Châteauroux

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Coordinates: 46°48′37″N 1°41′28″E / 46.8102777778, 1.69111111111

Commune of Châteauroux
Location
Administration
Country	France
Region	Centre
Department	Indre (préfecture)
Arrondissement	Châteauroux
Canton	Chief town of 4 cantons
Intercommunality	Communauté d'agglomération Castelroussine
Mayor	Jean-François Mayet (2001-2008)
Statistics
Elevation	132 m–164 m (avg. 154 m)
Land area¹	25.54 km²
Population² (1999)	49,632
- Density	1,943/km² (1999)
Miscellaneous
INSEE/Postal code	36044/ 36000
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.
2 Population sans doubles comptes: residents of multiple communes (e.g. students and military personnel) only counted once.

Châteauroux is a commune and city of central France, préfecture (capital) of the Indre département, and the second largest town in Berry, after Bourges. According to the 1999 census, there were 49,632 residents, who are called Castelroussines or Castelroussins.

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.

Contents 1 Geography and Climate 2 History 3 Landmarks and Tourist Attractions 4 Festivals 5 Personalities born in Châteauroux 6 Other personalities 7 Sister Cities 8 See Also 9 External links 10 References

[edit] Geography and Climate

Châteauroux lies on the Indre River 250 km (155 miles) south of Paris and 142 km (88 miles) south of Orléans. It is situated on the edge of the government-owned Châteauroux forest and the Brenne national park. The city boasts 450 hectares (1112 acres) of parks, amounting to 52 m² (560 ft²) for each resident. Châteauroux's average elevation is 154 m (505 feet) above sea level.

Châteauroux enjoys a mild climate. Temperature extremes range from an average January low of 0.8° C (33° F) to an average August high of 25.1° C (77° F).

[edit] 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. During the Middle Ages it was the seat of a seigniory, which was raised to the rank of countship in 1497. 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, and 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.

[edit] Landmarks and Tourist Attractions

• Château Raoul
• Musée Bertrand
• Musée des Arts et Traditions Populaires
• Public Garden and the Jardins des Cordeliers
• Le Parc de loisirs de Belle-Isle
• Chateau de Bouges
• Convent of the Cordeliers
• Church of St. Martial
• Church of St. André
• Church of Notre Dame
• Musée du Compagnonnage
• Quartier St. Christophe
• La Prairie St. Gildas
• Equinoxe
• Le Tarmac

[edit] Festivals

• Bals'arts
• Vendredi...Musique
• Festival Multirythmes
• Festival Populaire du Folklore
• Festival de théâtre "les Nocthalies"
• Rock à Belle-Isle
• Stage festival de danse de Châteauroux (DARC)
• La Châteauroux Classic d'Indre Trophée Fenioux
• La Biennale de Céramique contemporaine
• Les Litztomanias
• Salon du livre de Châteauroux
• Forum des associations

[edit] Personalities born in Châteauroux

• Henri Gatien 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
• 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
• Mardi Jacquet (born 1960), playmate

[edit] Other personalities

• Jean Lauron (1560-1620)
• Jean-Claude Guymon de la Touche (1723-1760)
• Pierre Leroux (1797-1871)
• Napoléon Chaix (1807-1865)
• Adolphe Combanaire (1859-1939)
• George-Albert Aurier (1865-1892)
• Fernand Maillaud (1862-1948)
• Bernard Naudin (1876-1946)
• Ernest Nivet (1871-1948)
• Émile Goué (1904-1946)
• Abbé Paviot
• Édouard Ramonet (1909-1980)
• Louis Suard

[edit] Sister Cities

• Gütersloh (Germany) since 1977
• Bittou (a commune of Burkina Faso) since November 1985
• Olsztyn (Poland) since February 23, 1991

[edit] See Also

• Berrichonne de Châteauroux
• Châteauroux-Déols "Marcel Dassault" Airport
• Marie-Anne de Mailly-Nesle duchess de Châteauroux
• Saint-Benoît-du-Sault

[edit] External links

• City of Châteauroux Official Website

[edit] References

• http://www.lameteo.org/chateauroux.html
• http://www.villes-et-villages-fleuris.com/chateaur.htm

This article incorporates text from the Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition, a publication now in the public domain.

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