OBJECTIVE OF MILLE BORNES: Gain 5000 points while following the rules of the road.
NUMBER OF PLAYERS: 2-6 Players, 4+ played in partnerships
MATERIALS: 112 Mille Bornes cards, score sheet
TYPE OF GAME: Strategy
AUDIENCE: 8+
OVERVIEW OF MILLE BORNES
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In France, there are small markers along the road called bornes kilometriques. They are milestones that denote mileage to the next town and their color show if the road is a highway or local street. This game is all about mileage. You must follow the rules of the road, collect mileage while avoiding hazards on the imaginary road, and attempt to slow your opponents down by creating hazards for them.
MATERIALS
Cards
Distance Cards. These have milestones on them, representing a distance of 25, 50, 75, 100, or 200 miles. They are totaled to determine the distance that was traveled.
Hazard Cards. There are 10 total Hazard cards. 3 flat tire, 3 out of gas, 3 accident, 4 speed limit, and 5 stop Hazard Cards.
Remedy Cards. There are 38 total Remedy cards. 6 Spare tire, 6 repair, 6 gas, 6 end of limit, and 14 roll cards.
Safety Cards. There are 4 total Safety cards. 1 Extra tank, 1 Driving ace, 1 Puncture proof, 1 Right of way.
There are 6 cards not used in play, those are the score cards and card guides.
Cards are related like this: Hazards > Remedies > Safeties.
Use remedy cards to overcome a hazard.
Where to Play Cards
SET-UP
- Sit across from your partner.
- Pick a dealer
- Remove the cards not used in play. The dealer shuffles and passes 6 cards, face-down and one at a time, to each player. The cards that remain from the draw pile.
- Look at your hand.
- The player to the left of the dealer starts first.
HOW TO PLAY THE CARDS
Hazard Cards
Stop, Out of Gas, Accident, Flat Tire
Play these on your opponent’s battle pile. You prevent your opponent from traveling further with these cards.
Speed Limit
Play these on your opponent’s speed pile. They are restricted to 25-mile or 50-mile distance cards.
Remedy Cards
Gas, Repair, Spare Tire
Play these on your battle pile in correspondence to the hazard card played. If you overcome the hazard, you can play a distance card.
Roll
Play these on a stop card that your opponent has played in opposition to you. After playing the remedy cards listed above, you must play a roll card to play more distance cards. The exception being the Right of Way card.
End of Limit
Play these on your speed pile, they go on top of a speed limit card. You may go at normal speed and play any kind of distance card.
Distance Cards
Distance cards can be played after a roll card is placed on the battle pile or when Right of Way is in your Area of Safety. You may combine distance cards to total 1000 miles, but you can only play two 200 miles cards at once.
Safety Cards
Right of Way, Puncture-Proof, Driving Ace, and Extra Tank
Play these cards in the Safety Area. You have a few advantages from this:
- Overcome Hazard card played against you already.
- Prevent Hazard cards for that hand.
- You draw another card and complete your turn.
Right of way has several uses of it’s own.
- Cancels out Hazards in play. Allows you to play 75, 100, and 200 mile distance cards despite the speed limit.
- Your opponent can not play a stop card or speed limit card.
- You can play distance cards without a revealed roll card.
Coup Fourré
Coup Fourré translates to counterthrust. This term describes counterattacks to an opponent. For example, if you have a safety card to respond to a Hazard card, immediately call, “coup fourré.” It does not have to be your turn to call it. This gives you the following advantages:
- Remove the Hazard card from the battle or speed pile.
- Take an additional turn.
- You have protection from a hazard card that corresponds to that safety card for the remainder of the hand.
- Earn a score of 100 basepointss for the safety card and 300 extra points for Coup Fourré, a total of 400 points.
HOW TO PLAY MILLE BORNES
Turns have two parts: draw a card and either play a card or discard one. You always have 6 cards in hand.
- Play a roll card face-up on the battle pile. Your turn finishes and play passes on to the opponent on your left.
- If you have a safety catd in hand you can play it face-up in the Safety area. After playing one of these cards, take another turn. Draw another cards and play as usual. If you play another safety card, repeat.
- Speed limit cards are played in front of your opponent, on their speed pile.
- If you cannot play in the following ways, duscard a single card, face-up.
The second player has two additional possibilties in addition to the ones above. You can play a hazard card (on top of a roll card) or play an end of limit card (on top of a speed limit card).
ENDING HANDS
A hand can be ended in two ways: a team completes a single trip of exactly 1000 miles OR the draw pile is exhausted. In that case, after all cards have been played in hand the game finishes.
If you hit 1000 miles after the draw pile is empty this is called Delayed Action. If you are able to complete a trip in this manner you earn an extra 300 points.
WINNING
Games typically have several hands. Total each hand after they finish. The first player or team to reach or exceed 5000 points wins. If both teams hit 5000 points in the same hand the teams with the most points wins.
SCORING
Score as mant points as miles traveled ………….. X
Bonus for 1000 mile trip ……………………………….. 400
Bonus for safety card …………………………………… 100
All 4 Saftey Cards splayed by 1 team …………….. 300
Each Coup Fourré ……………………………………….. 300
Delayed Action ……………………………………………. 300
Safe Trip (complete trip without 200 mile cards) . 300
Shut Out (Complete trip before opponent ………. 500
plays a distance card)
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5 *’s!!!
Our whole family enjoys this game. I received the original game from a neighbor when I was only about 8 years old. Now that I have grandkids I’ve made sure to teach them the game as well. It’s the go to game!
Hi Janet! Thank you so much for your support and love for games! We always love to hear people’s stories about games and how they have enriched their lives.
I love this game. I’m 63 years-old and have been playing Mille Bornes since I was a kid. I had 2 previous decks which are long gone after raising 4 sons. I recently retired and asked one of my adult sons for a new deck for my birthday, and he delivered. We played yesterday and I felt like a kid again! The game is as enjoyable as ever.
Hi Pops, that is an awesome story! Thank you so much for sharing, and happy birthday!
hey bought a set as a gift for a racing loving friend. We’ve always played hazard-remedy-roll card to play. The new rules say you don’t need a roll card, we’ve always played that you need one. Any clue? (understand the whole right-of-way safety card etc.)
Hi Kim, I have not heard of a rule change for Mille Bornes. As far as I know, roll cards are still a part of the game, but I will do some research and get back to you. Thank you, and happy gaming!
When my wife was growing up she didn’t have anyone to play with. Now, an adult, I’m teaching her the games I grew up with. Mille Bornes was always one of my favorites, and now my wife likes it too. For me it’s a trip down memory lane, for her, it’s a new experience.
Hi Roy, thank you so much for sharing this sweet story! I hope you and your wife both find countless games to enjoy together.
We got our first Milles Bornes game about 40 years ago for a family beach vacation. Since then it has been a staple at all family vacation trips. We enjoyed playing it and have given it to our married children to enjoy with their families.
Hi Elsa, thanks so much for sharing!