In 1948 14 year-old François is schooled at the military school of Aix-en-Provence. Initially, he is very withdrawn and fascinated by boxing. He played rugby but, since his friend died, he no longer wants to play this sport. With perseverance, he manages to be better accepted by his boss, Julien who invites him to his home for a weekend because he knows that he is an orphan. He then meets their little girl and Lena, his wife. Very quickly, he falls in love with her and this love is reciprocal. She finds in him a tenderness that her husband does not give her, even violent with her. He will return regularly to his boss and start boxing again. He will meet Galene during his training, a new recruit in his section. Galene hates violence, boxing and so on. He encourages Francis to write his sentences, his life rather than romping on a bag, or worse, on someone. Galena will show him that he will grow more by writing than using violence. François' section chief and Galène will have to leave and will be replaced. Francis will provoke him and he will eventually go too far and will be isolated. Despite the isolation, François will continue to write. Galena and Francis are sent to war where Galena will lose his life. When François returns he finds Lena. He also learns that Lena's husband killed himself on a motorcycle after the discovery of love letters that were exchanged between François and Lena. Having no obstacle against them, they will live together.