How it works
Pépite is a French general-knowledge app: one five-minute lesson a day, in animated cards, sourced and checked by a human, with a question the next day so it sticks. It is micro-learning: short, regular sessions rather than long, spaced-out sittings.
1. A five-minute lesson
Each lesson runs to six or ten cards. One card, one idea: a short text, a public-domain work, a timeline, a map, a hand-drawn diagram. The first cards always set the scene, so you can walk into a subject knowing nothing.
2. Four questions, and their explanations
At the end, four questions answerable only from what the cards said: true or false, multiple choice, put in order, fill the gap. Each comes with its explanation. Getting one wrong is part of the game: the question you missed is the one that comes back soonest.
3. Spaced review
The next day, you get asked what matters. Then three days later, seven, twenty-one, sixty. A right answer pushes the question further away, a wrong one brings it back tomorrow. The daily review is capped at thirty questions: it has to stay doable on the way to work.
4. Checked by a human
No lesson is published without review. A human verifies every date, every figure, every quote in the original source, flags what historians still debate, and signs it. The sources are listed under each lesson, linked directly.
5. Your streak, and your freezes
A day done is a day more. Missing one does not wipe the slate: you earn freezes, up to two in reserve, that protect your streak. The point is not to make you feel guilty, it is to bring you back tomorrow morning.
On the train, the metro, the plane
The daily lesson and the review load in advance: they work with no signal, and your progress syncs as soon as it returns. The iOS and Android apps arrive late September.
Frequently asked questions
What is micro-learning?
Micro-learning means learning in short, regular sessions — at Pépite, five minutes a day — rather than in long, spaced-out sittings. Combined with spaced repetition, it helps knowledge last.
How much time does it really take?
Five minutes for the lesson, one or two for the review. You pick your goal when you sign up: 5, 10 or 15 minutes a day.
Who writes the lessons?
The Pépite team, from period sources: Wikisource, Gallica, Persée, museum and institute websites. Each lesson is then checked by a human who verifies every date and every quote.
Does it work without a network?
Yes. The daily lesson and the review are preloaded when you open the app; they work on the train, the metro or the plane, and your progress syncs as soon as the network returns.
What if I miss a day?
Your streak has freezes: up to two missed days do not wipe it. The review picks up where you left off, with nothing to catch up on.
Is it suitable for children?
From secondary school, with a parent opening the account. Five minutes a day of true, sourced things, with no adverts and no infinite feed.