Christian has just returned home after failing his A-levels. His father, incensed by his failure, asks a neighboring teacher to give him lessons. But Christian falls for Simone, the teacher's cousin. Jealous, Christian's girlfriend Bichette arranges for the father and the teacher to learn everything. Christian is sent away and reunited with Françoise, the house's pretty maid, who had been dismissed. Bichette has had it.

Lyon, 1953. Maria Manzana is the oldest of a family with five children and the only one who has a job. Maria's mother is deceased and her father is regularly drunk and violent. One evening when he wants to beat his daughter Christine, Mary helps her sister and accidentally she kills her father. At Maria's advice the family would prefer to flee. Anna, the girlfriend of Mary's brother Michael, accompanies them. Michael doesn't want to leave her behind. A friendly trucker brings Mary and her company to the south. The group then walks on deserted roads to a village, that was abandoned more than 25 years ago due to lack of water.