Living on the island of Tenerife in 1647, young Pedro Gonzales is ridiculed for the hair covering his body from head to toe. When he is kidnapped and transported to France's royal court, he is dubbed "Monsieur Sauvage" and taught French, literature, and sword fighting. Queen Catherine de' Medici is fascinated by Pedro, and determined to find him a bride. An indebted merchant offers his teenaged daughter, beautiful Catherine Raffelin. A bewildered Catherine finds herself christened "Madame Sauvage" and must come to understand the unusual man who is now her husband.