Young,handsome,dashingbutcynical,OctaveMouretarrivesinParis,determinedtoconquerthebellesofthecapital.HisfirstattemptsarenottoosuccessfulthoughasheisrebuffedbyValérieVabre,theneuroticwifeofthelandlordoftheblockofflatsheisaccommodatedin.AsfortheaffairhestartswithCarolineHédouin,themarriedownerof\"AuBonheurdesDames\