COUNTRY OF CHATRE

CHATRE: A LITTLE HISTORY...
Châtre in Bas-Berry was born from one camp at the Roman time and appears under the name of "castra" in the acts of files of the XIth century. Each century marked it . Burned in 1152 by Louis VII, touched by the plague in 1348-49, thriving at the following centuries around the tanneries and the mills, quarreller in XVlllth , romantic in the time of George Sand, it jealously preserves in her walls the marks of her thousand-year-old and prestigious life.
"I described Châtre, I sermonized it because I like it so much..." George Sand,” History of my Life”.

CHATRE TODAY.
Under dynamic prefecture of Bas Berry (4755 inhabitants), twice a stage city of the Tour of France and organizer of the prologue of Paris Dakar, Châtre knew to raise the challenges by accomodating large-scale. events. Cultural city, it offers a varied program throughout the year: festivals of international fame, theatre season, exhibitions, concerts... Sporting city richly endowed with equipments (automotive circuit, covered swimming pool, gymnasia, tennis...). Châtre is also a gastronomical stage where the glutonous will appreciate in particular wafer with potatoes, the slightly salted ham, the pâté of Easter... Châtre has varied and dynamic trade. Gathered within the association called Châtre-Animations, the tradesmen are willing to promote the quality of their products and to offer the best reception. Each year, in September, an exhibition of autumn is organized.
Spilimbergo, Italian city of the Friuli, famous for its school of mosaic, is twinned with the city of Chatre since 1980.

INESCAPABLE
The House of George Sand in Nohant-Vic.
Being a national monument, the house preserves te furniture and the objects in which the writer lived and recieved a number of famous hosts like (Balzac, Chopin, Delacroix, Flaubert...).
Museum of George Sand and Vallée Noire in Châtre
In a fortress of XVthcentury, are presented the memories of George Sand, the works of local artists, the Greek and Etruscan potteries, and an ornithological collection of more than 3000 naturalized birds.
Fortress of Sarzay
Medieval Masonry of XIVth century. George Sand located a part of the action of his novel “Le Meunier d'Angibault “(the Miller of Angibault).

CORNERS OF NATURE
Mare au Diable in Mers sur Indre: "It is a bad place, and one should not approach it without throwing three stones inside by the left hand, and making the sign of the cross by the right hand: that moves away the spirits. Otherwise, misfortunes happen to those who make the tour of it." spoke the old woman to Germain, the ploughman hero of the novel of George Sand.

GAZEAU TOWER IN POULIGNY-SAINT-MARTIN
Vestige of the XIIIth century, this "old insulated tower [... ] threatening ruin; one had tolerated , by lapse of memory more than by benevolence, the retreat of an old poor, extremely original man, living completely alone, and known in the country under the name of gentleman Patience ". (Mauprat).

THE PARK OF PARELLES IN BURSTING
It is a wild and bucolic site of 13ha that is exceptional by the richness of its fauna and its flora. The place inspired George Sand for the rustic legends.