Savate

Savate (also called Boxe Française or French boxing) is a unique striking martial art from France that uses both fists and feet as weapons - but only the flat of the foot, never the shin. Elegant, technical and deeply rooted in French culture, Savate developed on the streets and docksides of 19th century Marseille and Paris before becoming a codified sport. It is the only Western kicking art with a structured competitive tradition dating back over 180 years, and remains France's national martial art.

Origins in the Streets of Marseille and Paris

Savate emerged in the early 19th century in the port cities of southern France, particularly Marseille. Sailors and dockworkers developed a kicking style favouring flat foot strikes over shin kicks. The art moved to Paris, where Charles Lecour blended the French kicking system with English boxing to create the complete system recognisable today. Michel Casseux opened the first formal Savate school in Paris in 1825.

Competition Formats

Assaut: Light contact, judged on technique and precision. Competitors wear coloured gloves indicating their technical grade.

Combat: Full contact—knockouts permitted. The same techniques as in Assaut are used, with full power allowed.

The Glove Grading System

Savate uses coloured gloves instead of belts: Blue (beginner), Green, Red, White, Yellow, Silver and Gold (elite). A fighter's glove colour is visible during competition, immediately indicating their technical level.

Training in Savate

Core techniques: fouetté (roundhouse with flat foot), chassé (push kick), reversé (hook kick), coup de pied bas (low line kick), combined with standard boxing punches. No shin or knee strikes - all kicks land with the foot, creating a longer-range, more evasive style than Muay Thai or kickboxing.

Savate Gear Guide

Savate shoes: Lightweight thin-soled shoes worn in training and competition - essential, as kicks land with the shoe. Coloured competition gloves, head guard, mouthguard and groin guard complete the standard kit.