French peasants in 1650 played a game similar to modern bowling. Skittles or nine-pin (quilles in French) was played outside a tavern or in a barn on hard-packed earth. The nine skittles were set up in a diamond or square pattern.
The wooden ball and skittles were carved from hardwood – oak or beech. My fictional character, Julien Rochon, who made wooden shoes, might have carved them.
Peasants, craftsmen, and servants played and made bets on who could knock down the most pins. Players stood 15-20 feet away and hurled or rolled the ball toward the skittles.
The game also was played at fairs and weddings and drinking might have been involved. … just like with your favorite bowling league!
The bowling lanes in the photo are a throwback to 1947 when the Frankfort Bowl installed six lanes on second story of a department store. They are still in operation today, though the pin setters have been replaced and the business has a sleek new bar, restaurant, outdoor seating, and delicious food.
For more historical fiction – https://www.facebook.com/groups/1185865059974956
Jeanne Meeks ~ Fiction Author 