First of all, I need to mention Jean Baptiste. I have hired dozens of holiday houses over the years, but he has been the best vendor we've come across. Nothing was too much trouble. For example, I stupidly allowed my car to run out of battery and he went out of his way to resolve the issue. He was also a great source of local information, having lived in the area all his life.
The house itself is a 16th century building with stone walls that are over 2 feet thick. It was therefore lovely and cool at all times, regardless of the temperature outside. It is an on-going refurbishment project (the top floor is as yet unrefurbished and out of bounds) but just counting the parts already refurbished make it a very large house. Although the refurbishment has been carried out relatively cheaply, it has been done effectively and made for a very comfortable experience.
Being Provence, it was 32-34 degrees celsius most days . But the well thought out large shady areas and the lovely pool made sure no one ever over heated.
In terms of the area, the house is perfectly located to explore one of the most beautiful parts of France. It's in between Bonnieux and Lacoste, and we spent a lot of time in Bonnieux in particular. The book " A Year in Provence" was set in this exact area, and was great to read while we travelled around exploring Menerbes, Roussilon, Gordes, Fomtaine-de-Vacluse, and countless other beautiful towns and villages.
Overall, a great experience and I very much hope to rent the house again from Jean-Baptiste in the near future.