Make: Volume 74

The French are good at many things. French

vintage wines are the standard to which the rest

of the world’s vintners aspire. French breads are

merveilleux. So are French perfumes, designer

clothing, and cheeses. And, I’d like to add one

more thing to the list for admiring Francophiles:

wooden games.

On a recent trip to Paris, I saw all sorts of

Frenchfolk, young and old, playing in the spring

sunshine with a variety of wooden toys and

games. Many of them, like the now-popular

cornhole game and giant Jenga, I had seen

before. A few, like the Nok Hockey carrom board

and wooden skittles, brought back memories

from a long-ago past. But I saw one ...