The old town, close to the river, forms a nucleus around which a newer and more extensive quarter, bordered by boulevards, has grown up.

[3] 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.

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.

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.

[11][12] Direct services from Châteauroux railway station connect Paris, Orléans, Limoges, Toulouse, and several other regional destinations.

The airport is used mainly for cargo, maintenance, training, and light aviation but also serves seasonal charter services.