Witty narration follows the history of Versailles Palace; founded by Louis XIII, enlarged by autocratic Louis XIV, whose personal affairs and amours, and those of his two successors, are followed in more detail to the start of the Revolution, after which the story is brought rapidly up to date. A huge cast plays mainly historical persons who appear briefly.
France, July 1782. During her birthday, the beautiful young Marchioness Caroline meets the attractive soldier Gaston. It's love at first sight but Gaston does not wish to make a commitment because a military career waits for him. Caroline marries then a politician but the French Revolution bursts and Caroline has to run away to escape the guillotine. By running away she meets Gaston again who decides to help her.
Martine discovers, on the eve of her wedding, that her mother, whom she believed to be dead, leads an adventurous life. Pierre, her fiancé, unable to overcome his family's opposition to the revelation of this news, decides to kidnap Martine. The adventurer, who is not recognized by her daughter, agrees to leave France. The family of the young man will no longer put obstacles in the way of marriage.
Pierre lives with his wife Marie in a small village in the Landes. He dreams of leaving. On the occasion of the passage of a caravan of gypsies, he meets Solita and plans to continue the journey with her. However, he will give up this project out of love for his wife.
A young student breaks off her engagement after her late mother leaves her with a baby she had with a stranger. But the baby's father returns and claims it. The young girl, her life shattered, tries to commit suicide but her fiancé, who has never stopped loving her, arrives in time.