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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The Indre Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI) is located in Châteauroux, Gambetta Square, in an emblematic building dating from the 2nd quarter of the 20th century. Originally conceived as the Hotel des Postes et Télégraphes at the end of the 19th century, the building was thoroughly renovated in 1932 by architects Albert Laprade and Jean Varaine. The latter, originally from Indre, collaborated with Laprade — a major figure in modern French architecture, known for his achievements in Morocco and his commitment to Art Deco — to transform the former Post Office Hotel, which had been abandoned since 1928 after the construction of a new postal site. Laprade added a deep wing and designed a monumental entrance inspired by ancient buildings, marked by bosses and curved arcades, harmoniously integrating the building with its urban environment.

Laprade's intervention at Châteauroux was part of a long period of his career, during which he multiplied ambitious projects, such as the Citroën garage in Paris (1928-1929) or the Musée des Colonies (1931). For the Indre ICC, he appealed to the sculptor Alfred Janniot, Grand Prix de Rome, to create a bas-relief celebrating local wealth, combining Berrichon regionalism and classical references. This decor, combined with the formal rigour of the ensemble, illustrates the eclecticism of Laprade, capable of reconciling modernity and tradition. The building, which has been partially protected since 2001 (facades, roofs and monumental entrances), thus reflects the adaptation of public structures to the economic needs of the twentieth century, while embodying a representative aesthetic of the 1930s.

Beyond its architecture, the Indre CCI plays a central role in supporting local companies, managing equipment such as the Déols Industrial Airport Zone (ZIAP) or vocational training centres such as the Campus Centre. Its history reflects the evolution of chambers of commerce in France, from consultative institutions to key players in territorial development, under the supervision of ministries of industry and SMEs. The Châteauroux building, by its dual identity — postal heritage and economic vocation — symbolizes this transition, while offering a remarkable example of architectural heritage linked to the industrial and commercial activity of the Centre-Val de Loire region.

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