In La Pointe Courte, the fisherman's quarter of the French Mediterranean port of Sète, the local Board of Health has prohibited the fisherman, Him Philippe Noiret, from harvesting shellfish from a small lagoon, saying it is contaminated with bacteria. The fishermen suspect politics, not safety, behind the decision, and they continue to fish wherever they want, aided by their families and the wider community, while they secretly plan to test the water on their own terms.
A young woman arrives on the train from Paris to be with her husband, Silvia Monfort as Her, who grew up in La Pointe Courte but has not returned in 12 years. The couple, now four years into marriage, have drifted apart: she declares she came to tell him she wants a divorce, yet she agrees to stay a few days to talk things through and see if a different kind of love might emerge.
Nearby, a young fisherman, Raphäel Scotto Marcel Jouet, is caught breaking the rules by the coastal patrol, who report him. As the wife and husband drift between tension and tenderness, they walk the town together, she confessing her longing for the old electricity of their early days, while he explains that love itself changes with time. The community is also touched by tragedy when one of the seven children of a local single mother falls ill and dies, a sobering reminder of how fragile life can be in this close-knit enclave.
When the police come to take Raphäel to Montpellier to serve a five-day jail sentence, they allow him to gather his belongings alone and meet them at the train later, sparing him public embarrassment. Passing by Anna Soldino’s house, he encounters her, Anna Banegas the young woman who is his girlfriend, a sight that stirs anger in her father, Jules, who believes Anna is too young to date. The broader news that the water is contaminated is confirmed, and while some fishermen worry about repercussions, others begin to avoid the lagoon to steer clear of authorities.
Spending time in the area where her husband grew up helps the wife understand him better, and she starts to soften toward their situation. They attend the Sunday water jousts, a local tradition that feels both playful and nostalgic to them, and Raphäel, who has earned a temporary release to participate, proves himself capable and earns the approval of Jules.
That evening, a neighborhood party brings the community together. Raphäel and Anna share a dance, and their families enjoy themselves, recognizing that joy won’t erase the morning’s problems but may help them face them anew. The wife speaks with a quiet resolve, saying she’s come to value a more mature, enduring love and that they are bound to each other forever. Together, they board the train back to Paris, carrying the sense that life in La Pointe Courte will continue to evolve as the harbor keeps its old rhythms and new hopes.
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