Alice and the Mayor

Alice, a reserved single woman, leaves her teaching job in England to work in the city hall of Lyon, France. She takes on the role of feeding ideas to the mayor, Paul Théraneau, and begins her new career in the French city. Her move marks the start of her involvement in the political and social landscape of Lyon.

Alice proves her value by assisting the mayor and quickly earns a promotion within the city hall. Her new position increases her influence and puts her in the spotlight, which causes jealousy among her colleagues. This development highlights her rising role in the political sphere.

Alice is assigned to a team tasked with planning Lyon’s future, but she quickly realizes that the project is largely a vanity effort with little real purpose. Her disillusionment grows as she witnesses the superficiality of the planning process.

Through conversations with Mayor Théraneau, Alice becomes more aware of the gap between intellectual discussion and political action. Théraneau, a lifelong socialist, begins to value her insights, emphasizing that politicians need to deliver results, not just discuss ideas.

Alice contacts her former lover Gauthier, but finds him preoccupied with his eccentric wife who struggles with psychiatric issues. This encounter reveals her feelings of loneliness and the complexities of past relationships.

Alice meets an entrepreneur who has revived a hand-printing business, the last of its kind in Lyon. She visits his apartment after making love with him, but leaves shaken after he criticizes her lifestyle in a violent manner. This event prompts her to question her choices.

Gauthier visits Alice to comfort her after her upsetting encounter. During his visit, he shares concerns about his wife's psychiatric struggles, deepening Alice’s understanding of personal difficulties and her own emotional state.

Théraneau announces his intention to campaign for the socialist nomination in the upcoming presidential elections. Alice becomes his speechwriter, contributing to his political aspirations and positioning her closer to his world of high-level politics.

At the socialist congress, Théraneau hesitates about his chances of winning the nomination and fails to deliver his speech, indicating the unpredictable nature of political campaigns and his internal doubts about the race.

Alice revisits Lyon after working in England and reunites with Théraneau, who has now retired from public life. They reconnect and enjoy each other's company, though their lives have grown apart due to their changed circumstances, with Alice now focused on motherhood.