Pauline at the Beach

A car pulls up in front of a wooden gate and Pauline exits to open it for Marion. They drive into the vacation home grounds at Jullouville, settling into their seaside break. The scene establishes a sunlit, relaxed mood that frames the days to come.

On the beach, Marion spots her ex-lover Pierre and they begin a cautious reconnection. As they get reacquainted, Henri approaches and scolds Pierre for abandoning their windsurfing lessons. The quartet agrees to have dinner together that evening.

That night in Henri's living room, the four friends discuss what love means to them. Henri extols a life of travel and freedom. Marion longs for a passionate, instant connection, while Pierre is cautious about big declarations. Pauline listens and mostly agrees with Pierre, avoiding firm stances.

They go dancing at a nearby casino, where Pierre's feelings for Marion resurface. Marion rejects resuming a relationship with Pierre and instead sleeps with Henri. The night becomes a turning point, mixing desire with unresolved attachments.

Back on the beach, Pierre tries to teach Marion and Pauline how to windsurf. Sylvain shows an interest in Pauline, adding a spark to the group dynamic. Marion slips away to visit Henri, nudging the triangle toward renewed intimacy.

Marion visits Henri, raising questions about the depth of his feelings for her. The conversation stirs jealousy and hints that Marion may be a passing fancy. Henri remains enigmatic, delaying clear answers.

During the vacation, Pauline and Sylvain begin an affair, complicating loyalties among the group. The evolving relationship adds tension to existing love triangles. The pair's secret threatens to fracture the social balance of the holiday.

While Marion and Pauline visit Mont Saint-Michel, Henri secretly sleeps with Louisette, the beach snack seller. The betrayal deepens the web of deceit surrounding the group. Upon return, nerves are frayed and suspicions rise.

Pierre happens to glimpse Louisette naked in Henri's bedroom and warns Marion. Marion insists Henri slept with Louisette is false, blaming Sylvain instead. Pauline overhears the conflicting stories and is hurt by the deceit.

Henri's deceit unravels as the group compares stories and the truth becomes muddled. They run into Sylvain and Henri at a Granville restaurant and then return to Henri's house to reconcile. The tension remains as apologies are offered and the vacation hangs in the balance.

Over champagne back at Henri's house, the group attempts to make up and move past the deceit. Henri apologizes for causing trouble; Pauline remains wary of Sylvain. The uneasy calm lingers as the night wears on.

Morning brings tense silences as Pauline stays at Henri's while Marion is away, and Pierre and Sylvain clash over Pauline. The confrontation leaves everyone unsettled and the future unclear. They decide to maintain their own versions of events and proceed with the drive back to Paris.

Henri attempts to seduce Pauline, but she resists his advances. Feeling the distance, Henri decides to leave on a two-week sailing trip and writes a farewell letter to Marion. The departure signals a shift toward endings rather than hopeful reunions.

Back at the cottage, Marion reads Henri's farewell letter and contemplates what happened. Pauline suggests cutting the vacation short, admitting disappointment in their tangled love lives. They decide to each believe their own version of Louisette and Sylvain's affairs and begin the drive back to Paris. The film closes with the same shot of the cottage gate, sealing the cycle of memory and misperception.