At the age of 10 years, young Rémi is snatched from his adoptive mother and entrusted to the signor Vitalis, a mysterious itinerant musician. Has its hard sides - he will learn the harsh life of acrobat and sing to win his bread. Accompanied by the faithful dog capi and of the small monkey Joli-Coeur, his long trip through France, made for meetings, friendships and mutual assistance, leads him to the secret of its origins.

Jean-Pierre is a brilliant surgeon. The problems of his nearest and dearest don't interest him. But when he discovers that he too has a serious heart disease which needs operating on, Jean-Pierre finds out what it is to be a patient.