When her chronically unemployed husband runs off to start a crocodile farm in Kenya with his mistress, Joséphine Cortès is left in an unhappy state of affairs. The mother of two---confident, beautiful teenage Hortense and shy, babyish Zoé---is forced to maintain a stable family life while making ends meet on her meager salary as a medieval history scholar. Meanwhile, Joséphine’s charismatic sister Iris seems to have it all---a wealthy husband, gorgeous looks, and a très chic Paris address---but she dreams of bringing meaning back into her life.