Mille Bornes: A Thousand Miles

Logan's family had a French exchange student stay with them for several summers when he was growing up. I have an elaborate fantasy where Logan loses his virginity to the hot French foreign exchange student wearing a beret and a snappy scarf tied around her neck. But no, he insists this story is not true.

The exchange student did however introduce Logan's family to Mille Bornes, a fast paced French card game centered around the idea of racing, and it became a family favorite. So she didn't give Logan his introduction into hot European lovemaking, but she did give them a game to play. She also sent a beautiful dress from France for Maddie when she was born. So, the story is almost as good really.

Many years ago they redesigned the Mille Bornes cards to be more "up to date". Here's what they came up with. It's no wonder the French hate us.

We were shopping at a little store in Downtown Ferndale, American Pop (highly recommended), and found a vintage Mille Bornes game. I'll admit I didn't want to play this game very much, I was thinking maybe we could frame a couple of the cards? Or admire them on a shelf.

But last night we pulled them out and Logan taught us how to play. It was fun.

Almost as much fun as having your first time be with a hot French foreign exchange student.

(They do sell a Collector's Edition with the originally designed cards, you know, for non-stupid Americans.)

Comments

[Lindsay]

Mille Bornes is a great game! My kids and I used to play it a lot when we got bored with Uno. Enjoy!

[Lindsay]

And the new edition is horrible.

Pit is another great family card game. I don't really even like card games that much, but I got into Pit every time we played. The more players, the more fun!

[HouseofJules]

YAY for Mille Bornes! Like Lindsay, I was also going to mention Pit, but only because on a girls getaway trip to our rented condo in Key West, one of our friends brought her family's vintage Pit along for us to possibly play one night. We never got around to it, what with all the sunsets, key lime pie and... what am I forgetting? Oh yes, all the RUM, we didn't get around to it. It sure looked like it would have been fun, though (seriously). Oh well. Maybe next year. ;)
Jules
House of Jules

[Cathy]

We were the only family I knew that had this game growing up. Your post reminds me of many, many evenings of fun with really bad French pronunciations. This is a GREAT game!

[WaltzInExile]

Oh, THANK YOU! I was just thinking about this game; how weird is that? I haven't played it since I was...8? 9? Something like that. A friend of mine with a way more cultured family had that game and I loved it and just the other day we were trying to come up with games to buy for Christmas that are NOT being advertised on cartoon network and I couldn't remember the name of it and VOILA here you have an entire post about it. Yeaaaaaa! Now I have to find the non-stupid-American vintage version, though.

[WaltzInExile]

Oops, excuse that really excited didn't pause for a breath run-on sentence up there....

[Bunnie W.]

I love Mille Bornes - my brother, cousins, and I used to play all the time when we were kids, and recently my parents gave me their vintage set. I can't wait till my kids are old enough to play

[StephaniefromCanada]

Mille Bournes!
Yes we had it as children too. I have no idea who gave it to us - but it provided us with hours of fun and english/french cards. Then again us crazy canadians have all of our products with labels in French and English. Who knew that bits and bites are actually Meli Mello?

[elsimom]

We have played this at many family gatherings. Even the littler kids can usually play along if you help them count their miles. Counting by 100s! Cool!
When we play the cards that make you invincible against certain hazards (for example: Increvable! kinda like Incroyable!) we make this trumpeting sound. That may not be the best sportsmanship - but when you're the one playing the card, it's pretty fun!

[carrie]

My husband taught me to play this game when we were dating in college. He and his geeky friends played it in high school. We haven't played it in ages. I think a game night is due soon.

[Jaynee]

I grew up playing this game too! When I was in high school or college I asked for another set of cards for Christmas and got them, but then misplaced them after various moves.

Maybe I should get it again - LOTS of fond memories with that one!

[Dani]

Milles Bornes is one of my favorite card games! My husband and I used to play when we were first dating and it was a standing joke how bad I was. It's totally a game of luck, but I forever had a red light or flat tire. He would joke about my lack of skill. Thanks for bringing back that memory! We haven't played in a long time.

[lisa]

I played this game all the time as a kid and about a year ago I dug it up from my mom's house & brought it home. My husband & kids keep thinking I'm crazy when I want to play it...I'll have to try again.

[Sandie]

My grandma had that game when we were growing up. My brother would make me play and I would lose every damn time. I should dig it out from her basement and force my 16 year old to play with me. Maybe I can beat him!

[MNW]

Thanks for the heads up on the new edition. What idiot thought that was a good idea, let alone good graphic deisgn. Guess what we're getting for Christmas...collector's edition here we come.

[Valette]

My mother found an old set of cards at a garage sale or another, and we played it all the time growing up. There's just something so satisfying as causing your big brother to have an accident over and over.

[Angelawd]

I love that game! I still have the vintage version we played when I was a kid. The redesigned new version is...somehow...without.

angelawd: the writer gets the last word

[TheDenora]

We used to play this when we were kids too, though I have no idea how we came to own it. I loved it as a kid, but as an adult could never find anyone to play for more than 5 minutes. I did find, however, a similar game on Pogo called Thousand Island Solitaire, so I can play to my heart's content, and not have to endure the whining of whatever poor sucker I made play Mille Borne with me.

[sumo]

When I saw your post title I had the "Mille Bornes!" reaction that so many other commenters seemed to experience. One of my friends had this but, alas, no hot exchange student (they were just well traveled). I don't quite remember how it is played, but I remember having a lot of fun. They had other games that none of my other friends had: the aforementioned Pit and London Cabbie Game come to mind.

I wonder if his mom still has Mille Bornes and if she'd mind if we invited ourselves over to play?

[Deb]

thank you for this post- i played this often growing up in NYC. I think about it sometimes and then forget about it, taking no action... - i am now determined to get a set sent to us in Australia (but only the original kind!)

[rita]

my hubby and I were on vacation in the french countryside when we got a flat tire where no one spoke english. thanks to mille borne, we were able to let the insurance company know that we got a bad flat (creve!) and asked the mechanic for an extra tire ("roue de secours!")

too bad we couldn't use "as du volant" =)

[Maggie]

Best card game ever. Been playing since I was about 9. I'm much...much older now. So old that I nearly have my own 9 year old.

[cassieo]

we used to play this for french class in high school

now i want to find it!!

[Jessica]

I had completely forgotten about this! I was introduced to this game when I was in middle school. If our French teacher was out for the day she would instruct the substitute to let us get into the cupboard and find Mille Bornes to play. We used to feign road rage and practice our French curse words. The clueless substitute teachers never knew.

[jana]

My brother and I used to play that game at my Granny and Grandpa's house! I'm glad to remember what it was called. Thanks for takin' me back.

[alexis]

my husband and i love to play this game!

[cartoongoddess]

The Mille Bornes I had as a kid looked identical to the one pictured above. None of my friends had ever heard of it. Of course they'd never heard of Parcheesi either.

I'll bet they're still buried somewhere at my moms. I'll go retrieve them. Thanks for the tip.

[Holly]

So were considering hosting two French students for two weeks this spring, as part of a program at our children's French School.

Then I read the first few sentences of this post and the thought of hosting these 10 year-olds wrought terribly inappropriate fear in my ridiculously impossible mind. Mental bleach, anyone?

[Lasha]

I practically shouted the title of this post at my husband. I was highly suspicious of this game too (it was from his childhood, not mine), but it is great fun. I wish we had those vintage cards . . .

[grace]

Oh so many rainy days and French classes spent playing this... thanks for the pictures... And the almost-hot international love story.

[Jaime]

We found this game a few years back at a garage sale - the original game. I don't think that family played it very much, but my husband & I have!!

[Nicole]

I love Mille Bornes! I'm lucky enough to have the vintage edition, as my mom had it when she was young. I just taught my husband how to play not too long ago, and he loved it! So much fun! And so classic!

[Nicole]

I love Mille Bornes! I'm lucky enough to have the vintage edition, as my mom had it when she was young. I just taught my husband how to play not too long ago, and he loved it! So much fun! And so classic!

[Krissy]

We have a vintage Mille Bornes game from when my husband was little. It's lots of fun to play! We cherish our card set so much that my sons' little friends are not allowed to play unless they are 1. Neat! And, 2. Playing in the presence of me or my husband.

[Harriet M. Welsch]

I grew up playing Mille Bournes with my family (we are American; I have no idea where they picked it up). I inherited the family set (identical to yours) and it is now my 7-year-old's favorite game. I'm glad to see there are others who love it too!

[Laura]

Ahh! Mille Bornes! Loved it as a kid, just like everyone else here. I am kicking myself for finishing my christmas shopping this morning or I would have picked up that collector's set for my dad. Our old set is missing half the cards, but it was neat looking- wish I could find a picture.

[JoAnn]

Thank you! I can't believe I didn't remember this game until I saw the cards in your post. My brothers and I played for hours and hours when we were kids. I can't wait to show my kids! Someone is getting a collector's edition for Christmas... Who needs Star Wars?!

[Joshua]

I'm another childhood lover of this game. I bought it new a few years ago, went "yuck" at the new card design, and bought a vintage set on eBay. Man, I should pull those out again ...

[Allison]

I just bought one of the vintage versions off Ebay. My husband is getting this for Christmas, he's French and loves racing. Perfect idea, thanks!!

[Stephen]

Like some of the other commenters, this is a game that I played profusely in my childhood but didn't even remember till I read your entry. This makes me want to pick up the game again!

[Christine]

Mille Bornes! We played this all the time growing up! Love it! I took it with me when I married, and we play it with our kids now, too. My kids love the last vestige of my life as a French Canadian, eh?!

[Brody]

Jeez. That new one's hideous. About 6 months ago on a visit back home, I dug it up and played it with the folks. I had the idea to blow up one of the cards to poster size for my living room. I did the bird one. It looks beautiful and graphic.

[paula]

wow we played that every summer on vacation! Damn wish I had seen this before Christmas it would have made great gifts for folks hmm myabe next year :)