Rhone-Alps

In Hauterives, there is a quite amazing building built by a single man for 33 years (93,000 hours) of labour from 1879 to 1912 : postman Cheval's ideal palace. The postman Ferdinand Cheval picked up stones during his round and then worked in his garden. This tribute to will is phenomenal. There are even sculptures in relief, decorations made with shells, and various inscriptions which transcribe his thoughts. One of them reads : "Let those who think they can do better try".

The building, very popular among surrealist artists, was called a masterpiece of raw art or naive art. Moreover it is listed as historic monument.

Do not forget to go to the cemetery where the postman still spent 8 years in shaping the family tomb : "the Tomb of Silence and endless Rest" 

Note : In Monts d'or, near Lyon, the hermitage of Mont Cindre from the 19th century was also built with stones, but the visit is currently closed (2004) to protect it from degradation.