Through a quirk in the space time continuun the three magi (the director Didier Bourdon as Balthazar, Bernard Campan as Melchior, and Pascal Legitimus as Gaspard) find themselves in various parts of the modern world in their quest for the christ child. Their paths merge in Paris. On their quest they touch people's lives where their reactions to values and technology give rise to much humour. Their identity is guessed by a canny marketer who recognises their commercial potential, takes advantage of their naivette, and ruthlessly exploits them. They become instant celebrities, but soon become jaded and disillusioned. They opt out, resuming their quest with a reluctant assistant Macha (Virginie de Clausade),who has problems of her own. Eventually they return to their own era.