Aigle lies at an elevation of 415 m (1,362 ft) about 13 km (8.1 mi) south-southeast of Montreux.

Aigle has an area, as of 2009[update], of 16.41 square kilometers (6.34 sq mi).

[5] Holy Roman Emperor Henry IV gave the territory of Aigle in 1076 to the house of Savoy.

The Abbeys of Great Saint Bernard and Saint-Maurice also had holdings in Aigle, and the latter established a priory, from which the village of Le Cloître takes its name.

SInce the 14th century, it had a treaty with Sembrancher in Valais, that committed the two communities for mutual aid in case of war or natural disaster.

In 1475, the mountain regions of Saanen and Pays-d'Enhaut, who were allied with Bern, attacked and burned the tower of Aigle Castle.

The Geographical dictionary of 1821 by J. van Wijk Roelandszoon names the village Aelen, comprises 600 houses and 2.500 inhabitants, with a Salt mine that yields 15,000 cents.

The blazon of the municipal coat of arms is Per fess Sable and Or, two displayed eagles 1-1 counterchanged.

[9] The historical population is given in the following chart:[5][13] Aigle Castle and Museum De La Vigne, the Swiss Reformed Church of Saint-Maurice and the De la Dîme House are listed as Swiss heritage site of national significance.

The entire town and castle of Aigle are listed as part of the Inventory of Swiss Heritage Sites.

In the tertiary sector; 752 or 29.0% were in wholesale or retail sales or the repair of motor vehicles, 136 or 5.3% were in the movement and storage of goods, 165 or 6.4% were in a hotel or restaurant, 12 or 0.5% were in the information industry, 99 or 3.8% were the insurance or financial industry, 206 or 8.0% were technical professionals or scientists, 251 or 9.7% were in education and 473 or 18.3% were in health care.

[9] The Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) is based in Aigle and many of its defamation lawsuits against critics have been heard in the nearby Est Vaudois district court of Vevey.

In the Vaud cantonal school system, two years of non-obligatory pre-school are provided by the political districts.

[17] Aigle is twinned with:[25] L'Aigle, France, since 1964 Bassersdorf, Switzerland, since 1969 Tübingen, Germany, since 1973 Aigle is a stop on the Swiss Federal Railway's (SBB CFF FFS) high speed Simplon line between Italy (Domodossola) north to Lausanne and Geneva.

At the Aigle SBB CFF FFS station, connections can be made to three narrow gauge railways, the ASD, AL, and AOMC.

The Aigle-Sepey-Diablerets railway's (ASD) route goes east and rises from Aigle to the ski resort of Diablerets.

The Aigle-Leysin railway's (AL) route goes east and rises from Aigle to the ski resort and grand vista of Leysin.

The Aigle-Ollon-Monthey-Champerey railway's (AOMC) route runs west from Aigle across the Rhone and valley, then climbs to the ski resort of Champery.

These railways, plus the Bex–Villars–Bretaye railway (BVB) which runs east from Bex, a village just south of Aigle, are operated by Transports Publics du Chablais with the motto: "Depuis plus de cent ans et contre toute attente, des lignes des TPC reunissent plaine et montagne, Vaud et Valais, ville et campagne, terres catholiques et protestantes."

Translated roughly: "For over 100 years and contrary to all expectations, the railways of TPC have joined plain and mountain, town and country, of the Vaud and Valais districts of Switzerland, land of both Catholics and Protestants."

The TPC "motto" refers to the religious composition and history of the general region known historically as the Chablais which has known turmoil.

The AOMC operates in the Vaud and into the Canton of Valais when it crosses the Rhone to reach Monthey and Champery.

New construction rebuilt Aigle's Place de la Gare in partnership with municipal and canton administration and Swiss Federal Railways (SBB CFF FFS).

With approximately 3 million passengers using its facilities each year, Aigle is the second most important station in canton Vaud after Lausanne.

There are plans, awaiting approval, for the extension of the Aigle-Leysin line beyond Leysin deep into the Berneuse whereby passengers will be able to travel, without transfers, to a site that provides magnificent views of the Alps, the Jura, and Lake Geneva.

Landslides have required periodic emergency work to stabilise above and below the trackside adjacent soil and rock, much of which is covered in coniferous forest.

This has included the erection of 150 meters of mesh barrier to prevent falling rock reaching the tracks and to offer protection to railway workers.

The wettest month is July during which time Aigle receives an average of 110 mm (4.3 in) of precipitation.

The driest month of the year is February with an average of 64 mm (2.5 in) of precipitation over 7.8 days.