Le Petit Cartomancien is a 19th-century French fortune-telling deck first published in Paris in 1875. Unlike modern tarot, it’s a practical cartomancy deck: each card has a fixed meaning, and the reading comes from how the cards interact with one another.
This deck works best for questions about relationships, money, work, travel, news, and everyday situations. It can be read using the traditional method included in the original booklet, or with simpler modern spreads.
What Makes This Deck Unique
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The deck is not tarot.
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Cards have fixed meanings and are read in combinations.
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Order and position matter.
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Readings describe conditions and events, not inner psychology.
You can start with small spreads to keep it simple, or follow the traditional 19th-century method for full readings.
Step-by-Step: Traditional Method
This is the method included in the original 1875 instructions.
Step 1: Shuffle and cut the deck
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Shuffle thoroughly.
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Cut with your left hand.
Step 2: Deal the cards in piles
- Deal 6 cards face down in a pile.
- Place the 7th card aside face down.
- Repeat: 6 cards on the pile, 7th card on the previous 7th card set aside.
- Continue until all cards are dealt.
- You will first have 5 seventh cards, then continue until there are 12 seventh cards.
Step 3: Choose the significator (consultant card)
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Spread the 12 seventh cards in a line.
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Choose the card that represents the consultant:
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Dark-haired man → first black King
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Fair-haired man → first red King
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Woman → first Queen (apply hair color rules)
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If no King or Queen is present → choose the lowest Club or Heart (6 is lowest, Ace is between 10 and Jack).
Step 4: Check for combinations
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Look at the cards and note which cards naturally form combinations.
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Cards do not need to touch to influence one another.
Step 5: Counting method
- Place your finger on the consultant card.
- Count seven cards to the right, stopping on the 7th card. Interpret it.
- Repeat from the next card, always counting seven, until the seventh card is the consultant card again.
Step 6: Build the final piles
- Take the 12 cards, shuffle, and hold them in your left hand.
- Place cards on the table:
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1st card → for you
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2nd card → for the house
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3rd card → for what will be
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4th card → for the surprise
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- Continue dealing so that every fourth card goes into the surprise pile.
Step 7: Reveal and interpret
- Turn over the first three piles and interpret: for you, for the house, for what will be.
- Finally, turn over the surprise pile.
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If the surprise pile contradicts the first two piles → it takes precedence.
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The third pile (what will be) is final.
Step-by-Step: Modern / Simplified Method
If you want to read the deck more quickly, you can use smaller spreads:
Option 1: Three-card spread
- Draw three cards left to right.
- Read them as:
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Card 1 → Situation
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Card 2 → Influence
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Card 3 → Outcome
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Option 2: Five-card line
- Lay five cards in a row.
- Read them as a sequence of events or influences.
Option 3: Lenormand-style interpretation
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Lay cards in a line or square.
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Combine the literal meanings of neighboring cards to form “phrases” or stories.
Tip: Even in simplified methods, pay attention to combinations and sequences. The deck’s power comes from reading cards together, not individually.
Key Tips for Using Le Petit Cartomancien
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Start small. Use 3–5 cards until you are familiar with the meanings.
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Practice recognizing combinations of cards.
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Remember: the deck describes influences and conditions, not abstract feelings.
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You can follow the traditional method for full readings, or adapt it to a modern spread. Both are valid.
Le Petit Cartomancien is a straightforward, practical cartomancy deck.
You can follow the traditional counting-and-piles method or use a simpler spread—the important part is noticing how the cards work together. The deck was built to be literal, clear, and easy to read, and once you get the hang of it, your readings flow quickly, accurately, and with surprisingly rich insight.
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