Ethiopia 2025 – AFP

Tucked behind La Gare—the old French-built train station now being transformed into a shopping mall—this pétanque club is a relic of another era. Born alongside the Ethio–Djibouti railway in the early 1900s, it carries the legacy of Ethiopia’s rail history and its unexpected French connection.

Over 200 members, young and old, meet here daily to play, laugh, and keep the game alive. Boules are rare and expensive in Ethiopia, carefully stored in lockers and handed down from player to player like heirlooms.

This nostalgic hideout is more than a sports ground—it’s living heritage. A place where retired railwaymen stay active and connected, and where generations meet through tradition.

But Addis Ababa is changing fast. Cranes rise. The city grows. And this historic corner may not stand the test of time.