Aubenas is one of the most populous communes in the Ardèche department with 12,479 inhabitants as of 2019, after Annonay and before Guilherand-Granges and Tournon-sur-Rhône.

Aubenas is the centre of an urban area, composed of 22 towns and villages including Vals-les-Bains,[3] with 41,568 inhabitants (2018).

[4] Aside from its long-year commercial activity, it has a good strategic position on the tourist field, at crossroads of a regional natural park, the zone of the Ardèche river canyon and the start of mountains.

And in fact, it is sat on the strategic position of a limestone base overlooking the valley of Ardèche.

At the foot of the promontory pass route of Montélimar to Le Puy-en-Velay, lies the oldest axis of movement between the Rhone valley and the mountains of Auvergne.

The city hosted the arrival of the Tour de France on 24 July 2009, the day prior to the climbing of mount Ventoux.