Marianne Messman, a housewife, wants to escape her loveless marriage and an uncaring and unfeeling husband of 35 years. Marianne and her husband (army sergeant major Lothar) take a trip to Paris, during which Marianne leaps off the Pont Neuf into the Seine, but she is saved from drowning by a homeless man. Angered by her behaviour, major Lothar takes a coach trip back home to Germany, expecting that a psychologist will escort Marianne home a few days later. However, Marianne comes across a hand-painted scene of the tiny port of Kerdruc in Brittany, and becomes fixated with the place. Marianne decides to make her way to Kerduc, and once there meets a host of colourful characters who all gravitate around the small restaurant of Ar Mor (The Sea). It is this cast of true Bretons who become Marianne's new family. She finds love and passion with Yann, an artist who becomes her guide to the secrets of Brittany. Before long, Marianne's husband is back to retrieve her and Marianne feels pulled towards her old life by way of duty and guilt.

She leaves Kerduc and gets as far as Paris before she realises it's now or never when it comes to building the life she really wants.