Aubenas
The capital of southernmost Ardèche, Aubenas is a town with 13,000 inhabitants basking in a Mediterranean climate in the Monts d’Ardèche Regional Nature Park, 50 kilometers west of Montélimar.
The town center has a medieval castle in an historic center dating back to the Middle Ages, pedestrian streets and a view over the Ardèche hills.
The region
To the west of Aubenas lie the Ardèche hills, the Mont Gerbier de Jonc and the sources of the river Loire.
About ten kilometers from Aubenas is Vals les Bains thermal spa and the Ardèche mineral water springs and volcanoes.
About thirty kilometers south of Aubenas are the Ardèche river gorges and the le Pont d’Arc natural stone bridge.
Between the two, there are a multiplicity of small stone-built villages of character including Balazuc, Chassiers, Montréal and Vogüé.
A few kilometers to the east is the Roman site of Alba la Romaine a superb hilltop village which was the regional capital under the Roman empire with a Gallo-Roman theater.
The region
To the west of Aubenas lie the Ardèche hills, the Mont Gerbier de Jonc and the sources of the river Loire.
About ten kilometers from Aubenas is Vals les Bains thermal spa and the Ardèche mineral water springs and volcanoes.
About thirty kilometers south of Aubenas are the Ardèche river gorges and the le Pont d’Arc natural stone bridge.
Between the two, there are a multiplicity of small stone-built villages of character including Balazuc, Chassiers, Montréal and Vogüé.
A few kilometers to the east is the Roman site of Alba la Romaine a superb hilltop village which was the regional capital under the Roman empire with a Gallo-Roman theater.
Gastronomy
Enjoy the local goat and ewe cheeses caillettes which combine meat and vegetables, chestnut spread from the Ardèche chestnut groves – and of course our local wines Côtes du Vivarais.
