Paul de Wit, a 40-year-old history teacher, is struggling. Despite being married and having a stable job, he has grown to dislike every aspect of his life. Over time, he and his wife have drifted apart and he finds no fulfillment in his teaching job. For years, he has been writing a book about King Louis XVI's escape during the French Revolution. However, when Louis and his wife reached Varennes, they were captured by the revolutionaries and returned to Paris.