In this film, Truffaut turned to a love story by the author of "Jules et Jim", about a triangle again, but this time of two English girls and a Frenchman whom they nickname "The Continent".

Claude, the hero of the film, meets the elder sister, Anne, first, when she is studying sculpture in turn-of-century Paris. The girl hopes that Claude might marry her younger sister, Muriel. The plan works up to a point: the two fall in love, but their marriage is prevented by Claude's possessive mother. Later Anne has her first affair with Claude, but events separate them. Muriel is still in love with him but their relationship founders on their differing outlooks: Muriel cannot accept the Frenchman's casual attitude to love and life in general.

Then Anne dies of TB, and Claude and Muriel meet again . . .