The Salbris' name refers to a ford across river Sauldre (Salera Briva): the Roman way from Meung sur Loire crossed the river at current Impasse de la Cure, and then followed Rue du Berry, and went on towards Bourges. North of the river, it followed approximately Rue des Pittingues, and then the road to Saint Viâtre. Numerous "Tombelles" (mounds used as a tomb or a commemorative monument) in the area, are telltale signs of a human presence.

Since the Middle-Ages, and until 1789, Salbris was just a small village, its name is mentioned in 855, as belonging to Saint Sulpice of Bourges' abbey. The borough was small, and limited itself to streets radiating from the church, and stretching westwards to the current post office, and eastwards to nowadays cemetery.

The local seigneury belonged to La Ferté-Imbault; the Squire levied a tax on the river Sauldre crossing, but his stronghold was far away (in Arteloup, now Theillay): It belonged to the d'Etampes family who finally gained La Ferté Imbault (whom it was belonging to in the fifteenth century).

Some ancient restored houses can still be noticed rue de Gascogne, rue Anne Grelat, rue du Général Giraud (the chemist's shop by the corner of RN 20). The current Boulevard de la République (RN 20) probably goes back to the Middle-Ages, and was restored in 1751.

The church (our oldest building) was erected in the twelfth century. The chapel (Notre Dame de la Pitié or Des Sept Douleurs), on the road to Nançay, was built at the same time, in the open countryside and was an attended pilgrimage destination.

Under the Revolution, the book of grievances provides some interesting details : for instance, construction permit applications for building prisons (because men of arms used to lodge prisoners at home !), or the creation of a market.

In 1814, Pope Pie VII celebrated the wedding of abbot Bézard's niece in Salbris.

Nicolas Sokoloff, examining magistrate at the court of Omsk (which performed the investigation on the Russian Imperial family's assassination), arrived in Salbris in 1921 in the Château du Chesne, he lived there until his death and was buried in 1924.

Django Reinhardt, a true famous music genius, got married in Salbris in July 1942.

Salbris' economy started developing when the railway got constructed (1847). Population then increased swiftly from 1738 to over 6000 people today.

The Blanc Argent's (or B.A.) metric railway track was constructed in 1901, and counted over 191 kilometres at that time. Only 67 kilometres still remain between Salbris and Luçay le Mâle (Indre).

The A 71 motorway has an exit in Salbris, that provides our small town with a wider opening on the exterior.

Rivaulde Château was built at the beginning of the century in place of a manor house from the 15th century. It was financed by the owner, Mrs Schneider who also owned factories in Creusot.

The Rivaulde Domain had about 3000 hectares. This new château was made of local bricks manufactured in a brickyard belonging to the Rivaulde Domain and it was located where nowadays you can find the supermarket "Super U". A railway directly linked the brickyard to the château.

Magnificent outhouses with stables and a big hall reserved for barouches were built at the same time of the château.

After the First World War, the property was devoted above all to the forest and hunting where sumptuous receptions were held.

During the Second World War, the château was occupied from 1940 to 1944 by officers belonging to the German army.

After Mrs Schneider's death in 1942, the property was divided among three heiresses and the château became the place of children's holiday camps.

In 1974, because of a costly maintenance, the château was sold and transformed into flats, main and second homes.

As for the very beautiful hall which was firstly used to park barouches, it is now used for great receptions or exhibitions.