FIRST ACT:
Idle Parisians gather in front of the Saint-Lazare railway station to watch the arrival of foreign tourists. Two young men, Raoul de Gardefeu and Bobinet are there too but not out of idle curiosity. They are in love with the same woman, the beautiful Metalla, and have come to meet her. They are busy avoiding each other studiously when the Trouville Train arrives, bringing Metalla. The two men rush forward but Metalla is escorted by a third man and brazenly asserts that she doesnıt know the other two men. When she is gone, Gardefeu and Bobinet patch up their quarrel and decide that itıs high time they gave up fighting over fast women. Bobinet goes off to the Boulevard Saint Germain and the 'Ladies of Fashion' while Gardefeu meets his former butler and valet, Joseph, who is now a guide employed by the Grand Hotel. Joseph has come to fetch some patrons who are arriving by the Le Havre train, namely the Baron de Gondremarck, a wealthy Swede, and his wife, the Baroness. Seeing that the Baroness is most beautiful, Gardefeu bribes Joseph to take his place and greets the couple while new travellers arrive at the station including a Brazilian Millionaire who is bent on spending his money as lavishly and as fast as he can.
SECOND ACT:
Gardefeu has brought the Baron and Baroness to his own town-house, telling them that it is an annex of the Grand Hotel. His first care is to lodge them in separate bedrooms with a view to fostering his own amorous projects. The Baron, intent on making the acquaintance of the lovely Metalla whose countless perfections have been detailed to him by one his colleagues, puts up no objections to the sleeping arrangements. To the surprise of Gardefeu (and the delight of the Baron), Metalla herself walks in to the house promising to make things up to her betrayed lover, Gardefeu. Gardefeu is in a quandary and explains that Metallaıs apartments are now occupied by the Baroness. Metalla leaves in a rage, bent on revenge. Meanwhile Gardefeu plans to throw a dinner part in honor of the Baron for the first night and then send him off to an improvised high society 'do' so as to give himself clear field for the Baroness. All this however, is easier said than done. Fortunately, Gabrielle the glover and Frick the boot maker come to deliver their goods. Gardefeu takes them into his confidence and they readily undertake to collect a few friends to entertain the Baron at the dinner party. Frick dresses up as a major and Gabrielle as the widow of a colonel and the dinner gathering goes off with a swing.
THIRD ACT:
Gardefeu has entrusted the organization of the high society 'do' to Bobinet who has been left in charge of his aunt's town-house while she is away. Bobinet, who is nursing his wounds after his first contact with the 'ladies of fashion' on the Boulevard Saint Germain, nevertheless throws himself into the job with commendable spirit. His aunt's servants will masquerade as fashionable guests while Bobinet himself will take on the part of the Baron's host, 'Admiral Walter', with the chambermaid, Pauline, posturing as his wife. Pauline is under instructions to seduce the Baron and keep him away from his wife as long as possible. Everyone gets tipsy and the party is a howling success.
FOURTH ACT:
The Brazilian millionaire is offering a masked ball at the cafe Anglais. Alfred, the Maitre d'Hotel is busy instructing his waiters advising them to close their eyes as much as they can as astonishing events are about to take place which it would be too difficult to explain. Metalla, anxious to win Gardefeu back is in league with the Baroness who wants to extricate the Baron from the perils of Parisian life. Gardefeu and the Baron almost come to blows and the Brazilian and Gabrielle discover the virtues of love at first sight. All is well that ends well!