This Grand Palace Was Built By A Postman Using Pebbles And Stones

Once upon a time, in late 1800s, a postman stumbled upon a rock while walking his delivery route. And the rest, as they say, is history...

Palais Ideal in Hauterives, France. Photograph courtesy of: Marie Cardon

From Palais de Papes to Palace of Fontainebleau, there are scores of beautiful palaces in France. But the Palais Ideal or ‘The Ideal Palace’ in Hauterives clearly stands out thanks to its unique structure made of oddly shaped stones.

The fascinating palace was built by Ferdinand Cheval, a French postman, who spent 33 years collecting stones and building this stunning piece of architecture.

Ferdinand Cheval
Photograph courtesy of: Wikipedia

According to Cheval, it all started with a dream. “In a dream I had built a palace, a castle or caves. I told no one about it for fear of being ridiculed and I felt ridiculous myself,” Chavel wrote in his journal.

Later, one day in the spring of 1879, things were put into motion when he tripped over an odd-shaped rock on his postal route. He took it home for a closer inspection. 

“I said to myself: since Nature is willing to do the sculpture, I will do the masonry and the architecture,” he wrote.

 Inspired by the incident, Chavel started collecting stones and pebbles in his pockets while returning home after delivering the day’s mail. But as he started collecting more and more stones, he began to use a basket and then eventually a wheelbarrow.

For nearly a decade, the rural mailman kept picking up stones. It was in 1879 that he actually started constructing his dream palace. Chavel spent nearly two decades building the castle, stone by stone, each night by the light of an oil lamp, until it was finished in 1912.

Photograph courtesy of: Daderot

He used cement, lime and mortar to hold the rocks together. Cheval built the castle all by himself, without any formal architectural training. 

Photograph courtesy of: Emmanuel Georges

Located in a small village in southeastern France, the limestone marvel attracts nearly 100,000 visitors each year. The protected landmark is also used as a venue for concerts and art exhibitions.

So the next time you’re travelling to France, make sure that this self-made wonder is at the top of your bucket list!