Mas du Grand Rocher is a beautifully restored Provençal farmhouse in a setting of exceptional tranquility and pastoral beauty in the département of Drôme, some 30 km north of Vaison-la-Romaine. The 14-hectare (about 32-acre) terrain is partly in stands of oaks and evergreens, while around the house there are landscaped expanses of grass, kept green by an automatic irrigation system, interspersed with laurel, lavender, rosemary and flowering shrubs. In a secluded nook some 15M (a meter is about a yard) from the house there is a stone shelter with a barbecue and an enormous picnic table where up to fifteen people can dine under the tall trees.

The 19th-century farmhouse has striking views of the surrounding countryside, which for pure natural beauty is unexcelled anywhere in Provence. To the south, visible from the bedrooms upstairs, are the limestone cap of Mas Mont Ventoux, highest peak in Provence, the gray peaks of the Dentelles de Montmirail, and the rolling greenery of the Vaucluse Plateau. The ruins of the Château de Chabrière dominate the peak of a mountain to the west.

Because it is set on the south side of a mountain, Mas du Grand Rocher is bathed in sunshine all day long, but is also protected from the mistral winds that occasionally blow in Provence. With thick stone walls that keep the house cool in summer, and a sturdy wood stove to provide abundant heat in winter, the house is a comfortable refuge year-round.

A comparison of pictures taken before the farmhouse was restored with the present-day reality shows the care and painstaking attention to detail with which the owners carried out the renovations, all without diminishing the historical character of the structure. For example, the windows have been meticulously restored despite their various shapes and sizes. One window still has its 19th-century crossbars.

Mas du Grand Rocher may be entered through either the kitchen or living room. Throughout the ground level the floors are of terra cotta tile, the walls are exposed stone and the ceilings have exposed beams. The furnishings are simple but attractive, mostly country antiques, with color-coordinated fabrics and tasteful contemporary pieces.

The living room has several armchairs and two sofas arranged in an L around a coffee table. There are shelves with books in several languages for adults and children, and a guest lavatory tucked under the staircase. A corner unit houses a TV with VCR (European-size tapes) as well as a fax machine and portable telephone. The dining room, adjacent to the living room, has a long wood table and blue chairs for up to twelve guests.

The kitchen is large, bright and impressive, with excellent counter space and matching cupboards and appliances in bright white enamel. The original sink has been preserved for decorative purposes, as has a stone fireplace that no longer functions. The kitchen is especially well equipped, and has a double sink, plentiful dishes and cookware, a full assortment of all-modern appliances and a breakfast table for six.

Upstairs are the three main bedrooms and two bathrooms. All bedrooms have bedside tables with reading lamps, and good-quality linens and pillows.

The master bedroom, to the right of the staircase, has a 140cm (55" across) double bed, a handsome armoire with shelves and hanging space, and two large windows that overlook the garden. The second bedroom, at the end of the upstairs hall, has exposed stone walls and a 140cm double bed. Occupants of these two bedrooms share a modern full bathroom, tiled in white with decorative splashes of color, that has a tub and overhead shower.

The third bedroom, to the left of the stairway, has twin beds, one of which has a trundle bed for a third person. The room is furnished for children in bright Provençal blues and yellows. Just outside the room is the second bathroom, strikingly tiled in blue and orange, with a tub and overhead shower. All three bedrooms use a WC that opens off the hallway.

A steep staircase leads to the dormitory room, which has two sets of twin beds. As two of these beds also have trundle beds, the dormitory can accommodate up to six children under its sloping ceilings. Two sets of built-in shelves are available for storage.

With its three bedrooms and dormitory, Mas du Grand Rocher can accommodate four adults and up to eight children.

The 5M X 10M (16.5' X 33') pool and its large flagstone terrace are about 50M from the house. The state-of-the-art pool filtration system produces a mild salt water that is environmentally friendly and safe for sensitive skin and eyes. The poolhouse has a refrigerator and additional WC.

Mas du Grand Rocher is in the northern part of Provence, just above the border separating the départements of Vaucluse and Drôme. All shopping and commerce can be found in the town of Bollène, a drive of about ten minutes. At Bollène there is access to the Autoroute, which connects Provence with Paris and the Mediterranean. Exits for Orange and Avignon are directly south on the Autoroute.

Saint-Restitut, which is a few kilometers from the east bank of the Rhône River, is well located for exploring Provence. The ever-delightful town of Vaison-la-Romaine, known for its wonderful open-air market every Tuesday, and Nyons, whose olive oil is prized by some as the best in France, are both about 30 minutes to the east. The Ardèche, whose rivers, ravines and rocky slopes draw kayackers and rock climbers from all over Europe, is just on the other side of the Rhône.

The village of Saint-Restitut has a tourist office and a restaurant, as well as a post office and little hotel. Of special interest in Saint-Restitut are the ancient quarries, which - given their prodigious engineering skills - may have been mined by the Romans for marble to decorate their sumptuous villas at Vaison-la-Romaine.