Marie (Helene Fillieres) lives in the small seaside town of Cayeux, so renowned for its pebbly beach that it has a factory that cleans the stones. An employee at the factory, Marie's become restless with her job and her life and dreams of exploring the world; just as the town has a seasonal life -- popular in the warmer climes, isolated in winter -- so, too, must its residents ebb and flow with the seasons. Will Marie leave to find her dreams?