François Vidocq, the eternal escapee, has been captured and is on his way to the Toulon penal colony. But he escapes with his comrades, the acrobat and Henri Desfossés. When the alarm is raised, Vidocq hides out with a young widow, but she turns him in. Finding the acrobat dying, he asks Vidocq to use his death to escape again. But Inspector Flambart is hot on his trail...