following season's UEFA Cup. The team play their home fixtures at the 17,173-capacity Stade Gaston Petit. As Chateauroux was an Air Force base from 1952 until 1967, American football was played in Chateauroux by a team called Sabres. "Sabres" was one of the best European military teams, playing against other French and German teams. Local French people created a football club, playing in the French American football championship. The name chosen is "Sabres", to celebrate the pioneers, to pay homage to the Americans who were the first. Festivals Bals'arts Festival Country Good Old Days Châteauroux Festival de théâtre "les Nocthalies" Festival Multirythmes Festival Populaire du Folklore Forum des associations La Biennale de Céramique contemporaine La Châteauroux Classic d'Indre Trophée Fenioux Les Litztomanias Rock à Belle-Isle Salon du livre de Châteauroux Stage festival de danse de Châteauroux (DARC) Vendredi...Musique Transport There are direct services from Châteauroux railway station to Paris, Orléans, Limoges, Toulouse, and several other regional destinations. The A20 motorway connects Châteauroux with Vierzon, Brive-la-Gaillarde, and Toulouse. The city offers free public transportation since 2001. Total ridership is up 208% between 2001 and 2012. The city is served by Châteauroux-Centre "Marcel Dassault" Airport which is in the commune of Déols to the North. The airport is used mainly for cargo, maintenance, training and light aviation but also is served by seasonal charter services. Notable people Born in Châteauroux Henri Gratien, Comte 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 Robert Falcucci (1900-1989), illustrator (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 Dean Brown (born 1955), jazz guitarist Mardi Jacquet (born 1960), playmate Tom Darby (born 1960), American journalist, Nevada Broadcast Hall of Fame inductee, author and blogger Gilles Sunu (born 1991), footballer Others associated with the area (1560–1620), poet Pierre Leroux (1797–1871), philosopher and politician (1807–1865), publisher (1859–1939), writer Fernand Maillaud (1862–1948), painter Bernard Naudin (1876–1946), painter and designer Ernest Nivet (1871–1948), sculptor Émile Goué (1904–1946) Édouard Ramonet (1909–1980), politician Jean Fourton (1934-), writer, humanist, painter and psychoanalyst. Former town councillor of Châteauroux (1957 to 1967). International relations Châteauroux is twinned with: Gütersloh, Germany, since 1977 Bittou, Burkina Faso, since 1985 Olsztyn, Poland, since 1991 Fresno, United States, since 2016 Jinhua, China, since 2019