While Louis XV is dying, the Dauphine of France, Marie-Antoinette, seduces a Swedish officer, Axel de Fersen, which pains her husband, the new King Louis XVI, who will know how to be generous when he learns of this deception.

Gilberte is a sixteen year old girl raised by her aunt and grandmother to be a demimondaine. But she's not ready for that yet, and spends her days in lessons and in teasing Mamita's old friend, the rich playboy Gaston LaChaille, and following his affairs from afar. But when Gaston throws off his latest mistress, it looks as if Gigi just might be ready to begin her destined career.

Sophie de Réan, an unruly mischievous little girl grows up under the thumb of Mademoiselle, her strict governess. Following her mother's death, she is entrusted to Mme de Fleurville, her aunt, who at the same time hires Mademoiselle to further Sophie's education. A few years later, the little girl has blossomed into a lovely young lady. She is now in love with Paul, her cousin, who, unlike her, used to be a model child. Unfortunately Mademoiselle will not hear of a union between them. Instead she wants Sophie to marry Armand, the conceited son of Prefect Hugon. To make matters worse, Paul, the good boy, unexpectedly turns into a revolutionary, who defends the Republic on the barricades against Louis Napoléon's coup. Not being one of the victors, Paul is forced into exile. Will Sophie finally yield and accept the established order or will she react in her usual rebellious way and follow the one she loves ?

Inès, a gypsy, pregnant by a rich breeder who abandoned her, finds refuge with a band of smugglers and thieves, led by an old woman nicknamed "the Spider". It is among them that she raises her daughter, Dolores. But her past catches up with her when the wealthy landlord reappears in her life.

For the Marquis Barbezieux de Saint-Rosay, nobility is important. If anything can comfort her, it's her family tree. In order to erase any doubt he invites in his castle a cousin of his established in Scotland, whom he instructs to bring him his titles of nobility. A first person introduces himself, calling himself his cousin, but it's not him. Then one, then two, then three false cousins ​​appear in turn. Will the real Saint-Rosay of Scotland eventually present itself?

Jeanne De Pincret refuses to marry Viscount Haussy De Villefort, having discovered his frivolity. After a duel against the Duke De Montgobert, whom Louis XIV recommended to Jeanne, the king forced De Villefort to marry Jeanne, then sent her to war. Separated from her husband, Jeanne discovers that she loves him.

The son of the Comtesse de Brévannes dies. She, who has never wanted to meet her daughter-in-law and who wants to take care of her grandson, goes to their house under the guise of a governess.