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Le Petit Prince
The Little Prince
by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
A poignant tale of love, loss and what matters in human relationships, told through the eyes of a young prince travelling from planet to planet. A masterpiece of French literature, and the classic first French novel for learners thanks to its simple vocabulary and short sentences.
Open your own EPUB of the book. No account needed; the file stays on your device.
Don't have the EPUB? See where to get it ↓Why it's not in our library
Antoine de Saint-Exupéry died in 1944, and Le Petit Prince has been public domain in most of the world since 2015. Two big exceptions remain: France, where wartime extensions and the "mort pour la France" bonus run until 2033, and the United States, where the 1943 publication is protected until 2039. Our readers are everywhere, so it is not in our library. Below is where to get a copy that is legal where you are.
| Region | Status | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Canada, United Kingdom, Switzerland, most of the EU | Public domain | Since 2015 |
| France | Protected | Until 1 January 2033 (wartime extensions and "mort pour la France") |
| United States | Protected | Until 1 January 2039 (95 years from publication) |
| A few other countries (Italy and Spain, per some sources) | Check locally | Check locally |
This is a summary, not legal advice. Check the rules where you live before downloading.
Get the French EPUB
Free, where it is public domain
See the table above. The site checks your country itself.
Ebooks libres et gratuits
FreeVolunteer-made ePub with the original watercolours, from Canada, where the book is public domain. A lighter text-only edition is listed next to it.
Downloads are blocked from EU and Swiss addresses: the site serves only countries where the book is public domain (Canada, for example).
Buy it
Only a DRM-free EPUB opens in MnemoRead.
Le Petit Prince, Librofilio edition
DRM-free, paidEPUB, €4.99, ISBN 9782384610686. Sold by French bookshops (leslibraires.fr, ePagine and Numilog networks) with a watermark or no protection at all.
Before paying, check that the product page says "marquage en filigrane" or "libre d’utilisation", not Adobe or LCP. This is the only edition we know of that opens in MnemoRead.
Read it with translations in 3 steps
- 1
Get the EPUB on the device you read on. On a phone it lands in Files (iPhone) or Downloads (Android).
- 2
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Drop your EPUB file here
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Only DRM-free EPUB files are supported (max 50MB)
- 3
Tap any word for a translation in context, a sentence for its grammar, and save the ones you want to keep as flashcards. Progress is saved on the device.
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Is it right for your level?
Text statistics
- Word count
- 14,178
- Unique words
- 1,725
- Sentences
- 1,280
- Avg. sentence length
- ~13 words
- Est. reading time
- ~2 hours
Comprehension by CEFR level
Share of the words you'll understand at each CEFR level. Above 95% the reading is comfortable.
Recommended level
B1-B2. Short sentences, everyday vocabulary and lots of dialogue, but the passé simple, the subjunctive and the poetic register are beyond A2. A good first novel at B1.
Why read Le Petit Prince to learn French?
Simple vocabulary
Over 95% of words are among the 3,000 most common French words.
Short sentences
A simple narrative structure with easy-to-follow sentences.
Lots of dialogue
Over 80% of the text is dialogue, ideal for learning conversational French.
Cultural classic
One of the most translated books in the world, and an essential French cultural reference.
Perfect length
Around 14,000 words: short enough to stay motivated, long enough to make progress.
Universal story
Themes that speak to every age: friendship, love, self-discovery.
Frequently asked questions
Is it free?
In most countries, yes: download it from Ebooks libres et gratuits, unless you are in the EU or Switzerland, where the site blocks downloads. The Librofilio DRM-free edition costs €4.99. Reading your own EPUB in MnemoRead is free and needs no account; the free plan has a daily limit on lookups.
Is Le Petit Prince in the public domain?
In most of the world, yes, since 2015: Canada, the UK, Switzerland and most of the EU. Not in France, where it is protected until 1 January 2033, nor in the US, where the 1943 publication is protected until 1 January 2039.
Will my Kindle or Kobo copy work?
No. Kindle files never open outside Kindle, and a Kobo purchase opens elsewhere only when the publisher sold it without DRM, which Gallimard does not. We do not remove DRM. Only a DRM-free EPUB, like the ones above, opens in MnemoRead.
How long does it take to read?
About 14,000 words: 2 to 3 weeks at 15-20 minutes a day at B1, or roughly 2 hours of reading time in total. MnemoRead saves your progress on the device.
Is it right for beginners?
Not as a first book. The vocabulary is simple and there is lots of dialogue, but the story uses the passé simple and the subjunctive, and the poetic register is subtle. From B1 it is a good first novel; with instant translation a strong A2 learner can attempt it.
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