In the bustling working-class neighborhood of Paris, a modest inn by the canal becomes the focal point of intertwined destinies. A young couple, Renée and Pierre, arrive with a tragic plan—they intend to end their lives together, but their scheme unravels when unexpected emotions surface, leading Pierre to flee and leaving Renée at the hotel. She is taken in by the compassionate innkeepers and becomes entangled in the lives of other residents and patrons who frequent the modest establishment. Among them is Edmond, a mysterious yet charismatic man with a dark past who lives at the hotel with his lover, Raymonde. Renée's presence at the inn stirs forgotten feelings and unsettling tensions among those residing there.

Edmond, drawn to Renée’s vulnerability and innocence, finds himself torn between temptation and his responsibilities to Raymonde. The hotel bears witness to various stories of longing and redemption as each character searches for meaning and connection in the river of life that flows through their doorstep. The quiet dramas and occasional humor of everyday life at the inn unfold as characters cross paths, revealing intimate desires and hidden sorrows against the backdrop of the canal. The lives of these weary souls intersect and drift apart, capturing the melancholy and romance of those living on the fringes of society, reminding each character that their stories are all interwoven in unexpected ways.