Deux provinciaux montés à Paris, Fabienne et Paul, réussissent chacun à leur manière dans une IIIème République à son déclin: lui se lance dans la politique et elle devient patronne de la plus célèbre maison close de Paris. Seule la IIème guerre mondiale parvient à les séparer.

Romance takes a back seat to drama in this movie depicting life at the once-fashionable Parisian bordello known by its address 122 Rue de Provence. Patronized by the wealthy and powerful, this elegant house of prostitution featured a top-ranked restaurant and specialized rooms for men with unusual tastes: a railroad carriage room, a stable room, etc. In the story, two young people "on the make" bump into each other as they are arriving in the same rail station. Though attracted to one another, they are deliberately vague about their destinations. He is headed for a diplomatic career, she is an ambitious young prostitute who wants to work at the best house in France. Later, they meet at 122 Rue de Provence.