In the 1959 French village of Lansquenet-sous-Tannes, Vianne Rocher (Juliette Binoche) opens a chocolate shop that disrupts the moral fiber of the strictly Catholic townsfolk and mayor, Count Paul de Reynaud (Alfred Molina). Vianne develops friendships with Josephine Muscat (Lena Olin), who escapes physical abuse, and Roux, leader of a group of river-faring Romani. As Vianne's influence on the town grows, she also forms connections with her six-year-old daughter Anouk and Armande Voizin (Judi Dench), her elderly landlady, helping them to overcome their struggles with tradition and conformity.