10 Boardgames Invented in France

France has a rich history of board games, or “jeux de société,” and has introduced several games that have been embraced worldwide. Here are 10 board games that have origins in France:

1. La Conquête du Monde (Risk): Invented by French film director Albert Lamorisse in 1957, this game of global domination was later adapted and sold as “Risk” outside of France.
2. Mille Bornes: Created in 1954 by Edmond Dujardin, this card game simulates a car race where players use distance cards to reach a goal of 1,000 miles (or “bornes”).
3. Dixit: An imaginative card game created by Jean-Louis Roubira in which players select and interpret cards based on a storyteller’s hint. It won the Spiel des Jahres (Game of the Year) award in 2010.
4. Time’s Up!: A popular party game invented by Peter Sarrett but was developed and popularized more in France. Players try to guess historical or fictional characters through a series of clues.
5. Takenoko: Designed by Antoine Bauza, this game involves players taking on the roles of bamboo gardeners who are trying to feed the emperor’s panda.
6. 7 Wonders: Also by Antoine Bauza, 7 Wonders is a card drafting game that revolves around the development of ancient civilizations.
7. The Werewolves of Millers Hollow (Les Loups-garous de Thiercelieux): A social game designed by Philippe des Pallières and Hervé Marly, where players are secretly assigned roles and must determine who the werewolves among them are.
8. Mr. Jack: Designed by Bruno Cathala and Ludovic Maublanc, this two-player game sets one as Jack the Ripper and the other as a detective trying to catch him in Victorian-era London.
9. Jungle Speed: Invented in 1991 by Thomas Vuarchex and Pierrick Yakovenko, players try to grab a totem in the middle of the table when they see two cards with matching symbols.
10. Ghost Stories: A cooperative game designed by Antoine Bauza where players work together as Taoist monks defending a village from ghosts.

These games, some new and some classics, have been enjoyed by generations of players both in France and around the world.