Boules and the shade of pines · La Orotava

The petanque court

A court carved out among Canary Island pines, with firm earth underfoot and shade that settles in by the late afternoon.

Colourful petanque boules on the earth court among Canary Island pines, with a birdhouse in the background

One of the corners Jose shows to guests who stay more than a couple of nights.

The story

Petanque came from the south of France and settled in squares and estates the world over. It is played by throwing the metal boules as close as possible to the jack, the little ball; you need nothing more than aim and a willingness to argue the play.

It is the estate's after-lunch pastime, when the sun is high and you feel like staying close to home with a cool drink in hand.

Did you know

The name comes from the Occitan «pès tancats», «feet together»: you throw without a run-up, with your feet still inside the circle.

In detail

Petanque court carved out among Canary Island pines, view of the stone ring — The court among the pines

The other features of the park

Seven pieces of Canary Island craft, inside the garden.

Beam press of the wine press under a tiled roof, with barrels and a wooden screw

The century-old wine press

The traditional wine press still keeps its century-old vault of sandstone brick, the wooden barrels and the bottles stacked in an arch. Outside, the old beam press rests beneath its roof.

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Traditional hay barn of dry volcanic stone with a green door and a thatched roof

The hay barn

Built of dry volcanic stone, with its green door and a thatched roof. The Cabildo of Tenerife has it listed as an ethnographic heritage site.

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The threshing floor

A ring of open lawn between walls of volcanic stone and Canary Island pines. On this ground the harvest grain was once threshed.

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Stone washing troughs with basins, spouts and metal tubs, beside a clay water jar

The stone washing troughs

The original basins still standing, with their spouts over the stone. Here the laundry was washed by hand before water reached the houses.

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Carved wooden trough, hollowed from a single log, resting against a stone wall beside clay water jars

The carved wooden trough

A trough carved from a single hollowed-out log, resting against the stone wall with a couple of clay jars beside it.

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Manual cast-iron water pump on a stump, beside clay water jars, in sepia tones

The hand water pump

A cast-iron lever pump, mounted over the old well and surrounded by clay water jars.

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Wander the park during your stay.

The the petanque court and the other features are yours to explore freely when you stay in one of the houses on the estate, in La Orotava.

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