In addition to a well-prepared house book and welcome basket, rental guests at L'Amandier will find the owner's carefully compiled scrapbook documenting how this 18th-century farmhouse was transformed into the luminous and handsomely appointed home that it is today.

Paging through the scrapbook, one comes to understand that L'Amandier was truly a labor of love, an accomplishment achieved not only by an abundance of patience (and money) but also the skills of a gifted architect and local artisans accustomed to working with stones, tiles and other materials from the region. The result is a Provençal home of character that blends original elements such as exposed beam ceilings and thick stone walls with the most modern mechanical systems and conveniences. A supplemental advantage is that this comfortable home is within an easy walk of Bonnieux, a village noted for its restaurants and history going back to the Roman times.

L'Amandier is set on a four-hectare (9.5-acre) terrain that affords picture-postcard views in all directions. From every room as well as any of the five terraces (two of which open off guest bedrooms) one can see the perched village of Lacoste, and the ochre cliffs of Roussillon. To the north is Mont Ventoux, the highest peak in Provence, and in the far distance to the northwest are the sun-bleached stone ramparts of Gordes. Everywhere are lavender and sunflower fields, vineyards and orchards and groves of olive trees.

In keeping with the emphasis on outdoor living that prevails in Provence, L'Amandier is designed to provide one coherent environment from interior to exterior. Off the driveway at the front of the property is a small terrace, shaded by an arbor of vines, that is a perfect spot for the evening apéritif. For dining outside the sprawling covered terrace on the south side has a table for 10 plus two separate seating areas. The 6 m X 13 m (19.5' X 42.5') pool, reached by a little stone stairway from the main terrace, is bordered by soft grass, grape wines and cherry and almond trees. The outdoor furniture on the spacious pool deck and terraces is high-quality teak.

The interior of L'Amandier is characterized by light and soaring spaces. From the entry hall there is a line of sight that extends beyond the vaulted ceiling of the dining room and kitchen to the main terrace, which can be accessed from the main rooms on the ground floor. The terra cotta tile floors are flooded with light streaming into the rooms through a tall arched window with glass-paneled doors.

The kitchen at L'Amandier is small but exceptionally well designed and equipped. Appliances include a two-door American-style refrigerator, dishwasher and a variety of countertop gadgets. The professional-grade Molteni stove, one of the most impressive cookers we have seen in Provence, has 2 open burners, an enamel cast iron pan support, a rapid gas hotplate in cast iron and a electric oven; there is also an additional wall-mounted electric oven. In the cabinets are table settings, cutlery and stemware adequate for a sumptuous dinner party. A cleverly designed stone bench carved into the kitchen wall allows guests to converse with the cook while dinner is being prepared.

In the kitchen is an interesting architectural feature - an oiel de boeuf, or eye of the steer - that is often seen in Provençal homes dating from the 17th and 18th centuries. This feature, which served both a decorative and spiritual purpose, is an oval window strategically placed to allow a view of the village church. From oeil de boeuf at L'Amandier there is a view of Bonnieux's 12th-century Haute Eglise.

In the dining area a long farm table seats up a dozen guests comfortably, and on winter days a wide fireplace provides warmth and a cozy ambiance. On the opposite side of the entry hall is the spacious living room area, where a sofa and armchairs arranged around an oversized coffee table provide an ideal place to gather for after-dinner coffee to discuss the day's activities.

On the ground floor is a small guest bedroom with twin beds that can be joined to form a king-sized bed with separate sheets. The tiled ensuite bathroom, which opens onto a hallway and thus can function as a guest lavatory, has a shower and WC. This bedroom has direct access to the outside, and adjacent to it is a room with a kitchenette - two features that make this bedroom especially suitable for guests who prefer a ground-floor location with extra privacy.

Also on the ground floor are a bathroom with shower and WC, and a laundry room with washing machine, separate dryer and ironing facilities.

A stairway from the entry hall leads to the middle level, where there are the master bedroom suite, three guest bedrooms and a comfortable sitting room with a full stereo system. The upper level is devoted to another sitting room where guests may read or watch television (satellite reception brings in CNN, BBC and other international channels).

The commodious master suite, especially delightful for its seating area with fireplace and a private terrace looking toward Mont Ventoux, has a queen-sized bed, ceiling fan and a sitting area in front of a fireplace. The ensuite bath, tiled in a cheerful white and yellow, has a double vanity, tub, separate shower and WC.

Next to the master bedroom is a sunny guest bedroom with twin beds that can be made up as a king-sized bed with separate sheets. From an oversized window there is a view of the village of Bonnieux. The ensuite bath has a stall shower and WC.

Each of the remaining two bedrooms on the upper level has twin beds that can be joined to form a king-sized bed. Both bedrooms have views westward toward the nearby village of Lacoste, and in one French doors open onto a small terrace. Occupants of these bedrooms use the bathroom that is ensuite with the bedroom described in the previous paragraph, or one of the downstairs bathrooms.

L'Amandier's modern central heating system with under-floor radiant heat ensures a comfortable late fall or winter stay. Portable fans are tucked away in every bedroom closet should there be an unusually warm night.

There is no more charming village in the Luberon than Bonnieux, home to some 1,500 permanent residents. The otherwise quiet village comes to life every Friday morning when vendors from miles around set up their stalls on a square flanked by restaurants and cafés. The village has all a variety of small shops and food merchants, as well as a post office and a presse where one can buy the International Herald Tribune and other international papers. The 12th-century Haute Eglise (accessed by 86 steps) and Musée de la Boulangerie (bread museum) both merit a visit, as does the Musée des Tire-Bouchons (corkscrew museum) in nearby Ménerbes. And of course no visit to Bonnieux is complete without a meal at Le Fournil, one of our favorite restaurants in Provence and one of several quality establishments in Bonnieux.

For day trips the villages of Lacoste, Roussillon, Goult and Gordes are all less than 20 minutes away. Apt, a commercial center that has a supermarket and hosts a large and colorful open-air market every Saturday morning, is 15 minutes by car. Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, Les Baux-de-Provence, Eygalières. Maussane-les-Alpilles and other village of the Alpilles region are less than an hour's drive to the southwest, as are Châteauneuf-du-Pape and other famed wine villages of the Côtes-du-Rhône to the north.

L'Amandier is available year-round except July, the first week of August and during the year-end holidays.