Following a long tradition, all members of a family convene in the same old house to spend their summer holidays. For 15-years old Jacques, this should again be the time to play with the children of relatives, or to stroll in the surroundings dotted with Roman ruins - were it not for his incipient love towards his cousin Juliette. The world of Jacques is further disrupted by the arrival of Aunt Odette, a dashing young divorcée, who quickly enthralls his father. And then there is Mr. Gabard, the agent sent by a property developer to investigate the possible acquisition of the vast estate whose maintenance is straining the means of the family...