Date: 15 Novembre 2003
Subject: The ideal castle of the Factor Cheval

Hello to all,   I am very glad to be back in France. I stay in Italy was very nice, but I was beginning to be eager to understand what people were saying. I am coming to the end of my hourney and I am approaching the portion that fascinates me, the Alps.   Wednesday, 12 November   I got up this morning, and there was a snow cover on St. Vincent. The hotel manager advised me to take the scenic route closest by, and I took advantage of it to drive around. This route took me very high in the mountains toward a village named Gressoney the Truth. Believe it or not, a thick fog hid the clouds and there was snow on the ground. Moreover, the temperature had dropped to 7 degrees (44 F.) at St. Vincent, and to 2 degrees (36 F.) when I turned off in front of it.

I was hoping that the clouds would dissipate with the sun, but no such luck, the sky was still covered. I stopped along the road at Bard, a little medieval town with a fortified castle stuck on the top of a rocky peak. The road itself was ravishing, all curves and sculptured on the flank of the rock. At least it was wide enough for two cars! As for the toll road, it was situated in the very center of the hill and was a straight line, I could see it from where I was perched.

I would have stopped at Fenis which has a castle that seemed marvelous on a postal card that I saw in a store. I should have continued on because it really wasn't worth it. In any case, there are lots of castles dating from the Middle Ages on this hill and it is enough to look to the left and to the right to see them. another town that seemed interesting was Aoste, but since there were no signs worthy of the name, I just crossed the town taking me to the object of my trip, the tunnel of Mont-Blanc.

It's a long tunnel of 20 km (13 miles) and seen from the other side in France, the sun had come out with a beautiful blue sky. What a change! I looked for a hotel at Chamonix during some good weather because 2/3 of them were closed for the vacation. Effectively, they open up again in mid-December when the snow arrives. Even the village was quiet, nobody on the streets at 8:30. A tranquil evening.

Thursday 13 November

You have to believe that bad weather is stalking me. The beautiful winter sky disappeared, to be replaced by a fog that covered the valley. Happily, the clouds dissipated little by little and I took advantage of it to take the teleferique [cable-car lift] and go up just on the Aiguille du Midi to 3842 meters in altitude (2.4 miles) I should have put on a second layer of winter coat because at the top, it was not warm at all. Nonetheless the view above the clouds was truly worthwhile, there were rocky peaks and snow-capped mountains as far as you could see. It was truly magnificent.

I left Chamonix to take a panoramic route which took me along the following towns: Mont-Blanc, Megene, Albertville, Annecy, Aix les Bains, Chambery, and Grenoble. I need not tell you that the speed limit was 30 km/h (18 mph) and that the countryside was amazing. I slept in Grenoble and I am visiting the town tomorrow.

Friday, the 14th of November

Grenoble and its town situation in a valley surrounded by mountains. I had taken the bubble-lift to get me to the fort that looks out over the town and which gives you an impressive panoramic view. You can see Mt-Blanc in the distance. I then walked in the pedestrian section situated in the center of the town and adjacent to the section dating from the Middle Ages.

I wanted to walk the entire route again among the hills, but the weather-service announced that there would be rain for the afternoon, and I did not take the chance. Really a sham. In any event, I was intrigued by a brief paragraph in my Voir guidebook mentionning a curious palace situated at Hauterive called the Ideal Palace of the Factor Cheval. I therefore went down to Roman to go there.

What a work of art! I had told you how Gaudin in Barcelona had impressed me, and well the ideal castle blew me over. It was a Factor [postman or accountant] by the name of Cheval who built by himself over 33 years this ideal castle situated in a little town called Hauterive (High-Bank). This man brought his dream to life starting with a rock on which he proceeded to build a castle made of rocks which he quarried near the village. Then when he had completed his castle he built his own tomb in the local cemetery. It is surrealistic architecture and folk art in the same tradition as Gaudin, the parallels are troubling between the two men. This castle and the tomb are indescribable, and it is truly necessary to see them to be able to appreciate them.

After this surprising visit which ended later than I had thought, I went back to Lyon where I found a hotel in the suburbs to spend the night.

Saturday 15 November

I am taking the most unusual transport presently, after the cable-cars of Mont Blanc and Grenoble, here is the funiculaire de Lyon. I chose it to go up and visit the Basilica of Notre-Dame de Fourvière at the Roman theaters. Moreover, the view from the top over Lyon is very beautiful and is worth a glance. I took advantage of it also to visit the museum of the Gallo-Roman Civilization which contains many very interesting pieces.

After my visit, I went down into the old Lyon and the cathedral of St-Jean. Truly a great deal to tell, lots of walking, a lovely old city of Lyon, and nothing to declare. In any event, I am meeting Gilles this evening and we are going to have supper and a drink.

til next time,

Paul

Reply from Gilles, another member of the French online discussion list, from the Island of La Réunion in the Indian Ocean which is a département (state) of France:   Hello,   We met Paul, Saturday evening in the center of Lyon where I came to visit my daughter.   "What a guy, that Paul! He's terrific!"	Gilles
His tales are captivating, he is living his trip very intensively, and I hope that we will have the opportunity to see his film on DVD rom. We had an excellent evening, near his hotel, with a good beer and some slightly dry crepes, but it didn't matter a bit because our objective was something entirely other than food. expressions from Quebec. On the ear, it's something else again!	Sara

I have immortalized our encounter in a photo on a side street adjoining the Saône river. A great evening, and I confirm for Marie that she will see him again in several days in good form [literally, with a fish from hell]. With friendship, Gilles

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