An outside suburb of Paris in 1972. In high school, Gilles and Christine, both16, are friends and lovers who have grown tired of the aloofness of their families and the general monotony of their lives. As soon as Christine and Gilles are caught shoplifting, Christine's father sends her away to a home for kids with emotional problems. This puts a short distance between Christine and Gilles for a while. As a good thing, though, she manages to get away, and the couple thinks about running away together.