In a modern and highly urbanized Paris, the story follows Monsieur Hulot, a befuddled and somewhat clumsy Frenchman, as he navigates the complexities and absurdities of the streamlined, yet convoluted, city life. Hulot, having a series of appointments that intertwine with his personal quest, is thrown into various seemingly mundane, yet increasingly comical situations. Each scenario showcases the intricate, often ridiculous nature of modern spaces, from a labyrinthine office building, replete with its endless corridors and sterile cubicles, to a high-tech gadget-filled apartment that epitomizes the era's fascination with automation and efficiency.

Amidst this backdrop of modernist Parisian architecture and the hustle and bustle of city life, Hulot's path crosses with a group of American tourists, among them a young woman, whose casual and occasional interactions with Hulot bring a contrasting human element to the fore. These encounters offer a poignant, comedic exploration of the disconnect between people in a modern world obsessed with progress and functionality. As Hulot and the tourists navigate through a series of architectural marvels, public spaces, and the chaos of a Parisian trade exhibition, their experiences reflect on the universal human condition amidst the marvels and follies of technological advancement and urbanization, highlighting the comic absurdity of life in a modern city.