In the 30s, a little town in the Provence is shedding its citizens because young people choose to head to the city to discover easy work as well as escape from being farmers living in family member poverty. Just a few old people and also the poacher Panturle stay. Panturle dreams of bringing the village back to life, discovering a spouse, founding a household and also job as a farmer. Eventually, the village is seen by a taking a trip knife-grinder, Urbain Gedemus and a young woman, Arsule. Gedemus deals with Arsule like a servant, however Arsule accept this because she has nowhere to go and -we presume- her 'work' with Gedemus is the last point that conserves her from being a prostitute. When she satisfies Panturle as well as understands about his dreams, she leaves from Gedemus and decides to stick with him. With each other, they start a new life, made from hard farming work however primarily of joy to have each other - satisfying the earlier desire for Panturle. Can anything damage the joy of their new life?