Ferdinand Cheval was born I the city with hardly pronounceable name Charmes-sur-l’herbasse in 1836. Circumstances of his birth and childhood are not of great interest to us. However, Ferdinand since childhood was known to be a perseverant and stubborn which along with laid-back dreaminess made him to be indeed a unique person. Let’s start from the point when Ferdinand Cheval moved to small town (now called ‘his town’) Hauterive where he worked as local postman. If anyone wants to go and take a look at that town, here’s the schematic map and there you’ll ask where to go..

Being a postman, Ferdinand walked daily 32km delivering all kinds of letters, brochures, wrappers, catalogs, newspapers and so on. They say Hauterive was famous by its hot weather, and postman had to walk long distance. Be that as it may, because of irrepressible fantasy or because of heat, as  evil-wishers said, but Cheval started experiencing visions of beautiful mythical palaces. Does it matter who of us and what visions.. we do live with it. But here two circumstances took place – Ferdinand’ perseverance and the fact that the place used to be bottom of a sea. Everywhere were spread lots of stones.

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