Three stories about the pleasure. The first one is about a man hiding his age behind a mask to keep going to balls and fancying women - pleasure and youth. Then comes the long tale of Mme Tellier taking her girls (whores) to the country for attending her niece's communion - pleasure and purity. And lastly, Jean the painter falling in love with his model - pleasure and death.

An airplane manufacturer asks his son-in-law to try out the prototypes he builds. This one ends up having an accident because of fatigue, and pushes the sacrifice to help his rival.

Pierre, who is a Fine Arts student, and Denise, who is a chemistry student, work for a department store where, wearing wedding suits, they distribute flyers to passers-by. The store manager, Bernard, falls in love with Denise and arranges to take her to an inn not far from Paris, run by the handsome Robert. This one opens Denise's eyes who ends up returning to her home. After a fight between Pierre and Bernard, Denise ends up choosing to stay with Pierre.

Picpus is a street and a subway stop where a number of murders have been committed. Maigret tries to find the killer.

Five young people - brothers, sisters, cousins ​​- are on vacation in the countryside. Pernette suggests to Marianne, who wants to be appreciated by her cousin Olivier, to make him jealous by inventing an aviator in love. At this announcement, Olivier bursts out laughing, but an airman knocks on their door, his private plane having had a breakdown. The mirage then becomes reality, and thanks to this unexpected visit many feelings will come to light.

France, 1880. Francois Roquevillard is a respected lawyer in Chambery and the head of a family that prides itself on its impeccable morals. Francois's world rapidly begins to fall apart when his son Maurice elopes to Italy with Edith Frasne, the wife of an esteemed notary.

With a hand of steel, Hélène efficiently runs a big luxury perfume factory in Grasse. There is no room for fun in her dull businesswoman's life. Then, a car accident drops Claude Dubois, a painter, into her lap. But the artist will have to deploy all his subtle wiles and clever tricks to rouse Hélène's feelings and get her to enjoy the cozy life of a cherished wife.

Daughter of a French officer and an Annamite, Mahlia was brought up in Indochina by Mr. and Mrs. de Roussière. Their son, Henri, would like to marry her but they are against it. Mahlia flees and Henri is killed for trying to protect her. The young girl enters the Mission to raise children there in the love of France.

The exploits of Chief Police Inspector Chabrier, first before the invasion of France in May 1940 as he fights against spies preparing the coming the Germans, particularly Emmy de Welder, the alleged manager of the Rouen hospital. Later, Chabrier and his men go underground and resist the occupiers whatever the price to pay. When the Liberation comes Chabrier resumes his activities at the French National Police.

During the stagecoach trip of a frightened group of inhabitants of Rouen, Elisabeth Rousset, known as "Boule de Suif", renders these people a signal service, but comes up against their stupidity and their sufficiency. A little later, Boule de Suif assassinates the formidable Prussian lieutenant whom his friends had nicknamed Fifi and who shamelessly displayed his taste for pillage and his sadistic tendencies.