Abandoned Hospital - The Ultra-Violence Clinic
We received photos from a traveler and compiled a historical summary.
An account of an urban exploration visit to the former Vivarais clinic, located on Rue Georges Couderc in Aubenas. This building has been abandoned for some time—the exact date is unclear to us, as it was a move, a transition. We would say late 2020 or early 2021.
On urbexology—a constantly changing website, which is rather unpleasant—the building was described as “really not recommended.” Squatted in and a hotbed of violence, some say it should not be visited. For such a quiet town, this seems surprising, almost like a fabrication. But no, it's true. There are several squatters, alcohol, drug addiction, systematic destruction of the building: the atmosphere conveyed is one of great violence.
As a result, the report is carried out with great caution, while wondering: when will the fire break out? Because in the midst of this decay, that's all that's missing from the picture.
History of the Vivarais Clinic
To understand the situation of this urban wasteland, it is essential to make a clear distinction between the historic disused site and the modern healthcare facility that has taken its place. The former Clinique du Vivarais, which at the time of the visit was truly abandoned or at least disused, is located on Rue Georges Couderc. This facility ceased operations following a transfer to a newly built establishment. The active healthcare facility, which still operates under the name Clinique du Vivarais, is now located at 41 Chemin du Pré Saint Antoine in Aubenas.
The move of the Clinique du Vivarais from Rue Georges Couderc is not simply an administrative relocation, but a decisive step in the optimization of healthcare services. The new site has been specifically designed to meet current performance and safety standards. The architecture of the new clinic has been focused on optimization for the patient, particularly for outpatient surgery.
The abandonment of the Rue Georges Couderc site, made possible by the opening of the modern facility in 2021, symbolizes the end of the era of obsolete healthcare infrastructure in the Aubenas basin. This change is accompanied by a parallel and significant effort by the public sector, as the Centre Hospitalier d'Ardèche Méridionale launched a project in 2024 to build a new operating theater.
Since the transfer of activities to the new Pré Saint Antoine site, the former facility on Rue Georges Couderc has become a wasteland. Curiously, the press has not reported any incidents involving the site or its incessant vandalism. But what is the neighborhood going through? It must be a nightmare.
In June 2025, the Communauté de Communes du Bassin d'Aubenas (CCBA) purchased the building. The site redevelopment project does not currently specify whether it will be renovated or completely demolished and then rebuilt. The redevelopment project aims to transform the site into a hub based on three areas:
1) The main objective is to combat the decline in medical services by making it easier to attract healthcare professionals. This involves creating housing and services specifically tailored to interns, externs, young doctors, and locums.
2) The project seeks to strengthen higher education provision by facilitating student accommodation and support.
3) The CCBA aims to transform part of the site into a hub for technology and digital innovation in Ardèche.
Comparing the staff lists from that time with the current staff, we see that there have been very few changes. Therefore, we are not compiling a list of staff. It is superfluous. Nothing was expected from this visit, except to be able to document the premises before their transformation. This was done in deplorable conditions, but at least it allows us to preserve some memory of what it was.
