La Soule
Encyclopedia
La soule, also known as choule, is a traditional team sport
that originated in Normandy
and Picardy
.
The ball, called a soule, could be solid or hollow and made of either wood or leather. Leather balls would be filled with hay, bran, horse hair or moss. Sometimes the balls had woolen pompons.
of the parish. The play could be aggressive, sometimes violent. It involved getting a ball into the opponents’ goal, using hands, feet or sticks. It was not uncommon for participants to be injured, and broken limbs were often reported. The sport seems to have been a very important stress release for the common villagers.
, a soule involved 16 parishes; possibly with more than 500 participants. Nothing was forbidden by the rules, and the game could last for several days, until the players were completely exhausted.
All the parishes' inhabitants came out to watch and encourage players. A large crowd surrounded the player that threw up the ball to begin the game.
Before its prohibition, the clergy and nobility also took part in the sport. Members of the clergy could take part or at least launch the ball one at the beginning. In Vieuxviel, the soule was launched at the door of the castle, and was then taken to the cemetery by the priests and the officers of the parish. Finally, the soule could be placed with the presbytery or a vault. In Vitré, it was displayed in the church the day of Saint-Étienne
. However, in spite of the importance of the play, nobles and members of the clergy gave up participation during the 18th century.
Fixed playing grounds were not necessary because the game was played in a wide, variable area. However, the game's start was always in a fixed area; the town square, a cemetery, castle, or meadow. Rules were not always precise. The dates of play were set often early in the new year, before springtime. After this time many of the souleurs would be busy in the fields.
and Tracy-le-Mont
in the Oise
region of Picardy
which is situated 35 miles north of Paris.
There have been several attempts to revive the game in some form or other:
Team sport
A team sport includes any sport which involves players working together towards a shared objective. A team sport is an activity in which a group of individuals, on the same team, work together to accomplish an ultimate goal which is usually to win. This can be done in a number of ways such as...
that originated in Normandy
Normandy
Normandy is a geographical region corresponding to the former Duchy of Normandy. It is in France.The continental territory covers 30,627 km² and forms the preponderant part of Normandy and roughly 5% of the territory of France. It is divided for administrative purposes into two régions:...
and Picardy
Picardy
This article is about the historical French province. For other uses, see Picardy .Picardy is a historical province of France, in the north of France...
.
The ball, called a soule, could be solid or hollow and made of either wood or leather. Leather balls would be filled with hay, bran, horse hair or moss. Sometimes the balls had woolen pompons.
Early records
It would appear that ball games such as soule developed naturally as a pastime, if only tossing the ball around. It would be played wherever crowds of people met, e.g., after church services on Sundays or on religious holidays. And so we find that la soule was a game played chiefly on the Christian holidays of Easter, Christmas, or on occasion at weddings or the day of the patron saintPatron saint
A patron saint is a saint who is regarded as the intercessor and advocate in heaven of a nation, place, craft, activity, class, clan, family, or person...
of the parish. The play could be aggressive, sometimes violent. It involved getting a ball into the opponents’ goal, using hands, feet or sticks. It was not uncommon for participants to be injured, and broken limbs were often reported. The sport seems to have been a very important stress release for the common villagers.
- 1147 - A charter specifies the payment of an amount of money and handing over of "seven balloons of greatest dimension".
- 1283 - The only reference to a game in CornwallCornwallCornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
dates from this year. A man named Roger was accused of striking a fellow player in a game called soule with a stone, a blow which proved fatal. The details were recorded in the plea rollsPlea rollsPlea rolls are parchment rolls recording details of legal suits or actions in a court of law in England.Courts began recording its proceedings in plea rolls and filing its writs from its foundation at the end of the 12th century....
No. 111. This reference occurs in Medieval Cornwall by L. E. Elliot-BinnsLeonard Elliott Elliot-BinnsCanon Leonard Elliott Elliott-Binns was an English historian and theologian, whose works covered a broad range of topics in English and Western church history, as well as the history of the Biblical era.Born at Manchester, he was educated at Manchester Grammar School and Emmanuel College,...
.
- 1393 - In Paris, a game took place in front of Saint-EustacheÉglise Saint-Eustache, ParisL’église Saint-Eustache is a church in the 1st arrondissement of Paris, built between 1532 and 1632.Situated at the entrance to Paris’s ancient markets and the beginning of rue Montorgueil, the Église de Saint-Eustache is considered a masterpiece of late Gothic architecture...
.
- 1396 - The rules of the game were codified. The soules were getting large as people were trying to exceed their predecessors, but this zeal had to be restricted. A rule dated 1412 limited the size of the ball or soule, stating that it could be only be small enough to be held with one hand. This habit disappeared within the 16th century.
- 1365 - Documents record the game of soule as an ordinance of Charles VCharles V of FranceCharles V , called the Wise, was King of France from 1364 to his death in 1380 and a member of the House of Valois...
"that the 'solles' cannot appear among the games which serve the exercise of the body." However, it does not appear that the Breton sovereigns (Brittany being independent at the time) continued the game, as it was not under the same ecclesiastical authority.
- 1440 - Another prohibition by the bishop of Tréguier made it clear that this game had been practised for a long time. He threatened the players with excommunication, or very severe punishment, and 100 grounds of fine. The soule was very appreciated at that time: it was necessary to inspire fear to put an end to play, but that did not stop the eagerness of the souleurs.
- 19th century - From this time on, the majority of the soules were taking place at MorbihanMorbihanMorbihan is a department in Brittany, situated in the northwest of France. It is named after the Morbihan , the enclosed sea that is the principal feature of the coastline.-History:...
in spite of their prohibition. Only the war put an end to this play because the young people all were mobilized.
- 1841 - At Bellou-en-HoulmeBellou-en-HoulmeBellou-en-Houlme is a commune in the Orne department in north-western France.-References:*...
contestants numbered up to 800 and there were said to be 6000 spectators. The ball was three feet around and weighed 13 pounds. In this game the losing side would often cut the ball in half with their knives. To prevent this, the ball was sheathed in tin.
Play
The rules of the soule were relatively simple. Generally two teams competed, often two parishes. The aim of the game was either to bring the ball back to just in front of the team's parish church, with or without the use of sticks (the ball was usually made from a pig's bladder, covered with leather) or to deposit the ball in front of the opposing team's parish church, which was sometimes quite far and entailed going through fields, forests and over rivers and streams. Occasionally, but not always, there were posts. The game was started at the geographical border between the two parishes; It was also sometimes organised between teams of single versus married men. The size of the team could vary from 20 to 200 players. However, sometimes three parishes played in a single game. In AurayAuray
Auray is a commune located in the Morbihan department of Brittany in France. Inhabitants of Auray are called Alréens.-Geography:The city is surrounded by the communes of Crac'h to the south and west, Brech to the north and Pluneret to the east. It is crossed by the Loch, a small coastal river...
, a soule involved 16 parishes; possibly with more than 500 participants. Nothing was forbidden by the rules, and the game could last for several days, until the players were completely exhausted.
All the parishes' inhabitants came out to watch and encourage players. A large crowd surrounded the player that threw up the ball to begin the game.
Before its prohibition, the clergy and nobility also took part in the sport. Members of the clergy could take part or at least launch the ball one at the beginning. In Vieuxviel, the soule was launched at the door of the castle, and was then taken to the cemetery by the priests and the officers of the parish. Finally, the soule could be placed with the presbytery or a vault. In Vitré, it was displayed in the church the day of Saint-Étienne
Saint-Étienne
Saint-Étienne is a city in eastern central France. It is located in the Massif Central, southwest of Lyon in the Rhône-Alpes region, along the trunk road that connects Toulouse with Lyon...
. However, in spite of the importance of the play, nobles and members of the clergy gave up participation during the 18th century.
Playing areas
Traditional games seem not to have had any particular pitch or defined playing field. Soule was practised in meadows, woods, moors, and even ditches or ponds. The goal was to bring back the ball to a place indicated; the hearth of a house or any other place chosen by the players. In certain cases, it was even necessary to soak the soule in a spring or pool of water before placing it in ash. The play was thus only one immense scrimmage intersected with more or less keen frays. The ball could be made of leather, fabric, or wood, a pig bladder filled with hay, or even a wooden block.Fixed playing grounds were not necessary because the game was played in a wide, variable area. However, the game's start was always in a fixed area; the town square, a cemetery, castle, or meadow. Rules were not always precise. The dates of play were set often early in the new year, before springtime. After this time many of the souleurs would be busy in the fields.
Modern revivals
The last recorded games seem to date from between 1930 and 1945. One of the last recorded games was between the villages of Saint-Léger-aux-BoisSaint-Léger-aux-Bois, Oise
Saint-Léger-aux-Bois is a small village in northern France. It is designated municipally as a commune within the département of Oise.-References:*...
and Tracy-le-Mont
Tracy-le-Mont
Tracy-le-Mont is a village in northern France. It is designated municipally as a commune within the département of Oise.-References:*...
in the Oise
Oise
Oise is a department in the north of France. It is named after the river Oise.-History:Oise is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on March 4, 1790...
region of Picardy
Picardy
This article is about the historical French province. For other uses, see Picardy .Picardy is a historical province of France, in the north of France...
which is situated 35 miles north of Paris.
There have been several attempts to revive the game in some form or other:
- A NormandyNormandyNormandy is a geographical region corresponding to the former Duchy of Normandy. It is in France.The continental territory covers 30,627 km² and forms the preponderant part of Normandy and roughly 5% of the territory of France. It is divided for administrative purposes into two régions:...
festival is held in JerseyJerseyJersey, officially the Bailiwick of Jersey is a British Crown Dependency off the coast of Normandy, France. As well as the island of Jersey itself, the bailiwick includes two groups of small islands that are no longer permanently inhabited, the Minquiers and Écréhous, and the Pierres de Lecq and...
every year, normally involving some re-enactment of la soule. See the usual practice to day in NormandyNormandyNormandy is a geographical region corresponding to the former Duchy of Normandy. It is in France.The continental territory covers 30,627 km² and forms the preponderant part of Normandy and roughly 5% of the territory of France. It is divided for administrative purposes into two régions:...
since 2001(jeuxtranormandie on Google) - An attempt to revive choule to celebrate the Football World Cup 1998, held in France.
- Tricot, a village in SommeSommeSomme is a department of France, located in the north of the country and named after the Somme river. It is part of the Picardy region of France....
, still plays soule on the Sunday after Shrove Tuesday. - Soule was played in 1994 in VouilléVouillé, VienneVouillé is a commune in the Vienne department in the Poitou-Charentes region in western France.The Battle of Vouillé or Vouglé was fought in the northern marches of Visigothic territory, at Vouillé, Vienne, , in the spring of 507 between the Franks commanded by Clovis and the Visigoths of Alaric...
in VienneCommunes of the Vienne départementThe following is a list of the 281 communes of the Vienne département in France. Communauté d'agglomération de Poitiers, created in 2000. Communauté d'agglomération du Pays Châtelleraudais, created in 2001....
- Since 2003 the villages around VendômeVendômeVendôme is a commune in the Centre region of France.-Administration:Vendôme is the capital of the arrondissement of Vendôme in the Loir-et-Cher department, of which it is a sub-prefecture. It has a tribunal of first instance.-Geography:...
(near Le MansLe MansLe Mans is a city in France, located on the Sarthe River. Traditionally the capital of the province of Maine, it is now the capital of the Sarthe department and the seat of the Roman Catholic diocese of Le Mans. Le Mans is a part of the Pays de la Loire region.Its inhabitants are called Manceaux...
) have been playing the game annually in early September. The French recognise similarities of 'La soule' with the game of Royal Shrovetide FootballRoyal Shrovetide FootballThe Royal Shrovetide Football Match occurs annually on Shrove Tuesday and Ash Wednesday in the town of Ashbourne in Derbyshire, England. It has been played since at least the 12th century, though the exact origins of the game are unknown due to a fire at the Royal Shrovetide Committee office in the...
as played in Ashbourne, DerbyshireAshbourne, DerbyshireAshbourne is a small market town in the Derbyshire Dales, England. It has a population of 10,302.The town advertises itself as 'The Gateway to Dovedale'.- Local customs :...
. An open invitation was extended by the Vendomois French in order to increase numbers and popularity and players from the Bulldogs Rugby Club, Twickenham, UK have taken part since 2008. La Soule at Vendôme typically takes place in a flooded woodland area with two teams each of around 40 players chosen at random using a pack of playing cards, i.e. red or black team. The 'ball' is a heavy pyramid-shaped leather sack stuffed with straw which becomes extremely heavy when wet and difficult to handle. Goals are designated by painting a single tree red at either end of the pitch and a goal is scored by touching your opponent's tree with the ball by whichever means possible. There is no referee or timekeeper and although there are few rules, good sportsmanship is encouraged. The game ends by mutual consent once a side is deemed too far ahead on goals to be caught, games usually lasting 2–3 hours.
Variations
- Choule crosse—"Choule with sticks". Five players with substitutes able to enter constantly. The ball was made of string or packing and rag surrounded of leather, approximately 10 cm in diameter with a weak rebound. Personnel included a field referee and two goal referees.
- Grande Choule—played with large teams and very rough. The ball could be played with hands or feet.
- La petite crosse or Petite choulethe—An early version of cricket played with bats and wickets. No records of it exist except in early engravings.
See also
- KnattleikrKnattleikrKnattleikr is an ancient ball game played by the Vikings of Iceland.-How the game was played:Today no one knows the game's exact rules but there is some information.We know that:*Players were divided into teams....
, a Viking ball game which may be the origin of la soule/choule. - CaidCaid (sport)Caid is the name given to various ancient and traditional Irish football games. "Caid" is now used by people in some parts of Ireland to refer to modern Gaelic football.The word caid originally referred to the ball which was used...
, an early Irish ball game similar to la soule/choule. - Medieval football in Europe.
Further reading
- Jeux de balle en Picardie. Les frontières de l'invisible. A French book on the subject by Marie Cegarra. ISBN 2-7384-6420-3