In his novel “Ferragus”, (1833), Honoré de Balzac describing boules games in Paris: 

“(…) This esplanade, which commands a view of Paris, has been taken possession of by bowl-players; it is, in fact, a sort of bowling green frequented by old gray faces, belonging to kindly, worthy men, who seem to continue the race of our ancestors, whose countenances must only be compared with those of their surroundings.The man who had become, during the last few days, an inhabitant of this desert region, proved an assiduous attendant at these games of bowls (…).The new-comer kept sympathetic step with the cochonnet,—the little bowl which serves as a goal and on which the interest of the game must centre. He leaned against a tree when the cochonnet stopped; then, with the same attention that a dog gives to his master’s gestures, he looked at the other bowls flying through the air, or rolling along the ground. You might have taken him for the weird and watchful genii of the cochonnet. He said nothing; and the bowl-players—the most fanatic men that can be encountered among the sectarians of any faith—had never asked the reason of his dogged silence (…)

Marcel Pagnol, French Provence novelist brings his youth memories of the game in his books and movies specially with the famous Pétanque game on the tramway track in his movie “Fanny” in 1932. 

Movie poster by artist Albert Dubout (1905-1976) (http://www.dubout.fr/)

” The pride will remain of having invented this magnificient game which by going arround the world works modestly, but surrely, at connecting people together, therefore bringing peace”

Marcel Pagnol.