George Gallagher and Lou Robinson, two close friends who served together in the American War in Vietnam, are in Paris with a tour group for veterans. Lou is Black, and George recalls defending him from a racist fellow soldier when they first met in 1969, cementing a lifelong bond.

Julia and Piper check into a hotel on the rue Gît-le-Coeur, the same street where Julia lived decades before. Julia has stage three pancreatic cancer that has spread to her liver and bones. Her oncologist recently advised her to discontinue chemotherapy, as it is no longer effective, and Piper immediately planned the trip to Paris, telling her mother she has a surprise for her.

Henry senses his granddaughter’s distress and gently prompts her to tell him what’s wrong. After she confesses Gilles’s affair, Henry encourages her to confront him. He tells her the story of his relationship with Celeste: In 1943, he was a B-17 gunner whose plane was shot down over France. He was rescued by the French Resistance and sheltered for a month by Celeste, then 18-years-old. After the war, Henry returned to find her, but Celeste’s uncle told him she was dead; Henry speculates the uncle may have had his own reasons for lying to him but says he may never know his motives.

Jackson Quick, a 55-year-old rock star, arrives in Paris for a European tour. Feeling nostalgic, he has his driver take him past the street where he lived as an aspiring 25-year-old musician. His career was launched when he released his biggest hit song, “City of Light,” written by Henry.

Julia and Piper have lunch at Café Le Petit Pont, near Notre Dame. Piper shares an immediate, awkward attraction with their waiter, a young man named Nicolas.

At a nearby table, Shelby Anderson is on a “divorce party” trip with her two friends, Corinne and Vanessa. Shelby is deeply unhappy, still reeling from her divorce from her husband, Brandon. He left her after her third unsuccessful round of IVF, and she recently learned that his new girlfriend, Alexis, is pregnant. While her friends try to flirt with Nicolas—who has no interest in them and is clearly smitten with Piper—Shelby feels isolated in her grief.

Russ Rodgers, the 45-year-old Australian co-owner of an anglophone pub called Le Maison Grog, worries about his slow lunch business. The veterans’ tour group, including George and Lou, arrives for a meal. Shortly after, Shelby and her friends enter the bar. Russ is instantly drawn to Shelby but notes her sadness. One of the older veterans, on his way back from the restroom, notices Russ looking at Shelby and quietly encourages him to take his shot.

While Julia naps at the hotel, Piper visits the famous Shakespeare and Company bookstore. Inside, she unexpectedly runs into Nicolas, the waiter from the café. He reveals his father was American and that he reads English poetry to improve his language skills. They bond over a shared love for Walt Whitman. When Nicolas recites a line from a poem about loss, Piper becomes overwhelmed by thoughts of her mother’s illness and flees the store. Nicolas follows her outside and comforts her, sharing that his own father died when he was 10. He asks her to go for a walk with him the next day, and she agrees.

Jackson orders a beer at Le Maison Grog, the pub he remembers from 30 years ago when it was named The Red Telephone Box. The bartender, Russ, recognizes the famous musician but respects his desire for anonymity. As he leaves, Jackson advises Russ to take a chance on the girl he’s been eyeing at the bar.

At her apartment, Melanie confronts her husband, Gilles, showing him the text from his lover, Amandine. Gilles first denies knowing what she is talking about, then, after Melanie reads the text aloud, says it should be a private conversation. Melanie agrees and sends her grandfather to see Celeste. Before leaving, Henry looks at Gilles and calls him a “very stupid man” (55).

Henry arrives at the care home and meets Celeste. Her dementia is severe, and she has no memory of him. When Henry says he spent a lifetime writing songs for her, she asks him to sing one. He says his vocal cords are damaged, and he can no longer sing. Celeste accuses him of making an excuse and shuts the door in his face. A young American care worker named Kayla witnesses the exchange and suggests Henry return the next day with a recording of the song, noting that music sometimes helps memory-care patients.

Kayla, Celeste’s American care worker, is in Paris partly to build a relationship with her French father, Simon, a successful real estate agent who’s remained busy and distant since her arrival. As she walks home near the Eiffel Tower, she is approached by Nadim, a local artist. He explains that he has been watching her walk by for two months and has been trying to capture her hopeful expression in a painting. Intrigued, Kayla agrees to sit for him. As he sketches, she tells him about her struggles with her father, and Nadim offers her compassionate advice.

Back at Le Maison Grog, the bar is full. Shelby’s friends, Corinne and Vanessa, are flirting with a group of young French men. Shelby feels disconnected from the party atmosphere. She has a quiet, earnest conversation with the bartender, Russ, about the sadness of her divorce. He tells her that difficult chapters are only part of a larger story. Shortly after, Corinne and Vanessa decide to leave the bar to get crepes with the men they have met, and a reluctant Shelby joins them.

Later that night in their hotel room, George and Lou are visited by Cliff, a beret-wearing widower from their tour group. Cliff tries to persuade them to join him for a night out at Le Maison Grog, but they decline, preferring to go to sleep. After he leaves, they share a long, hearty laugh.

At Le Maison Grog, Russ has been thinking about Shelby all evening, watching the door and hoping she would return. Just before closing, Shelby returns alone. She explains that her friends went off with the French men and confesses that she came back because she’s interested in him. She admits that she’s likely only capable of a rebound relationship before leaning across the bar and kissing him. Russ asks his business partner, Benji, to close the bar. He and Shelby leave together, holding hands.