Guide to Indre & Property for Sale in Department 36

Indre is a department located in the Loire Valley in the heart of France, encompassed by the departments of Indre-et-Loire, Loir-et-Cher, Cher, Creuse, Vienne, and Haute-Vienne. The department is named after the river Indre, which flows through its central region. Indre occupies an area of 5,880 square kilometres and is part of the Centre-Val de Loire region of France. The department's administrative centre is the city of Châteauroux, and it also…

Indre is a department located in the Loire Valley in the heart of France, encompassed by the departments of Indre-et-Loire, Loir-et-Cher, Cher, Creuse, Vienne, and Haute-Vienne. The department is named after the river Indre, which flows through its central region. Indre occupies an area of 5,880 square kilometres and is part of the Centre-Val de Loire region of France. The department's administrative centre is the city of Châteauroux, and it also has three sub-prefectures in Le Blanc, La Châtre, and Issoudun. Indre is one of the original 83 departments established during the French Revolution in March 1790 by order of the National Constituent Assembly. It was formed from parts of the former provinces of Berry, Orléanais, La Marche and Touraine. Châteauroux, originally called "Château Raoul," is the department's largest town and capital.

Geographical Borders and Landscape

Indre (department number 36) is bordered by Loir-et-Cher to the north, Cher to the east, Creuse and Haute-Vienne to the south, Vienne to the southwest, and Indre-et-Loire to the northwest. The department features mostly flat plains within the broad Loire Valley, stretching about 100 km from north to south and 90 km wide. The terrain is gently undulating, gradually sloping toward the northwest. The main rivers are the Creuse, the Claise, and the Indre, with the Creuse being dammed in several locations. The Eguzon Dam, built in 1926, was Europe’s largest at the time. The Claise is a tributary of the Creuse, while the Indre runs centrally through the department from south to north, passing major towns like La Châtre, Châteauroux, and Loches, and merging with the Loire at Chinon in the neighbouring Loir-et-Cher department.

Natural Regions of Indre

Indre is divided into four natural regions. North Boischaut occupies the northeast of the department and is characterised by undulating terrain with altitudes ranging from 80 to 215 meters. South Boischaut lies in the south and southeast and is hilly. Brenne is a marshy tract of land in the southwestern part of the Champagne Berrichonne, a flat, dry, flinty limestone plateau that extends eastward into Cher. The highest point of the department is near the town of Pouligny-Notre-Dame, where the land rises to 459 meters above sea level.

Economic Activities

Indre's economy is primarily agricultural, with a long history of sheep farming and woollen yarn production. Other industries include linen, hosiery, and paper manufacturing. The department is also rich in coal, iron, stone, marble, and clay minerals.

Key Information about the Indre (36)

• Main City/Prefecture: Châteauroux
• Nearest Airport: Châteauroux-Centre "Marcel Dassault" Airport or Paris
• Population: Around 220,000 (as of the latest census)
• Area: 6,791 sq. kilometres and 2,621 sq. miles
• Landmark: Château de Valençay, a Renaissance château once home to Talleyrand, Napoleon’s diplomat.
• Number of Tourists/Year: Approx. 900,000, drawn by the charming countryside, historic sites and the Brenne Nature Park.

Property Prices in Indre in 2026 

• Houses: the average price per sq. metre: €1,215 (April 2026)
• Apartments: average price per sq. metre: €1,083 (April 2026)
• Price trends: +10% over the last 12 months, +42% over the last 5 years (Le Figaro - April 2026)

House Prices in the Main Towns in Indre in 2026

• Average House Price in Châteauroux: €1,525 per sq. metre (April 2026)
• Average House Price in Issoudun: €891 per sq. metre (April 2026)

(source: Le Figaro Immobilier)

Browse our Properties for Sale in the Indre

Explore our selection of character houses, period homes, mansions, châteaux and countryside properties for sale in the Indre area of the Loire Valley. These real estate listings are updated weekly by our trusted local agents. Please get in touch with us to arrange property visits or to discuss your search criteria.