How big is a fencing piste, and what do the lines mean?
Officials' detail · The bout · 1 of 1A strip 14 metres long and 1.5 metres wide. A broken line marks the centre, and each fencer starts behind an on-guard line 2 metres from it. The last 2 metres at each end are marked in a different colour so that fencers know they are running out of room.
How it works
- Width: "The combat area of the piste is 1.50 meters wide."
- Length: 14 metres.
- Centre line: a broken line across the whole width.
- On-guard lines: two, "at 2 metres on each side of the centre line".
- Rear limits: a line 7 metres from the centre at each end.
- The last 2 metres: must be easy to tell apart, if possible by a different colour.
- Room to retreat: a fencer on the on-guard line has 5 metres behind them before the rear limit.
- The surface: even, giving neither fencer an advantage, "especially as regards light".
- Not part of the piste: the safety borders outside the marked lines.
- Starting position: the front foot immediately behind the on-guard line, in the centre of the width.
- After a hit: both fencers go back to the on-guard lines. If no hit is awarded they restart where they stopped.
The glossary has the piste, the on guard entry, the leaving the piste entry and the bout.
Tricky cases
Do fencers start at the ends of the piste?
No. They start on the on-guard lines, 2 metres either side of the centre.
After a hit, do the fencers restart where they were?
No. After a valid hit they are put on guard again in the middle. They restart where they stopped only when no hit is awarded.
Is the coloured zone at the end out of bounds?
No. It is part of the piste. It warns a fencer that the rear limit is close.
Is the piste different for sabre?
No. All three weapons are fenced on the same piste.
Why the rule exists
Fencing is fought in a straight line because duelling was, and a narrow strip means a fencer can only go forward or back. Distance is the main defence, and the length of the piste puts a limit on it: a fencer who keeps retreating eventually runs out of strip.
Where it differs
| Where | What changes | Source |
|---|---|---|
| All three weapons | The same piste | FIE t.17 |
| Restart after a hit | In the middle | FIE t.22.6 |
| Restart with no hit | Where the bout was stopped | FIE t.22.7 |
From the rule book
Fédération Internationale d'Escrime, Technical Rules (August 2026), articles t.16 to t.19 and t.22. Checked 14 October 2026. Official document: FIE Technical Rules (PDF).