A Summer's Tale stars Amanda Langlet, Melvil Poupaud, Aurélia Nolin and Gwenaëlle Simon.
Margot takes Gaspard on a research trip to a local fisherman's house to discuss maritime folk songs.
Gaspard is inspired by the fisherman's stories and writes his own sea shanty, a diversion from his typical blues music.
Solène, who just broke up with two suitors herself, has rigid ideas of commitment and the romantic process and Gaspard falls into line as she becomes his best option at the moment.
Gaspard, who has been flummoxed by Léna's standoffish behavior in the past, is delighted at her renewed interest in him and begins to set the stage to renege on the vacation with Solène.
Tired of Léna's moods and Solène's pressure, Gaspard then tells Margot he wants to travel with her to Ouessant as he realizes their relationship is more honest and caring.
Luckily, a friend calls him to inform him of a man in Rennes who wants to sell Gaspard some recording equipment.
Gaspard is surprised at the news, assuming that Margot would always be there for him, and they half-heartedly make vague plans to meet in future.
Solène is trying to redefine her "townie" image with an upgrade to a moody, mysterious artist, and Léna is profoundly dissatisfied with Gaspard being her best option in life.
We do not see Gaspard's relationships with Solène or Léna as extending past the beach, the water, and other places commonly frequented by tourists.
All characters seem to be in constant motion, restlessly wandering, hiking, or simply pacing the room, in reference to the impatience and spontaneity of youth.
Likewise are the three women closely associated with different places: Margot is most often shown along the coastline, Léna is usually seen at the beach, and Solène indoors.
[5]: 145 Time plays an important role in the film: title-cards show the date each day from 17 July to 6 August.
A strong sense of place is a common theme of Rohmer's Tales of the Four Seasons,[5]: 141 and the movements of the characters are clearly signposted.
On their walks, Margot takes pleasure in showing Gaspard around the area she knows so well, such as towns, islands, and landmarks, such as the Solidor Tower, across the river Rance.
Crisp writes that his films have "an extensive central element constituting a 'digression' or hole in time through which the temptation of the temporal intrudes.
Unexpectedly, a friend calls with a deal too good to refuse, which allows Gaspard to escape this trap which he has created, albeit in a less than honourable way.
Other typically Rohmerian themes present here include the ideas of self-deception and coincidence, especially applied to a protagonist who does something unexpected while waiting for someone else, and then has to make a difficult choice.
Margot speaks for the viewer when she says that she fails to understand Gaspard: is he passively trying to keep his romantic interests by pleasing them, or is he a cunning game-player with a plan?
Melvil Poupaud recalled Rohmer shooting long single takes, not wanting actors to rehearse too much so that their lines would stay fresh.
Jean-André Fieschi was given the footage for editing after a chance meeting with Etchegaray in late 1995, but the completed 90 minute documentary lay forgotten for ten years.
Named La Fabrique du Conte d’été ("The making of A Summer's Tale"), Rohmer agreed to release it in 2006.