Prologue During her summer holidays at the French coast, young Félicie falls in love and has a romantic relationship with Charles, a young and handsome cook. Charles is planning to work in the United States in the fall. Before they part, Félicie gives Charles her contact information at the train station. Nervous, she misremembers the name of the town she is moving to, and consequently, he cannot reach her.
Synopsis Five years later, Félicie is raising Charles's daughter, Élise, in Paris with her mother. She maintains the slim hope she will meet Charles again while working at a hair salon managed by an older man, Maxence. Maxence and Félicie are having an affair, even though he is in a long-term relationship. Concurrently, she is dating Loïc, a librarian roughly Charles's age. Félicie feels she should commit to one of these men but does not love either of them as much as she loved Charles. Maxence leaves his partner for Félicie and she follows him to
Nevers, where the salon franchise has a new managerial role for him. While Félicie works, Élise languishes in the upstairs apartment and Maxence does not appear very fatherly or sympathetic. After two days, Félicie announces her dissatisfaction and intent to return to Paris. Maxence tries to dissuade her to no avail. In Paris, she begins seeing Loïc again but is frank about her lack of romantic interest in him. Élise likes Loïc much more than Maxence. Loïc and Félicie attend a performance of Shakepeare's ''
The Winter's Tale'', which has several similarities to Félicie's circumstances. She is moved to tears by the play and discusses her reaction with Loïc. On New Year's Eve, she decides to go home with Élise rather than spend the evening with Loïc. On the bus ride home, she sits across from a man and a woman. The man recognizes Félicie. It is Charles. Even Élise recognizes Charles from photos. After a brief conversation about how they lost contact with each other, Félicie spontaneously darts out of the bus. Charles chases after her and she explains that she presumed he was married to the woman. Charles tells her the woman is just a friend he sees in Paris and the family is joyously reunited. Charles joins Félicie's family for a New Year's dinner. ==Cast==