Alexandre and Fanfan are twenty-five when they meet for the first time. He quickly understands that this unpredictable young woman, avid for experience, is the love of his life, and that the attraction he feels is mutual ; but he doesn't have the courage to cheat on or leave Laura, with whom he is enjoying a peaceful life. The idea of setting off in the footsteps of his flighty mother panics him. He dreams of stability and dreads the passionate, rowdy character that lies dormant within him. To avoid the contradictions he feels, Alexandre throws himself into a remarkable adventure. He decides to continually resist the desire that Fanfan inspires within him and to never admit his passion in order to preserve it from the wear and tear for time. Courting Fanfan without ever giving in becomes his aim in life.