We’ll head out on an excursion to the Palais Idéal du Facteur Cheval, a monument built by a postman from 1879 to 1912. No other building like it exists in the world, which is why it attracts the curiosity of visitors from all over. Cheval’s challenge began in 1879 when he tripped over a stone. He took the stone home with him to examine its structure closer. The next day he went back to the same spot and found more sandstones that had been sculpted by nature. For the next 33 years, he picked up stones during his daily rounds and brought them home to add to his palace. In addition to building the structure with his own hands, Ferdinand Cheval personalized the palace with poetic texts describing his feat. After our excursion, we’ll return on board the ship.
PLEASE NOTE
- The order of the visits can change.
- Times are approximate.
We’ll head out on an excursion to the Palais Idéal du Facteur Cheval, a monument built by a postman from 1879 to 1912. No other building like it exists in the world, which is why it attracts the curiosity of visitors from all over. Cheval’s challenge began in 1879 when he tripped over a stone. He took the stone home with him to examine its structure closer. The next day he went back to the same spot and found more sandstones that had been sculpted by nature. For the next 33 years, he picked up stones during his daily rounds and brought them home to add to his palace. In addition to building the structure with his own hands, Ferdinand Cheval personalized the palace with poetic texts describing his feat. After our excursion, we’ll return on board the ship.
PLEASE NOTE
- The order of the visits can change.
- Times are approximate.
Cruises
This shore excursion is available for one or several cruises
French Art and History Along the Rhône River
LYON - MACON - LYON - TAIN-L'HERMITAGE - AVIGNON - ARLES - MARTIGUES
Discover the Rhône through an offbeat, seven-day cruise. See each city differently as you retrace the footsteps of the artists and celebrities who influenced their cultures.
From Alphonse de Lamartine's Mâcon to Marcel Pagnol's Marseille, with side trips to Paul Bocuse's Lyon and Van Gogh's homestead in Arles, each excursion will bring you to the core of the city and its history.
Discover unusual sites such as the Quarries of Light in Les Baux-de-Provence and the Palais Idéal du Facteur Cheval in Hauterives.
This cruise on the Saône and Rhone Rivers overflows with the vineyard landscapes and limestone cliffs of southern France.