Clumsy Monsieur Hulot finds himself perplexed by the intimidating complexity of a gadget-filled Paris. He attempts to meet with a business contact but soon becomes lost. His roundabout journey parallels that of an American tourist, and as they weave through the inventive urban environment, they intermittently meet, developing an interest in one another. They eventually get together at a chaotic restaurant, along with several other quirky characters.

Semiramis, a powerful and beautiful Assyrian queen, oversees the construction of the luxurious city of Babylon. She falls in love with Kir, a fallen prince turned into a slave who corresponds to her love. But a palace conspiracy will make the two lovers separate and confront each other.

A captured architect designs an ingenious plan to ensure the impregnability of the tomb of a self-absorbed Pharaoh, obsessed with the security of his next life.