Lucienne Delamare and Pierre Maury are having an affair. Lucienne's husband Paul is the mayor, and a French deputy. Pierre's wife Clotilde has been weak and sickly for years. Lucienne's husband holds no excitement for her, and he is always away in Paris on business. Pierre is now the vice-mayor, thanks to Paul. Lucienne and Pierre have a secret meeting spot by a lake along a country lane. Pierre's wife dies suddenly, by suicide the town gossips believe. Pierre confesses otherwise to Lucienne. Paul proposes a shady land deal which will "benefit the town", and wants Pierre's political support and collusion. Then Paul discovers proof of his wife's affair...
Michel Piccoli
as Pierre Maury
Stéphane Audran
as Lucienne Delamare
Claude Piéplu
as Paul Delamare
Clotilde Joano
as Clotilde Maury
Eliana De Santis
as Hélène Chevalier
François Robert
as Auriol
Pippo Merisi
as Berthier
Ermanno Casanova
as Le conseiller
Daniel Lecourtois
as Le Préfet
