Hélène is studying philosophy at the Sorbonne in Paris, living with a difficult but brilliant young musician. Through working in an accessories boutique in the Latin Quarter at weekends however, her life takes an unexpected direction as her eyes are opened to another world. Her curiosity leads her to New York and then to India, where she learns more about the origins of the products she sold and looks into the issue of child labour. Amongst the sprawling suburbs of Delhi she tries to understand the development of this country which is so spellbinding and alluring. Her quest will lead her on to Darjeeling and the slopes of Kanchenjunga.

This poetic love story unfolds against the backdrop of recent History. From Paris in May 1968 to New York on 11th September 2001, the characters in the story try to understand the values of the world about them, and the implications and consequences of their actions.