An older woman recounts her sordid past.

Marie-Paule is a handsome, middle-aged women whose sole distraction from boredom is gambling. While at the casino at Cannes she relates the story of her life to Mr. Oscar, chief of the casino croupiers. At an early age, while working in a clothing store, she was seduced by her employer whom she persuaded to take her to Paris. But he soon abandoned her and she drifted into a series of brief, meaningless love affairs. Eventually she met a kindly older man, Joseph, who told his naive wife that Marie was his secretary. One night, however, she made the mistake of making love to Joseph's brother-in-law, Raymond. Despite the scandal, Joseph bought her a small tavern. There Marie fell in love with her handsome barman, Jacquot, but her happiness was cut short when he was fatally wounded during a robbery. Learning that she was pregnant, she married Armand Buvard, the owner of a biscuit factory. As the years passed she remained a loyal and devoted wife and mother and arranged a marriage for her daughter to the wealthy Lucien Volard. Upon discovering that Lucien was unfaithful, the outraged Marie went to his flat to reproach him for his behavior. Instead she succumbed to his advances and allowed him to make love to her. They were discovered by her husband and daughter, and all that Marie-Paule had strived for crumbled in an instant, and she was banished from her home. After finishing her tale, she catches sight of a millionaire-playboy, John Montasi, who invites her to join him for a cruise on his yacht. As the ship leaves port, Marie-Paule bids Mr. Oscar a fond adieu and sails off to new adventure.