How many times have we heard this refrain from our many return clients who want to go back for yet another taste of the good life in Provence?

"We would like the kind of property we always have - a comfortable house with a touch of Provençal charm, a pretty garden, lots of privacy, a quiet location, good beds, modern bathrooms and kitchen, a nice place to dine outside - and of course a pool. And we've fallen in love with Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, and would like to be near the town - so near, in fact, that we can walk in and enjoy all the wonderful places there without the hassle of looking for a parking space. Can you help?"

Sadly, the answer has always been no. A house with a pool a 15 or 20-minute walk from town, yes; a house close enough to walk into town but no pool, perhaps; but the pool and walking into town together - sorry.

Now comes Le Bijou Bleu, a bright, well-equipped house of recent construction that will delight the small family or group of two or three couples in search of a relaxing vacation in a clean, pleasantly decorated environment where 18th-century armoires and opulent fabrics would be conspicuously out of place. On foot it is no more than four minutes from the front door of Le Bijou Bleu to the terrace of Café de Commerce, one of Saint-Rémy's many delightful venues for an extended midday meal. Across from the café are the church, the post office and a little tabac that sells a variety of international newspapers. Beside the church is a narrow street that wends its way between ancient buildings lined with shops and houses to the old village and Place Pélissier, where a colorful open-air market selling local crafts and almost every form of nourishment known in the western world convenes every Wednesday morning.

Thus at your doorstep, literally, is the joy of strolling at will into one of Provence's most vibrant towns. Greet sunny day after sunny day with a leisurely walk into town to buy croissants from a favorite bakery, and perhaps an English-language novel or magazine at Saint-Rémy's excellent bookstore, just across from Café des Alpilles; shuffle back to the house, arrange a lounge chair at the perfect angle for sunning, then log a few laps in the over-sized pool; and when it's time for lunch, put together a salade niçoise with vegetables from the market to enjoy on the terrace under the shade of the large white parasol. Perhaps better yet, throw on a pair of slacks and in less than 10 minutes be ordering the plat du jour and a glass of chilled rosé at Variété, a friendly little café with a shady terrace on boulevard Victor Hugo.

Le Bijou Bleu is situated at the end of a small, peaceful street in a residential area of substantial homes on the west side of Saint-Rémy. The property is entered through a heavy iron gate that opens onto a gravel parking area. The grounds are surrounded on all sides by high walls of old stone that provide almost total privacy. The house is a typically Provençal structure with yellow stucco walls, blue shutters and terra cotta tile roof. From the southern-facing terrace stretches a long garden landscaped with flowering shrubs, ceramic urns with colorful plants and the occasional olive tree. The flowerbeds border a lawn of soft grass that sweeps from the terrace to a grove of cane and tall shade trees at the south edge of the property.

In the midst of this greenery, all watered green by an automatic irrigation system, is the immense 6 m X 12 m (19.5' X 39.5') rectangular pool, which has steps at one end. Tucked against the east wall is the pool house, which has a shaded sitting area with wicker chairs where guests may relax in the shade. The pool house also provides storage for four lounge chairs and a portable charcoal barbecue.

What is so remarkable is that this urban oasis of greenery within the city limits of Saint-Rémy is virtually free of any noise, whether from traffic, neighbors or passersby. At the southwest corner of the garden there is the soothing sound of running water that flows in a narrow stone channel (this presents no danger to children) along the west wall. There is a bench along this wall where it is pleasant to sit, listen to the rushing water and survey the garden and blue Provençal sky.

Overlooking the garden is the lovely wide stone terrace that runs along the entire south facade of the house. Here guests may enjoy an al fresco meal at a wrought-iron table with glass top and chairs for six, and a parasol if necessary for shade. With its low stone walls for seating the terrace is also a delightful area for a small cocktail party.

The terrace is the main point of access to the house, which comprises 120m2 (almost 1,300 sq. ft.) of living space on a single floor. The living and dining rooms and kitchen all open off the foyer and form one continuous space filled with light from windows that overlook the garden. The dining room has a table and chairs for six, and in the living room a sofa and several armchairs. French doors open directly from the living room onto the terrace. With its terra cotta tile floors, white walls and attractive but unpretentious furnishings, Le Bijou Bleu has an atmosphere of breezy informality that captures the essential spirit of the Provençal lifestyle.

The house also has an array of amenities that make for easy living. These include a television in the living room with satellite reception, including CNN and BBC, high-quality bedding with firm mattresses in all three bedrooms, an all-year central heating system and, in the garage, parking for two cars as well as a laundry area with American-style washing machine and separate dryer.

Among Le Bijou Bleu's outstanding features is the spacious and well-appointed kitchen. The color scheme - cabinets in a rich sky blue, white walls and pale yellow tile counters - combine with wall shelves and the sloping hood over the four-burner gas cooktop to create the feeling of a country kitchen. Appliances include a wall-mounted conventional and microwave oven, large two-door refrigerator and a dishwasher. There is plenty of counter and cabinet space, and the room receives abundant sunshine from a wide window over the double sink.

On the other side of the foyer are three bedrooms, all bright and simply but tastefully decorated with wicker or unpainted wood pieces with stenciled Provencal designs. The master bedroom, blue with white accents, has a queen-sized bed in a wrought-iron frame, French doors that open directly onto the terrace, and an ensuite bath, tiled in white, with a stall shower and WC. The second bedroom, which has a rust-and-yellow-plaid color scheme, has a 140cm (55" across) double bed and a window overlooking the garden. The third bedroom, which has no particular view, has twin beds in wrought-iron frames. All three bedrooms have bedside tables with reading lamps, and armoires or in-wall closet space.

In the hallway within a few steps of the second and third bedrooms is a large and well-illuminated bath, tiled in white, with tub, twin basins and a separate stall shower. Next to it is an independent WC.

With its sprawling garden, superb pool and unparalleled situation directly in the town of Saint-Rémy, Le Bijou Bleu offers a pleasant and potentially automobile-free vacation in Provence for those who will appreciate its uncomplicated but substantial pleasures. We recommend it not only for those who love Saint-Rémy and its environs, but also for any small family or group that is in search of a comfortable, carefree and reasonably priced vacation in one of the most sought-after parts of Provence.