A Summer’s Tale 1996
Made by
Sofilmka
A Summer’s Tale Plot Summary
Read the complete plot summary and ending explained for A Summer’s Tale (1996). From turning points to emotional moments, uncover what really happened and why it matters.
With Melvil Poupaud as Gaspard, a mathematics graduate and musician, the film opens on a sunlit summer by the sea in Dinard, where he arrives alone and spends his days in a friend’s empty flat, composing music and wandering the town. At a local restaurant he meets Amanda Langlet as Margot, a cheerful waitress, and the two quickly form a quiet, easy rhythm of daily walks and conversations about life on the Breton shore. Margot, who holds a PhD in ethnology, interviews local Bretons in her spare time, while Gaspard carries the weight of an on-again/off-again relationship with Léna, Aurelia Nolin as Léna, who plans to visit Dinard. Margot explains that she has a long-distance boyfriend, and Gaspard reflects on his own tangled feelings for Léna as Margot offers calm, candid guidance. Gaspard’s clumsy kiss attempt on Margot is gently brushed off, revealing the tension between attraction and hesitation. Margot then takes him on a research trip to a local fisherman’s house to discuss maritime folk songs, and the fisherman’s stories inspire Gaspard to write his own sea shanty, a shift away from his blues style. He later joins Margot’s friends for a night of dancing at a local bar, where he feels out of place until he is acknowledged by Solène, Gwenaëlle Simon as Solène, a sensual, confident, and straightforward former choir singer. She invites him to go sailing on her uncle’s boat, and he shares the sea-shanty he has written, while Solène’s own romantic stance—she has just broken up with two suitors—frames their budding relationship as a test of timing and commitment. They decide to take a trip to Ouessant, an island off Brittany, the following week. By chance, Léna finds Gaspard on the beach and seems genuinely excited to see him again, rekindling his interest and making him question the vacation with Solène. Back in conversation with Margot, he contemplates whether his actions are clever manipulation or mere weakness, and Margot’s steady presence deepens the dilemma. The tension grows as Gaspard secretly plans to be with all three women, a double-booking that he hopes to manage. Then Léna departs in a moody outburst, confessing she is not in love, and Gaspard, walking with Margot, shares a kiss with her again, this time with mutual tenderness. Realizing the stakes, he tells Margot he wants to travel to Ouessant with her, recognizing a bond that feels more honest and caring. Meanwhile, Léna calls to rejoin Ouessant, and Solène also calls to confirm the trip, leaving Gaspard juggling three commitments in the air. A friend then offers a tempting chance to purchase recording equipment in La Rochelle, tempting him to slip away. He explains the situation to Margot at the ferry, and she reveals her own boyfriend’s imminent return, tilting the plan toward Ouessant for now; they agree to meet again, though the moment remains unresolved. As the boat pulls away, the old sea-shanty Santiano rises on the soundtrack, leaving a bittersweet sense of possibility and the sense that summer promises more questions than answers.
A Summer’s Tale Timeline
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Gaspard arrives in Dinard
Gaspard, a mathematics graduate and musician, arrives in Dinard for a summer holiday. He spends his days alone in his friend's empty flat, composing music and wandering the town. The seaside setting and the quiet give him space to search for meaning and inspiration.
Gaspard meets Margot at a local restaurant
At a Dinard restaurant, he encounters Margot, a cheerful waitress with a PhD in ethnology. Despite initial reluctance, they become friends and start meeting daily for walks around the town. Margot's easy warmth contrasts with his uncertainty about relationships.
Margot's research trip to a fisherman's house
Margot brings him to a local fisherman's house to discuss maritime folk songs. The session deepens his interest in traditional sea music. He writes his own sea shanty, diverging from his blues style.
Night of dancing with Margot's friends
Gaspard joins Margot's friends for a night of dancing at a local bar and feels out of place among the crowd. Solène notices him and later runs into him alone on the beach the next day. Her confidence and presence spark his curiosity.
Solène invites Gaspard to sail
Solène invites him to sail on her uncle's boat. She is a former choir singer and shows interest in his music. He shares the sea shanty he has written, boosting his confidence and sense of possibility.
Ouessant trip proposed
The pair decide to take a trip to Ouessant the following week. The voyage promises escape and a chance to deepen their connection. Gaspard senses a new openness in himself.
Léna reappears in Dinard
By chance, Léna finds Gaspard at the beach and is genuinely excited to see him after a long delay. He is pleased by her renewed interest and begins to drift back toward the possibility of a vacation with Solène. The old dynamics reemerge, complicating his choices.
Margot questions his commitment
Gaspard and Margot discuss his tendency to double-book with different women. Margot asks whether he is cunning and manipulative or simply a weak fool. The conversation unsettles him and underscores the stakes of his indecision.
Gaspard's dilemma grows; he kisses Margot
On a walk, Gaspard is drawn to kiss Margot, and the moment is reciprocated. He realizes the conflict between his strong connection with Margot and his attractions to Léna and Solène. The competing desires heighten the tension around the Ouessant trip.
Gaspard chooses to travel with Margot
Tired of Léna's mood swings and Solène's pressure, he tells Margot he wants to travel with her to Ouessant. He hopes for honesty and a more genuine relationship. Margot's response adds ambiguity to whether their plans will come together.
Calls from Léna and Solène; La Rochelle lure
Léna calls, apologizing and re-inviting herself to Ouessant. Solène also phones, committing to the trip and then hanging up abruptly. Meanwhile, a friend informs him of a favorable recording equipment offer in La Rochelle, tempting him to leave town.
Farewell at the ferry; Margot's news
Gaspard asks Margot to meet him at the Saint-Malo ferry before he departs. Margot reveals that her boyfriend is returning imminently, and that they will go to Ouessant as planned. They share a tentative future, leaving their romance unresolved.
Final goodbye as the boat sails away
As Gaspard's boat pulls away, Margot waves from the shore and they kiss passionately on the ramp. The sea shanty Santiano plays, underscoring the bittersweet mood. The film ends with their relationship left open to what might come next.
A Summer’s Tale Characters
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Gaspard (Melvil Poupaud)
A mathematics graduate and musician who spends the summer in Dinard. He is introspective and indecisive about relationships, juggling his on-again/off-again girlfriend Léna and other affections. His music becomes a way to process his feelings, culminating in a sea shanty inspired by local maritime stories.
Margot (Amanda Langlet)
A cheerful waitress with a PhD in ethnology who interviews Bretons in her spare time. She forms a close friendship with Gaspard and offers honest, sometimes challenging, guidance about love and commitment. Her research curiosity and kindness pull her into his dilemma as he flirts with multiple possibilities.
Léna (Aurelia Nolin)
Gaspard's long-distance girlfriend who reappears with mixed signals. She is moody and distant, yet capable of rekindling interest, complicating Gaspard's choices. Her return triggers tension as he contemplates whether to pursue her or move on.
Solène (Gwenaëlle Simon)
A sensual, confident woman who just came out of two short romances and invites Gaspard on a sailing trip. She shows interest in his music and becomes a tempting option, challenging his ability to commit. Her straightforward nature pushes him toward a more honest connection with Margot.
Uncle (Alain Guellaff)
Owner of the boat that Solène borrows for the Ouessant trip and a backdrop for casual maritime life. He embodies the practical side of seafaring and family ties that surface in the story.
Aunt (Evelyne Lahana)
Solène's relative who appears in the family circle and anchors the local, close-knit coastal community atmosphere that frames the characters' conversations and plans.
Newfoundlander (Aimé Lefèvre)
A man in La Rochelle who offers Gaspard an irresistible deal on recording equipment, presenting a tempting escape from his relationship dilemmas.
Cousin (Franck Cabot-David)
A cousin figure mentioned as part of the cast, contributing to the social circle present in Dinard's summer scenes and local gatherings.
Accordionist (Yves Guérin)
A street musician who appears in the bar scene, adding to the coastal town atmosphere and providing a live soundtrack backdrop to the characters' evenings.
A Summer’s Tale Settings
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Location
Dinard, Ouessant
Dinard is a seaside resort town on the Brittany coast where Gaspard spends his summer holiday. The story also takes the characters to Ouessant, a rugged island at Brittany's edge known for maritime life and lighthouses. The coastal setting provides a backdrop for walks, sailing, and conversation as music and relationships unfold.
A Summer’s Tale Themes
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Love & Commitment
Gaspard's indecision drives the narrative, as he juggles three women and contemplates a future with one of them. The double-booking on the Ouessant trip exposes his fear of commitment and desire for freedom. Margot's honesty forces him to confront what he truly wants, even as he drifts toward different possibilities. The ending leaves his romantic path unresolved, highlighting the fragility of new love.
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Music & Creation
Gaspard's blues background meets maritime folklore as he writes a sea shanty inspired by stories from a local fisherman. The sea and coastal life become a muse, guiding his melodies and reshaping his confidence. Margot's ethnographic curiosity feeds dialogue and mood as his music finds a voice. The soundtrack anchors the film's emotional shifts.
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Maritime World
Dinard's harbor and Ouessant's island setting frame the story with salt air and nautical rhythm. The fisherman's house, the bar, and the sailing trip reveal a coastal culture built on tradition and sea lore. The voyage tests relationships as the sea's vastness mirrors the characters' uncertainties. The final scenes weave with the sea's mood, underscoring the film's tidal emotional currents.
A Summer’s Tale Spoiler-Free Summary
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In the breezy summer glow of Dinard, a quiet seaside resort on Brittany’s coast, a young mathematician‑musician arrives alone, his mind humming with unfinished melodies. Gaspard drifts through the town’s promenades and empty flats, letting the rhythm of the waves shape a new sea‑shanty that hints at a different side of his usual blues‑laden repertoire. The air is salty, the sky wide, and the atmosphere carries a languid, almost lyrical tension that mirrors his own indecision.
It isn’t long before Margot appears at a modest café, a cheerful waitress with a PhD in ethnology who balances scholarly curiosity with a warm, approachable demeanor. Their friendship blossoms over casual walks and shared conversations about local folk traditions, each encounter subtly pulling Gaspard deeper into the rhythms of the community. Across the sand, the striking and confident Solène makes her entrance—a former choir singer whose sensual presence and straightforward nature ignite a different kind of spark, drawing the musician toward new possibilities both on the water and in his heart.
Caught between an on‑again/off‑again romance with Léna, who is expected to arrive soon, and the growing allure of the two women he’s begun to know, Gaspard finds his summer drifting into a delicate dance of attraction, self‑esteem, and artistic inspiration. The story swims in a tone that is equal parts breezy romance and introspective coming‑of‑age, letting the beautiful Breton setting amplify the quiet turmoil of a young man trying to harmonize his desires with the lingering notes of his own unfinished song.
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