The story takes place in Marseille. Marius, the son of barkeeper, César, had a romance with Fanny, a neighbourhood girl and daughter of the fish salesman in the harbor. Marius then followed his dream by sailing away to travel the seven seas. Fanny then discovers she is pregnant by Marius, a shameful position in the community since she's a single mother with a father unable to secure the future of her and her child. She acquiesces with her mother's advice to marry a more prosperous salesman in the harbor, Honoré Panisse, who is 30 years older than she is. A few months after the marriage and the birth of the baby, Marius returns and tries to win back Fanny.