It is in Drôme des Collines, in the commune of Hauterives, that this architectural gem is hidden, classified in 1969 as a Historic Monument by the Minister of Culture, André Malraux, as naive art.
Photos : L.Pascale – Drôme Attractivité
In April 1879, postman Ferdinand Cheval, then 43, imagined an extraordinary palace and devoted 33 years of his life to building it, single-handedly. During his rounds, he roamed the countryside and, along the way, collected the stones that would be used to erect the building of his dreams. He didn't have a plan. Every day, he arranged his stones one by one, drawing inspiration from his finds and the surrounding nature.
It is in his lush garden that visitors are invited to discover this architectural masterpiece, where octopuses, deer, caimans, elephants, birds, and even fairies and mythological figures coexist. He completed his work in 1912.
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