French footwear manufacturer Payote has launched production of handmade espadrilles fitted with built-in magnets that allow pétanque players to pick up metal boules without bending down, company founder Olivier Gelly announced in the Pyrénées-Orientales department of southern France.
Strong demand has prompted the enterprise to scale up workshop operations for the specialized shoe, which has already attracted notable interest abroad. TF1info reported that 40 percent of all sales for the magnetic model are going to customers in the United States.
Gelly, who serves as president of Payote, designed the footwear with a magnet slipped directly into the shoe structure. The feature allows players to retrieve heavy steel pétanque balls from the ground using their feet, eliminating the physical strain of constant stooping during games.
Handmade French craftsmanship
The footwear is crafted entirely by hand in the Pyrénées-Orientales, a department located in southwestern France near the Spanish border. Payote has highlighted the line as a symbol of French manufacturing quality that combines traditional handcrafting with practical everyday innovation.
Pétanque is a classic French boules sport played outdoors on gravel or dirt surfaces, where competitors attempt to throw steel balls as close as possible to a small target ball called a jack. Because players must repeatedly retrieve heavy metal boules throughout a match, the game places continuous demand on a player's back.
Regional traditions and international reach
The product builds on the heritage of espadrilles, casual canvas shoes with soles made from woven jute rope that have historically been crafted across Pyrenean communities. French news outlet TF1info noted that Gelly's novelty design could position him as a contender for summer inventor honors.
The development was reported by the TF1info video news division on the weekend evening news program JT 20h WE on 15 August 2026. Payote is proceeding with full manufacturing to fulfill initial orders from domestic and overseas buyers.
