In the wine-growing village of Montpaillard, the humorless gamekeeper Parju is determined to bring in the wily poacher Blaireau. One night, he is accidentally knocked out by Armand Fléchard, a young piano teacher, but is convinced the attacker was Blaireau and has him arrested. However, Blaireau knows how to take advantage of any situation, and what he makes of being arrested benefits the entire village, including Fléchard and his girlfriend, Arabella, the daughter of the local landowner.