Can you learn tarot for free? Yes. French-speaking readers searching for a cours de tarot gratuit (a free tarot course) want the same thing English-speaking beginners do: a clear path that does not cost money. Here is the 10-lesson outline we wrote in French, in short form. You need a 78-card deck, a notebook and about 15 minutes a day.
What does the French tradition look like?
In France, tarot divinatoire is the word for tarot used for reading cards, to separate it from the card game of the same name that French people play with four or five players. The Tarot de Marseille is the traditional French deck, but many beginners now choose the 1909 English tradition (Pamela Colman Smith illustrations) because every card shows a scene. Both follow the same structure: 22 major arcana and 56 minor arcana in four suits. In French the suits are Bâtons (Wands), Coupes (Cups), Épées (Swords) and Pentacles (called Deniers in the Marseille tradition).
The 10 lessons in short
- What tarot is. A mirror for reflection, not a prediction machine. Exercise: write three lines about what you expect from it.
- How the deck is built. 22 majors, 56 minors, four suits of 14. Exercise: sort your deck into five piles and count.
- Reading an image. Describe before you interpret: who, what, where, which colours. Exercise: describe three cards in five lines each.
- The majors as a journey. Split them into I-VII (building), VIII-XIV (trials), XV-XXI (liberation). Exercise: learn five cards.
- Numbers. Ace is a beginning, two a choice, three growth, four stability, five tension, six balance, seven a test, eight movement, nine near completion, ten the outcome.
- Suits plus numbers. Wands for action, Cups for emotions, Swords for thought, Pentacles for the practical (one common approach, a starting point rather than a rule). Three of Cups is growth in emotions: a celebration. Exercise: guess three cards with the formula, then check.
- Court cards. Page learns, Knight acts, Queen masters from within, King masters from outside (one common way of teaching them, not a fixed rule).
- Question and shuffle. Open questions beat yes-or-no. Our step-by-step guide to drawing cards covers the gestures.
- First readings. One card a day for a week, then three cards: situation, challenge, advice. See our one-card reading guide.
- Reversals and the journal. Add reversals later (readers interpret them in several ways), and keep a journal. Our reversed cards guide is there when you are ready.
What does a full course add?
Ten lessons are enough to start. A structured course adds a progression designed for beginners and a way to practise card by card. Our French-language learning deck prints a one-sentence core meaning and four keywords on each of its 78 cards, so you can check your guesses from lessons 5 to 7 without opening a book. The full beginner course in French comes with every deck, through a personal link after purchase. You can absolutely learn with any deck, or with these lessons alone; this one just shortens the look-up step.
French-language learning tarot deck, 1909 art
Meanings printed on every card in French, a French guidebook in the box and the full course in French after purchase. Ships to the EU, UK, Switzerland and Iceland.
See the French deckNo money for courses? Start here
You do not need to buy anything to learn tarot. Our 30-day plan for learning tarot on your own and the complete beginner guide are free, and the lessons above cost nothing. Use a deck you already own. A deck you know well beats ten you open once, and a notebook is the only other thing you need. Write down each exercise, date it, and reread your notes after a week: that habit does more for your progress than any extra purchase.
FAQ
Do I need an app?
No. A notebook, a pen and a deck are enough. An app can be a reminder, but it does not replace the gesture of drawing and noting how you feel.
What is tarot divinatoire?
It is the French term for using tarot to read cards rather than to play the card game. We treat it as a reflection tool, not a way to predict the future.
Is a paid course necessary?
No. The basics can be learned free. A course can save time and give structure; ours is included with the French learning deck.
How long until my first reading?
After the ten lessons, usually one to two weeks if you practise daily. Knowing all 78 cards takes months, and you do not need that to read.
Which deck should a beginner use?
One whose images you like. A deck with scenes on every card helps with the minor arcana. See our guide to tarot for beginners.
