After her divorce, Louise moved in with her mother. When her mother dies, Louise, now forty years old, leaves for Annecy, burning all her bridges behind her. In Annecy, she meets an unemployed Italian in his twenties, who is half-heartedly begging. She gives him some money. He follows her and she ends up letting him stay with her. Things start spiraling out of control. No matter what Louise says and does, Luigi brings some warmth into her life, a notion of love which she so badly needs. Soon, their relationship has everyone’s tongues wagging and Louise’s teacher colleagues point the finger at her. Luigi has it cozy: he’s fed, housed and clothed. He vaguely looks for work, does a bit of stealing, meets women his own age, wants a motorbike. After a particular encounter with a young woman and the ensuing scandal Louise creates, Luigi disappears. Louise finds herself alone, tries to commit suicide, and ends up in her usual state of solitude.