When Vernonet learns that Chourinette is to marry another man, he is so upset that he decides to commit suicide on her wedding day. The young woman gets wind of his intention and is so moved by his act of love that she drops everything and runs away with Vernonet. But the groom's family and hers are on their trail to settle a few scores.

Around 1750, in the Dauphiné not far from the Swiss border, a cooper, tired of the injustices affecting the peasants crushed by taxes, went into revolt. Louis Mandrin, a handsome fellow without fear and without reproach, puts himself out of the law by refusing to obey the local nobility. The public authorities are tearing their hair out because the man is elusive. Helped by his faithful friends and by two women in love, Mandrin will become a legend.

A respected gangster, Justin, finds himself in a deadly feud with his rival, the unscrupulous Esposito. The latter plans to steal a cargo of opium bound for China and to have Justin killed.

A small village is torn apart by a quarrel between the baker and the italian grocery tenant, mother of a pregnant young girl. She accuses the baker's son, doing his military service in Algeria, to be the father of the would be child. Offended, the baker refuses to deliver bread to the villagers standing on the mother's side.

A novelist uses all means to curry favor with a particularly cantankerous engineer. After believing her to be selfish and despicable, the young man finally decides to marry her.

Poacher, bon vivant and womanizer, Maurin falls in love with the fiancée of a policeman. And despite all the principles, he easily triumphs over his rival.

Clairette learns that Bérénice, a former mistress, is pursuing her husband in the army where he is recalled. She puts on the sergeant's uniform and after a few entanglements reconciles with her husband while Bérénice consoles herself with the captain.

Maurin, an accomplished lady seducer, has acknowledged Césariot as his son. Tonia, Maurin's mistress, is jealous of his love for the boy and follows him one night as he attempts to protect Césariot from the customs officers. But Maurin is shot and dies in Tonia's arms. Based on Jean Aicard's novel.