The game of pebble

Cafés were the favourite, if not unique, gathering places in the villages until the 1970s and 1980s and the games of cards, dominoes and pallets allowed to extend the meetings (and consumption), the owner lending the games.

The game of pebbles, variant of the puck, is particularly popular in the Cailly Valley and the surrounding municipalities (Cailly, Critot, Etaimpuis, Frichemesnil, Bosc le Hard, Fontaine le bourg, Mont-Cauvaire, Montville ...).

It consists of a tray, placed on trestles, 5 metres long by 52cm wide with 10 cm edges.

One end is hollowed out to make way for a half-round near 6 strips. The half round is worth 8 points, the bands from 1 to 6 pts.

Two teams of 1, 2, 4 players have at their disposal two brass pebbles 5 cm in diameter per player.

The game consists in sliding its pebble as close as possible to the edge of the half round, it should not be thrown and fine sand is put on the board to ensure a better glide.

When all the pebbles are thrown, the points are counted. Only one team scores for its winning pebbles ahead of those of the opposing team.

A game is played in 50 or 100 points. An abacus is used to count the points.

The picture shows the tray in Raoul Chauvet's café. It is still used, today, enthusiastically, by descendants at family gatherings.