Paul Château-Têtard, a 45-year-old bachelor from the best of Parisian nobility, has – for the first time in his life – to take the Metro, and even buy a ticket. It is with extraordinary luck that the beautiful young Ava happens to be sitting at the counter: a spark ignites and wedding bells begin ringing in the distance.

Helen, Rose and Lili have survived the Holocaust and have never seen each other since the war has ended. In 1960, they meet again in Berck, France. They learn to enjoy together simple pleasures in life: nice meals, ballads on the beach, playing in the waves.