The ideal Palace of Ferdinand Cheval is the embodiment of one man’s dream, which has become the cultural and historical heritage of an entire country. This is not just an object of unique and interesting architecture, but also the story of a simple mail carrier who, in spite of everything, built his ideal palace. According to some, even the architecture of the famous Gaudi cannot be compared with the fantasy of a simple mail carrier. His ideal palace had a huge impact on the work of artists, architects and sculptors, among whom were Picasso, Robert Tatin and Nicky de Saint-Fall.
Today we will talk about this amazing palace, how to get there and where to stay.
How to get to the Ideal Palace of Ferdinand Cheval
The ideal Ferdinand Cheval Palace is located in the French city of Hauterives, in the Rhône-Alpes region in the eastern part of the country. The city does not have its own airport and train station, so you can get here only from the nearest cities with transfers by bus or car. The nearest major city is Lyon. Travel time to the palace will be a little over an hour.
The palace is open for visitors from 10 am to 5 pm. Admission is paid, about 8 Euro per person.
Information about the Ideal Palace of Ferdinand Cheval
Creating the Ideal Palace of Ferdinand Cheval is really a very interesting and inspiring story. It began in 1879, when Monsieur Ferdinand Chevalier and his wife moved to the Hauterives. Chevalier began to work at the local post office, and in order to at least slightly ease his work, he took with him a hand truck, in which he kept the parcels. Along the way, he collected stones of the most bizarre form that he could find. This went on for over 30 years, during which Chevalier used the found stones and his work to create his own ideal palace alone. The master was gone in 1924, but his creation still lives and amazes everyone who sees it.
The architecture of the palace is difficult to attribute to any style; rather it is eclecticism. In the decor of the palace, you can see scenes from biblical mythologies, sayings of Christ and Buddha, crypts, a temple, a mosque, hundreds of turrets, sculptures and bas-reliefs. On the general plan, everything mixes up. But upon closer examination, each detail of the decor has its own style and character that cannot be described. Truly, the Ideal Palace of Ferdinand Chevalier is better to see once than to describe.
Nearest Hotels to The ideal Palace of Ferdinand Cheval
Here is a short list of the nearest hotels to the Ideal Palace of Ferdinand Cheval, in which you can stay in comfort:
- Polos Ton Yr-Alt Historik Certer
- Crown Lodge
- Hotel La Placide Saint Germain Des Pres
