Châteauroux ( SHAT-oh-ROO; French pronunciation: [ʃɑtoʁu] ; Occitan: Chasteurós) is the capital city of the French department of Indre, central France and the second-largest town in the former province of Berry, after Bourges. Its residents are called Castelroussins (pronounced [kastɛlʁusɛ̃]) in French.
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Climate
Châteauroux temperatures range from an average February low of 1.3 °C (34 °F) to an average July and August high of 26.4 °C (80 °F).
History
The old town, close to the river, forms a nucleus around which a newer and more extensive quarter, bordered by boulevards, has grown up. The suburbs of St. Christophe and Déols lie on the right bank of the Indre. The castle from which the city takes its name was built in the latter part of the 10th century by Raoul, prince of Déols.
From 920 to 1008, the Norman raids forced the monks of the abbey of Saint-Gildas-de-Rhuys, founded in Brittany by Saint Gildas, to bring his relics to the abbey of Saint-Gildas of Châteauroux that they founded under the protection of the prince Ebbes of Déols, father of Raoul. During the Middle Ages, it was the seat of a seigniory. It was passed to the Chauvigny from 1207 to 1473. It was raised to the rank of countship in 1497 for Jean V d'Aumont.
In 1616, when it was held by Henry II, Prince of Condé, it was raised to the rank of duchy. In 1736, it returned to the crown. It was given to Marie Anne de Mailly-Nesle, duchess of Châteauroux, by Louis XV in 1744. The present Château Raoul housing the préfecture offices dates from the 15th century.
The Hôtel de Ville was completed in 1977.
Awards
Châteauroux is one of the communes awarded the grand prize by the Concours National des Villes et Villages Fleuris, a beautification initiative begun in 1959.
Monuments
Château Raoul, 15th century
Church of St. André, 19th century
Church of St. Martial, 12th-16th century
Église Notre-Dame, 19th century
Convent of the Cordeliers, 13th century
Équinoxe
La Prairie St. Gildas
Le Parc de loisirs de Belle-Isle
Le Tarmac
Musée Bertrand
Musée des Arts et Traditions Populaires
Musée du Compagnonnage
Public Garden and the Jardins des Cordeliers
Quartier St. Christophe
Sports
Football
La Berrichonne de Châteauroux is the town's football club based in Châteauroux, founded in 1883. The team currently plays in National, the third division of French football, and played only one season in Ligue 1 in 1997–98. Châteauroux reached the final of the 2003–04 Coupe de France, where they were defeated 1–0 by Paris Saint-Germain, qualifying for the following season's UEFA Cup. The team plays its home fixtures at the 17,173-capacity Stade Gaston Petit.
As Chateauroux was an Air Force base from 1952 until 1967, American football was played in Chateauroux by a team called Sabres. "Sabres" was one of the best European military teams, playing against other French and German teams. Local French people created a football club in the French American football championship. The name chosen is "Sabres", to celebrate the pioneers, to pay homage to the Americans who were the first.
Tour de France
Châteauroux has been host to the Tour de France multiple times. The most successful cyclist at Châteauroux is Mark Cavendish with three stage wins, leading up to the final straight being labeled "Avenue Cavendish".
Paris 2024
The National Shooting Centre at Châteauroux hosted the shooting events for the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.
Festivals
Bals'arts
Festival Country Good Old Days Châteauroux
Festival de théâtre "les Nocthalies"
Festival Multirythmes
Festival Populaire du Folklore
Forum des associations
La Biennale de Céramique contemporaine
La Châteauroux Classic d'Indre Trophée Fenioux
Les Litztomanias
Rock à Belle-Isle
Salon du livre de Châteauroux
Stage festival de danse de Châteauroux (DARC)
Vendredi...Musique
Transport
Direct services from Châteauroux railway station connect Paris, Orléans, Limoges, Toulouse, and several other regional destinations. The A20 motorway connects Châteauroux with Vierzon, Brive-la-Gaillarde, and Toulouse.
The city offers free public transportation since 2001. Total ridership is up 208% between 2001 and 2012.
The city is served by Châteauroux-Centre "Marcel Dassault" Airport, which is in the commune of Déols to the North. The airport is used mainly for cargo, maintenance, training, and light aviation but also serves seasonal charter services. However, there are no schedule passenger flights to and from the airport. The nearest airport is in poitiers, 80 miles west of Châteauroux.
Notable people
Born in Châteauroux
Henri Gratien, Comte Bertrand (1773–1844), general of Napoleon's army
Albert Aurier (1865–1892), symbolist poet, writer and art critic
Marcel Boussac (1889–1980), entrepreneur and horse breeder
Robert Falcucci (1900-1989), illustrator
Jack Claude Nezat (born 1943), author, City Councilor of Lésigny (France), initiator of Lésigny-Leingarten twinning, founder and first President of Rencontres Franco Allemandes, Annecy (Annecy-Bayreuth twinning)
Gérard Depardieu (born 1948), actor and businessman
Dean Brown (born 1955), jazz guitarist
Mardi Jacquet (born 1960), playmate
Estelle Touzet (born 1981), chef sommelier.
Gilles Sunu (born 1991), footballer
Others associated with the area
Jean Lauron (1560–1620), poet
Pierre Leroux (1797–1871), philosopher and politician
Napoléon Chaix (1807–1865), publisher
Adolphe Combanaire (1859–1939), writer
Fernand Maillaud (1862–1948), painter
Bernard Naudin (1876–1946), painter and designer
Ernest Nivet (1871–1948), sculptor
Émile Goué (1904–1946), composer
Édouard Ramonet (1909–1980), politician
Jean Fourton (1934-), writer, humanist, painter, and psychoanalyst. Former town councilor of Châteauroux (1957 to 1967).
International relations
Châteauroux is twinned with:
Gütersloh, Germany, since 1977
Bittou, Burkina Faso, since 1985
Olsztyn, Poland, since 1991
Fresno, United States, since 2016
Jinhua, China, since 2019