in a tournament of the very highest quality. After three wins in qualifying, she then outclassed Turkey (13–6), then Spain in the quarter-finals (13–2), before overcoming Luxembourg in the semi-final (13–4).
The final against Sweden proved cruel: after a 9-all tie, the Scandinavian took the lead and never looked back, eventually winning 13 to 9. Bories leaves with silver, the reward for a near-perfect tournament.
🥈 Darodes & Cousin in mixed doubles: 12–13, one point too many
Charlotte Darodes and Yohan Cousin played the tournament of their lives in the mixed doubles. 5 wins out of 5 in qualifying, top of the table, then three clear wins in the knockout stage before the final.
Run in the mixed doubles
| Round | Opponent | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Qualifying (5 rounds) | Including Bulgaria, Poland… | 5/5 ✓ |
| Last 16 | Bulgaria | 13–4 |
| Quarter-final | Poland | 13–6 |
| Semi-final | Denmark | 13–11 |
| Final | Italy (Gardella/Ferrera) | 12–13 🥈 |
A single point — 12 to 13 against the Italians Jacopo Gardella and Sara Ferrera — separates France from the title. Silver is bitter, but this duo's record remains exceptional.
🥉 The two bronzes: some regrets, but a positive haul
Men's doubles: the impossible comeback (10–2 → 11–13)
Mickaël Bonetto and Yohan Cousin put in a fine competition in the men's doubles, reaching the semi-final. But that is where the most painful scenario of the French campaign played out: trailing, the Italians turned the game around from 2 to 10 to win 13 to 11. A turnaround that will leave its mark. In the final, Italy then beat Spain 13 to 9.
Women's doubles: a fine run to the semi-finals
Charlotte Darodes and Aurélie Bories produced very good performances throughout the week. Fourth in qualifying (4/5), they came through the last 16 (13–0 against Czechia) and the quarter-final (13–3 against Germany). The semi-final against Switzerland was tougher: a 6 to 13 defeat. The Spaniards then won the final against Switzerland 13 to 7.
🌍 The context of this Euro: Lorca and the return of pétanque to Spain
The city of Lorca, in the Murcia region, provided an exceptional setting for these Europeans. The Spanish Pétanque Federation (FEP) organised the competition with an ambitious broadcasting set-up: the games were streamed live on the FFPJP's YouTube channel, as well as on the FEP's channel. Above all, some of the finals were broadcast on a Spanish television channel, a sign of our sport's development among our Iberian neighbours.
Competition format: Swiss-system qualifying (5 rounds, timed games), followed by direct knockout stages played to 13 points. 32 to 33 national teams per discipline, representing the member nations of the European Pétanque Confederation (CEP).
🔭 And now? The Blues' schedule this summer
After this exceptional Euro, the French players will quickly return to national competition. The official FFPJP season continues with, in particular:
- July 2026 — Pétanque Masters (several stages), including Romans-sur-Isère and Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie
- 25-26 July 2026 — French Individual Senior Men's Championship (Bergerac 24)
- Late August 2026 — Senior Men's Doubles & Women's Individual (Saint-Florentin 89)
Five medals from five disciplines entered — that is simply historic! France may never have produced such a complete haul at a European Championship. What stands out is the versatility of the athletes: Bonetto follows up individual gold with doubles bronze, and Darodes does the same in the women's doubles (bronze) and mixed doubles (silver). It is the sign of a talent pool of rare depth.
❓ Frequently asked questions
Who won the 2026 Pétanque European Championship in the men's singles?
Mickaël Bonetto won the 2026 European title in the men's singles, beating Italy 13 to 11 in the final in Lorca. He had also finished top of qualifying with 5 wins out of 5 games.
How many medals did France win at the 2026 European Championships?
France won 5 medals: 1 gold (Bonetto), 2 silver (Bories and Darodes/Cousin) and 2 bronze (Bonetto/Cousin and Darodes/Bories). An exceptional haul: every discipline entered was medalled.
Where were the 2026 Pétanque European Championships held?
The 2026 European Championships were held in Lorca, in the Murcia region of Spain, from 18 to 21 June 2026. The FEP (Spanish Pétanque Federation) was the organiser.
Which disciplines are played at the Pétanque European Championships?
Five disciplines are contested: women's singles, men's singles, women's doubles, men's doubles and mixed doubles. Each nation may enter representatives in each of these events.
What was Charlotte Darodes and Yohan Cousin's result in the mixed doubles?
Charlotte Darodes and Yohan Cousin reached the mixed doubles final with a perfect run (5/5 in qualifying). They narrowly lost 12 to 13 against the Italian duo Jacopo Gardella and Sara Ferrera, taking the silver medal.
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