Sophie, viscountess of Valrude, believes herself being a widow since her husband disappeared in the Amazon.

In the north of France, the life of a nice family of marginalized.

A servant girl, given in marriage when she turns out to be pregnant, can't bring herself to live away from her master.

The story of a small village in Touraine between 1788 and 1789, on the eve of the French Revolution, with its lord, its wealthy peasants, and its poor. The wealthy peasants, expelled from the communal pastures by the count, take him to court. Guillaume Coquard joins the other villagers in drafting the cahiers de doléances (lists of grievances). On the eve of the convocation of the Estates General, the village loses its lawsuit. On the night of August 4, 1789, the deputies vote to abolish privileges. The peasants will be able to buy them back. But the poorest wonder: with what?

Antoine, an accountant by trade, becomes a private detective to support his family. His wanderings lead him to transport a cargo of malachite to Le Havre, in the hope of a large bonus. With the help of his family, and despite a few mishaps, Antoine achieves his goal.