At first glance, this palace looks like something out of a fairy tale. However, it does exist and on top of that it is in France! Hard to believe that such a wonder is not far from home, is not it? When we know its location, many questions come to mind. Here is the history of this palace.
Summary
- One man’s dream
- A timeless palace in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
- The tomb of endless silence and rest
One man’s dream
The story of Postman Cheval’s Ideal Palace is both amazing and inspiring. It all started in 1879. As Ferdinand Cheval, a 43-year-old postman, was walking quietly, he tripped over a stone. This one was so special, that an unusual dream occurred to him: to create a palace with his own hands. From that moment began the project of his life in his vegetable garden in the village of Hauterives in the Drôme. Every day, the postman added new stones to his building. He collected his materials using his wheelbarrow on his way during his professional rounds in the countryside. It was in 1912, more than 30 years after starting work on its building, that it was completed. At that time, the palace already intrigued the whole village and its surroundings.
A timeless palace in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
This place is to be visited during a stay in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region and more particularly in the Drôme. The visit to the Postman Cheval’s Ideal Palace is done rather quickly, but is worth doing. You will see that it is so out of the ordinary that one can almost say that Fernand Cheval invented his own architectural style. Thus, you will be able to see the titanic work that a single man did more than 100 years ago. In addition to marveling us, this magnificent palace sends us a message, namely that when you really want to realize a dream, it is possible.
The tomb of endless silence and rest
It was at the age of 78 that Ferdinand Cheval embarked on the construction of a new building intended for the afterlife. The tomb was built within the grounds of the cemetery of his village of Hauterives. It was made in the same architectural style as the now famous palace. If you want to continue in your momentum, you can go to the exceptional tomb of this postman and pay homage to him.
