Postman Cheval's ideal palace, Historic site and monument at Hauterives

OT Porte de DrômArdèche
OT Porte de DrômArdèche.P. Garden
Postman Cheval’s ideal palace / Photo: F. Jouhanin
Postman Cheval’s ideal palace / Photo: F. Jouhanin
Postman Cheval’s ideal palace / Photo: F. Jouhanin
Postman Cheval’s ideal palace / Photo: F. Jouhanin
Postman Cheval’s ideal palace / Photo: F. Jouhanin

Presentation

April 1879. Ferdinand Cheval, a 43-year-old postman, bumps into a stone so bizarre during his rounds that it awakens a dream. Self-taught, he will devote 33 years of his life to building alone, a dream palace in his vegetable garden, inspired by nature.

Traveling about thirty kilometers every day for his rounds in the countryside, he will pick up stones, helped by his faithful wheelbarrow. He inscribed on his monument “one man's work”. His dream palace was completed in 1912.
In the heart of a lush garden, he imagines an imaginary palace, populated by an incredible bestiary - octopus, deer, caiman, elephant, pelican, bear, birds... But also giants, fairies, mythological characters or even waterfalls , architectures from all continents. An architectural work as unclassifiable as it is universal.

Unique in the world, the Ideal Palace has inspired artists for more than a century. Independent of any artistic trend, built without any rules of architecture, the Ideal Palace was admired by the surrealists. It was classified in 1969 as a Historic Monument by André Malraux, then Minister of Culture, under the title of naive art.
Labels: site safety, tourism and disability and tourism quality.

To come Drôme bus lines: D03 and D12

Pet Friendly : no

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Pricing

From 01/01 to 19/09/2025
Adult: from 9 to 9,50 € (9€ online and 9.50€ on site)
Reduced price: from €6 (People with disabilities, job seekers and students on presentation of proof. €6 online and €6.50 on site)
Child: 5 to 5,50 € (6 to 16 years old)
Student: €6 to €6,50 (Student up to 26 years old inclusive; upon presentation of proof.)
Job seeker: from 6 to 6,50 € (Upon presentation of proof)
Adult group: €6 (from 15 people)
Group of children: €4 (3 to 16 years old. From 15 people).

From 20/09 to 21/09/2025
Adult: 9 € (+16 years old
This rate is valid during Heritage Days.)
Reduced rate: €6,50 (free) On presentation of proof:
card holder
-Icom
-Press
-Ministry of Culture
-Conferral guide
-Loyalty card)
Child: €5 (Different rate for heritage days).

From: 22 / 09 / 2025 To: 11 / 01 / 2026
Adult: from 9 to 9,50 € (9€ online and 9.50€ on site)
Reduced price: from €6 (People with disabilities, job seekers and students on presentation of proof. €6 online and €6.50 on site)
Child: 5 to 5,50 € (6 to 16 years old)
Student: €6 to €6,50 (Student up to 26 years old inclusive; upon presentation of proof.)
Job seeker: from 6 to 6,50 € (Upon presentation of proof)
Adult group: €6 (from 15 people)
Group of children: €4 (3 to 16 years old. From 15 people).

Free for drivers.
Child rate granted to 0 - 16 year olds.
Group rate from 15 people.

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Opening

From 31/03 to 29/06/2025
every day .
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday: open

Open Monday to Sunday from 9:30 a.m. to 18 p.m.

From 30/06 to 30/08/2025
every day .
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday: open

Open Monday to Sunday from 9 a.m. to 18:30 p.m.

From 31/08 to 29/09/2025
every day .
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday: open

Open Monday to Sunday from 9:30 a.m. to 18:30 p.m.

From 30/09 to 29/11/2025
every day .
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday: open

Open Monday to Sunday from 9:30 a.m. to 17:30 p.m.

From: 30 / 11 / 2025 To: 11 / 01 / 2026
every day .
Exceptional closings on January 1 and December 25.
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday: open

Open Monday to Sunday from 9:30 a.m. to 16:30 p.m.