Philippe Abrams is the manager of the French post office (''La Poste (France)'') branch in Salon-de-Provence, Bouches-du-Rhône, in southern France. He is married to Julie, whose depressive character makes his life miserable. Philippe does everything to get a job at an office on the Mediterranean seaside to make her happy. As this desirable position will only be granted to a disabled person, Abrams pretends that he is - and is found out by the management. As punishment, he is banished for two years to Bergues, a town near Dunkirk in northern France. Northern France – and the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region in particular – is considered boondocks – a cold and rainy place inhabited by unsophisticated ''ch'tis'' who speak a strange language (called "Picard language" in local parlance, and "''cheutimi''" in the South). He has to spend his first night at the home of Antoine, a co-worker of his. Philippe initially dislikes Antoine for his obnoxious behavior and because he initially thinks Antoine is gay (he found photographs of Antoine dressed as a woman, but they were taken during a carnival party and Antoine admits to doing more than dressing as a woman during that time). However, Antoine and Philippe later become best friends.