In July 1939, on the eve of World War II, 13-year-old Marie (Laetitia Chauveau) travels with her parents from Paris to a tranquil village in Auvergne to spend the summer at her grandmother's (Simone Signoret) country house. As the adults worry about the looming war, Marie experiences her coming-of-age, becoming infatuated with Alexandre (Francis Huster), the charming young village doctor. However, Marie's innocent crush turns to heartbreak when she discovers that Alexandre is secretly involved in a passionate affair with her own mother, Eva (Edith Clever).