View source for Aubeterre-sur-Dronne

{{about|the commune in Charente|the commune in Aube|Aubeterre}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2023}}
{{Refimprove|date=June 2025}}
{{Infobox French commune
|name                   = Aubeterre-sur-Dronne
|native name            = {{native name|oc|Aubaterra}}
|commune status         = [[Communes of France|Commune]]
|image coat of arms     = Blason de la ville d'Aubeterre-sur-Dronne (16).svg
|image                  = Vue Globale Aubeterre-sur-Dronne.JPG
|caption                = A view of Aubeterre-sur-Dronne
|arrondissement         = Angoulême
|canton                 = Tude-et-Lavalette
|INSEE                  = 16020
|postal code            = 16390
|mayor                  = Charles Audoin<ref>{{cite web|title=Répertoire national des élus: les maires|url=https://www.data.gouv.fr/fr/datasets/r/2876a346-d50c-4911-934e-19ee07b0e503|publisher=data.gouv.fr, Plateforme ouverte des données publiques françaises|date=13 September 2022|language=fr}}</ref>
|term                   = 2020&ndash;2026
|intercommunality       = CC Lavalette Tude Dronne
|coordinates            = {{coord|45.2725|0.1711|format=dms|display=inline,title}}
|elevation m            = 70
|elevation min m        = 38
|elevation max m        = 112
|area km2               = 2.39
|population             = {{France metadata Wikidata|population_total}}
|population date        = {{France metadata Wikidata|population_as_of}}
|population footnotes   = {{France metadata Wikidata|population_footnotes}}
}}
'''Aubeterre-sur-Dronne''' ({{IPA|fr|obtɛʁ syʁ dʁɔn}}, literally ''Aubeterre on Dronne''; {{langx|oc|Aubaterra}} or ''Aubaterra de Drona'', before 1962: ''Aubeterre'')<ref>[https://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/jorf/jo/id/JORFCONT000000017681 Décret du 2 mars 1962 portant changement de nom de communes], ''[[Journal officiel de la République française]]'' n° 0055, 7 March 1962, p. 2308.</ref> is a [[Communes of France|commune]] in the [[Charente]] [[Departments of France|department]] in the [[Nouvelle-Aquitaine]] [[Regions of France|region]] of Southwestern [[France]].<ref>[https://www.insee.fr/fr/metadonnees/geographie/commune/16020-aubeterre-sur-dronne Commune d'Aubeterre-sur-Dronne (16020)], INSEE</ref>

Located on the river [[Dronne]], on the departmental border with [[Dordogne]], Aubeterre-sur-Dronne has been a member of [[Les Plus Beaux Villages de France]] (The Most Beautiful Villages of France) Association since 1993. It is well known for its Church of Saint Jean, an underground, Monolithic church. Also popular is the nearby campsite with karaoke and live bands every night that can be heard for miles around.

==Geography==
[[File:Aubeterre Pont.jpg|thumb|left|The bridge over the Dronne]]
Aubeterre-sur-Dronne is located in the extreme southeast of the [[Charente]] department some 42&nbsp;km (26&nbsp;mi) south of [[Angoulême]],<ref>[http://mapper.acme.com/?ll=45.2725,0.1711&z=8 Orthodromic Dictances from Acme Mapper]</ref> 14&nbsp;km (8.6&nbsp;mi) east of [[Chalais, Charente|Chalais]] and 16&nbsp;km (9.9&nbsp;mi) west by northwest of [[Ribérac]]. The entire eastern border is the [[Dronne]] river which is the boundary between the Charente and [[Dordogne]] departments. Access to the commune is by the departmental road 2 (D2) from [[Saint-Romain, Charente|Saint-Romain]] in the west which passes around the village and continues east to [[Saint-Antoine-Cumond]]. The departmental road 17 (D17) comes from [[Laprade, Charente|Laprade]] in the north passing through the village and then forming the western border of the commune as it goes south to [[Bonnes, Charente|Bonnes]]. The village is on the northern border of the commune with the rest of the commune entirely farmland.<ref name=Google>[https://www.google.com/maps/place/Aubeterre-sur-Dronne/@45.2626545,0.1709814,3214m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m2!3m1!1s0x47ffe85eb041d1d7:0x977ab1fc784c547d?hl=en Google Maps]</ref>

The commune is part of [[Les Plus Beaux Villages de France]] (The Most beautiful villages in France).<ref>[http://www.les-plus-beaux-villages-de-france.org/fr/aubeterre-sur-dronne-0 Page on Aubeterre-sur-Dronne] on ''Les Plus Beaux Villages de France'' website, consulted on 15 March 2014. {{in lang|fr}}</ref>

The [[Dronne|Dronne River]] forms the entire eastern border of the commune as it flows south to join the [[Isle (river)|Isle]] at [[Coutras]]. In the south of the commune a branch off the Dronne passes through the commune and is called the Astier du Poulard.<ref name=Google/>

===Geology and terrain===
The vast area west of the commune is occupied by the slopes of [[Campanian]] (Upper Cretaceous) chalky limestone which covers a large part of southern Charente. The hills north of the town are covered with [[Tertiary period|Tertiary]] deposits of [[sand]], [[clay]], and [[pebble]]s. The lower part of the commune in the Dronne valley is covered with [[alluvium]] from the [[Quaternary]] period, the oldest of which have accumulated in [[Terrace (geology)|terraces]] and the most recent is on the flood plain.<ref>BRGM map on [[Géoportail]] {{in lang|fr}}</ref><ref>[http://infoterre.brgm.fr/viewer/MainTileForward.do# Infoterre Visualiser] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170423154453/http://infoterre.brgm.fr/viewer/MainTileForward.do |date=2017-04-23 }}, BRGM website {{in lang|fr}}</ref><ref>[http://ficheinfoterre.brgm.fr/Notices/0757N.pdf Paper Notice on Ribérac], BRGM, 1999, {{ISBN|2-7159-1757-0}}, Infoterre website, consulted on 30 December 2011 {{in lang|fr}}</ref>

Aubeterre is on a hill in the concave bank of a meander of the River Dronne and forms a spur to the south.

The highest point of the commune is at an altitude of 111m and is located on the plateau near the northern boundary. The lowest point is 38m located on the southern boundary next to the Dronne. The commune is spread between the valley of the Dronne and the top of the hill.

==Toponymy==
[[File:Vue d'Aubeterre.JPG|thumb|left|Limestone cliffs overlooking the village rooftops]]
The name ''Aubeterre'' is derived from ''Albaterra'' which dates to 1004.<ref>Jean Nanglard, ''Polyptych history of the Diocese of Angoulême'', Vol. III, Angoulême, imprimerie Despujols, 1900, 582 p., p. 113 {{in lang|fr}}</ref> ''Alba Terra'' means "White earth" which comes from the white chalk rock face overlooking the village.

Aubeterre is located in the [[Occitania|Occitan]] part of Charente and its name in Occitan is ''Aubaterra'' ([[Limousin dialect]]).<ref>[http://ujan.free.fr/charanto.htm ''The names of communes in Charente occitan''], Jean Urroz, 2005, consulted on 15 March 2014 {{in lang|oc}}</ref>

==History==

===Middle Ages===
There has been a lordship of Aubeterre since the 11th century.{{citation needed|date=November 2022}} The first known lord was Géraud at the beginning of that century. ''Aimeri d'Aubeterre'' was the name of a monk at the [[Abbey of Saint-Cybard]].

On the hill on top of the white chalk cliffs the lords of Aubeterre erected a castle above the monolithic Church of Saint-Jean in the 12th century. Aubeterre was then a Viscounty which passed by marriage to Pierre II from the house of Castillon.<ref name=mb>Jules Martin-Buchey, ''Historic and communal geography of Charente'', Châteauneuf, 1914–1917 (reprint Bruno Sépulchre, Paris, 1984), 422 p., p. 61-63 {{in lang|fr}}</ref>

In 1246, the lord of Aubeterre recognized [[Hugh X of Lusignan]] - the [[Counts and Dukes of Angoulême|Count of Angoulême]] - as his [[Suzerainty|Suzerain]].<ref>Pierre-Rémy Houssin with Jean Combes and Michel Luc, ''Charente from prehistory to our times'', (collective work), St-Jean-d'Y, Imprimerie Bordessoules, coll. "History by documents", 1986, 429 p. ({{ISBN|2-903504-21-0}}, BnF No. FRBNF34901024, p. 124 {{in lang|fr}}</ref>

In 1278, Pierre V was stripped of the Viscounty of Aubeterre and paid [[Homage (feudal)|homage]] to the Count of Angoulême. His youngest daughter married ''Pierre Raymond'', Lord of [[Ozillac]], who thus became Viscount of Aubeterre. The Raymond family retained Aubeterre throughout the 14th century and was on the side of the King of France against the English during the [[Hundred Years War]].<ref name=mb/>

In September 1346, during the Hundred Years War, the [[Henry of Grosmont, 1st Duke of Lancaster|Earl of Derby]] took the village.<ref>Robert Favreau, Jean Combes (dir.), ''History of Poitou and Charent Country: Deux-Sèvres, Vienne, Charente, Charente-Maritime, Clermont-Ferrand'', Gérard Tisserand, 2001, 334 p. ({{ISBN|2-84494-084-6}}), [https://books.google.com/books?id=sgNcz4RlYOwC Read online]{{Dead link|date=September 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}, p. 196 {{in lang|fr}}</ref>

The King of England, [[Edward III]], gave the Lord of [[Mussidan]] custody of the village, which he retained in 1360 at the [[Treaty of Brétigny]] which retro-ceded [[Angoumois]] to England as well as Saintonge.<ref group="Note">Aubeterre, the gateway to [[Périgord]], was also the gateway to [[County of Saintonge|Saintonge]], since at that time the province included [[Barbezieux-Saint-Hilaire|Barbezieux]], [[Montmoreau-Saint-Cybard|Montmoreau]], and [[Chalais, Charente|Chalais]]. After the [[Treaty of Brétigny]] all the English possessions in [[Duchy of Aquitaine|Aquitaine]] were called ''[[Guyenne]]''.</ref>

Viscount ''Gardrad Raymond'', the son of Pierre Raymond, swore allegiance to [[Edward, the Black Prince|Edward of Woodstock]], [[Prince of Wales]] on 29 September 1363.<ref name=mb/>

In 1366, Aubeterre was one of nine [[castellan]]ies in the [[Bailiwick|Seneschal]] of Angoumois which was held by the English [[Seneschal]] Henri de la Haye.<ref>Pierre-Rémy Houssin with Jean Combes and Michel Luc, ''Charente from prehistory to our times'', (collective work), St-Jean-d'Y, Imprimerie Bordessoules, coll. "History by documents", 1986, 429 p. ({{ISBN|2-903504-21-0}}, BnF No. FRBNF34901024, p. 133 {{in lang|fr}}</ref><ref group=Note>Other castellanies were: [[Angoulême]], [[Bouteville]], [[Villebois-Lavalette|Villebois]], [[Merpins]], [[Jarnac]], [[Cognac (Charente)|Cognac]], and [[La Tour-Blanche]].</ref> Between 1356 and 1412 the lordship of Aubeterre changed hands seven times between the English and the French. Gardrad Raymond, lord of Aubeterre, was a great recruiter and headed bands of Anglo-Gascons before being engaged by [[Bertrand Du Guesclin]] to go to war with Spain in 1366.<ref>Pierre-Rémy Houssin with Jean Combes and Michel Luc, ''Charente from prehistory to our times'', (collective work), St-Jean-d'Y, Imprimerie Bordessoules, coll. "History by documents", 1986, 429 p. ({{ISBN|2-903504-21-0}}, BnF No. FRBNF34901024, p. 142 {{in lang|fr}}</ref>

The granddaughter of Gardrad Raymond married ''Guy Bouchard'', a knight, and Aubeterre remained in the hands of the Bouchard family for the next two centuries.

===Modern Times (16th–18th century)===
[[File:François d'Esparbès de Lussan.jpg|thumb|François d'Esparbès de Lussan d'Aubeterre]]
After the wars of religion were over the Viscount of Aubeterre, ''François Bouchard'', embraced the [[Protestant]] party with ardour. The assassin of [[Henry I, Duke of Guise]], [[Jean de Poltrot]], was one of his pages. François Bouchard fled to [[Geneva]] with his wife and Aubeterre was taken by the [[Duke of Anjou]]. His son, ''David Bouchard'', returned from exile in [[Switzerland]]. He was supported by the Viscount of [[Bourdeilles]], [[Seneschal]] of [[Périgord]], who gave him his daughter Renée in marriage which then brought him to the Catholic religion. The young Viscount of Aubeterre died in 1593 as a result of a wound received at the siege of [[Lisle, Dordogne|Lisle]] in Perigord by [[Catholic League (French)|Leaguers]].<ref name=mb/>

Their only daughter Hippolyte married ''François d'Esparbes de Lussan'' in 1597 who became Viscount of Aubeterre. This remarkable man had Protestant ideas unlike his father and was the faithful companion of [[Henri IV]] both before and after his accession to the throne. He helped him to regain his kingdom against the [[Catholic League (French)|Catholic League]]. He obtained the governance of [[Blaye]] and in 1612 he was Governor and Seneschal of [[Agenais]] and Condomois and was made [[Marshal of France]] in 1620.

He rebuilt the castle (the pavilion containing the chapel, gatehouses, and the round tower) and created a Marquisate in Aubeterre. He died in January 1628 in his castle.{{citation needed|date=November 2022}}

He had twelve children including seven boys. Succession gave rise to a long process which was ended in 1650 by a decree of the ''Parliament of Paris'' which stipulated that all property would be shared between the two eldest sons. The elder branch, which descended from [[Henri Joseph Bouchard d'Esparbès de Lussan d'Aubeterre]], retained the title of Marquis of Aubeterre. The younger son took the title of Count of Aubeterre and lived in the ''Château de Bonnes''.<ref name=mb/>

In the 18th century the jurisdiction of Aubeterre extended over 19 [[parish]]es and 40 [[fief]]s. The religious chapter depended on the [[Diocese of Périgueux]] and the Protestant church on the Synod of Angoumois.<ref>Pierre-Rémy Houssin with Jean Combes and Michel Luc, ''Charente from prehistory to our times'', (collective work), St-Jean-d'Y, Imprimerie Bordessoules, coll. "History by documents", 1986, 429 p. ({{ISBN|2-903504-21-0}}, BnF No. FRBNF34901024, p. 159 {{in lang|fr}}</ref>

===Contemporary era===
At the beginning of the 20th century Aubeterre had a station on the Parcoul to Riberac railway line.<ref name=mb/>

===Heraldry===
{{Blazon-arms
|img1=Blason de la ville d'Aubeterre-sur-Dronne (16).svg
|legend1=Arms of Aubeterre-sur-Dronne 
|text=

'''Blazon:'''<br/>
''Lozengy of Or and Azure, in chief Gules.''
}}

==Administration==
[[File:Aubeterre Mairie.jpg|thumb|The Town Hall]]
'''List of Successive Mayors'''<ref>[http://www.francegenweb.org/mairesgenweb/resultcommune.php?id=21312 List of Mayors of France] {{in lang|fr}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! From !! To !! Name !! Party !! Position
|-
| 2001 || 2004 || Pierre-Marcel Benoit ||   || 
|-
| 2004 ||  || Jacques Mercier ||   || 
|}

==Demography==
Its inhabitants are known as ''Aubeterriens'' (masculine) or ''Aubeterriennes'' (feminine) in French.<ref>[https://www.habitants.fr/charente-16 Inhabitants of Charente] {{in lang|fr}}</ref>

{{Historical populations
| align = none
| cols = 2
| percentages = pagr
| source = EHESS<ref name=ehess>{{Cassini-Ehess|1644|Aubeterre-sur-Dronne}}</ref> and INSEE<ref name=evol2017/>
| graph-pos = bottom
|1793 |699
|1800 |775
|1806 |753
|1821 |725
|1831 |763
|1841 |672
|1846 |768
|1851 |714
|1856 |723
|1861 |699
|1866 |704
|1872 |731
|1876 |751
|1881 |765
|1886 |848
|1891 |772
|1896 |705
|1901 |714
|1906 |624
|1911 |635
|1921 |547
|1926 |530
|1931 |509
|1936 |508
|1946 |529
|1954 |489
|1962 |446
|1968 |449
|1975 |419
|1982 |398
|1990 |388
|1999 |365
|2007 |422
|2012 |416
|2017 |386
}}

===Distribution of Age Groups===

'''Percentage Distribution of Age Groups in Aubeterre-sur-Dronne and Charente Department in 2017'''
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|-
!  !! colspan=2 | Aubeterre-sur-Dronne !! colspan=2 |  Charente
|-
! Age Range !! Men !! Women !! Men !! Women
|-
| 0 to 14 Years || 11.2 || 10.4 || 16.7 || 14.8
|-
| 15 to 29 Years || 12.4 || 6.3 || 15.7 || 13.8
|-
| 30 to 44 Years || 11.8 || 10.9 || 17.1 || 16.3
|-
| 45 to 59 Years || 20.2 || 19.8 || 21.1 || 20.8
|-
| 60 to 74 Years || 26.2 || 19.4 || 19.6 || 19.8
|-
| 75 to 89 Years || 14.3 || 20.0 || 8.9 || 12.0
|-
| 90 Years+ || 3.9 || 13.2 || 0.9 || 2.4
|}
Source: [[Institut national de la statistique et des études économiques|INSEE]]<ref name=evol2017>[https://www.insee.fr/fr/statistiques/4515315?geo=COM-16020 Évolution et structure de la population en 2017: Commune d'Aubeterre-sur-Dronne (16020)]</ref><ref>[https://www.insee.fr/fr/statistiques/4515315?geo=DEP-16 Évolution et structure de la population en 2017: Département de la Charente (16)]</ref>

==Culture and heritage==

===Civil heritage===
{{Prose|section|date=June 2025}}
[[File:Aubeterre vue3.JPG|thumb|View of the Chateau]]
[[File:Aubeterre chat2.JPG|thumb|The gatehouse of the château]]
*The '''Chateau d'Aubeterre''' (11th century){{Mérimée Icon}}<ref>Ministry of Culture, Mérimée {{Mérimée|PA00104233|PA00104233 Chateau d'Aubeterre}} {{in lang|fr}}{{Camera}}</ref>

Built on a rocky promontory and controlling the valley of the [[Dronne]] as well as being the meeting point of three provinces (Angoumois, Saintonge, and Périgord), the Chateau d'Aubeterre is mentioned in writings from 1004.

The main remnant of the chateau is the gatehouse: a rectangular tower of solid appearance rebuilt in the 16th century. It retains an appearance specific to medieval buildings including battlements and two vertical grooves on either side of the portal - the ultimate evidence of a former drawbridge. The whole is completed by the remains of four circular towers, part of the defensive walls, a small lodgings house, a Renaissance chapel, and some parts of an old [[Curtain wall (fortification)|curtain wall]].<ref>''Châteaux, manors, and lodgings: Charente'', éditions Patrimoine et Médias, 1993, 499 p. ({{ISBN|2-910137-05-8}}), p. 323 {{in lang|fr}}</ref>

*The '''Place Merkès-Merval''' owes its name to two opera-stars from 1940 to 1990: [[Marcel Merkès]] and [[Paulette Merval]]. This small place is known for its traditional houses with wooden balconies "in Spanish style". In the centre is an old [[Lavoir]] (public laundry). An arched way leads to the ''Place Trarieux'' named after [[Ludovic Trarieux]], the founder of the [[Human Rights League (France)|Ligue française pour la défense des droits de l'homme et du citoyen]] (French League for the Defence of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen) who was a native of Aubeterre. This small plaza is lined with ancient houses, and there is a niche housing a statue of the [[Sacred Heart]] of Jesus.
*The '''Tower of the Apostles''' (or ''Henri IV Tower''): it was in this tower that [[Henri IV of France|Henri of Navarre]] would have slept on the eve of the [[Battle of Coutras]].<ref>Jean-Paul Gaillard, ''Castles, lodgings, and old houses of Charente'', Paris,  librairie Bruno Sépulchre, 1993 (reprint 2005), 893 p., p. 85 {{in lang|fr}}</ref>

===Religious heritage===
*The '''Minimes Convent''',{{Mérimée Icon}}<ref>Ministry of Culture, Mérimée {{Mérimée|PA00104562|PA00104562 Minimes Convent}} {{in lang|fr}}{{Camera}}</ref> founded in 1617, is now a retirement home. The Chapel (open to the public) combines classical and late Gothic architectural elements. There is a [[Retable]] in monumental stone, which shall include representatives of angels holding in their hands suns. The cloister adjoining the chapel has pure and simple lines and is modelled after the Minimes Convent of Blaye.

The [[Altar]] and [[Retable]] (17th century) are registered as an historical object.{{Palissy Icon}}<ref>Ministry of Culture, Palissy {{Palissy|PM16000305|PM16000305 Altar and Retable}} {{in lang|fr}}</ref>

<gallery>
File:Aubeterre Minimes1.jpg|Minimes Convent
File:Aubeterre Minimes3.jpg|Minimes Convent Chapel Altar
File:Aubeterre Minimes2.jpg|Tomb effigy in the Reliquary of the Minimes Convent
File:Aubeterre Minimes4.jpg|View of the cloistres in Minimes Convent
</gallery>

[[File:Aubeterre16 Extérieur 2013.jpg|thumb|The Church of Saint-Jacques]]
*The '''Church of Saint-Jacques''' (12th century){{Mérimée Icon}}<ref>Ministry of Culture, Mérimée {{Mérimée|PA00104235|PA00104235 Church of Saint-Jacques}} {{in lang|fr}}{{Camera}}</ref> was seriously damaged during the [[Wars of religion]] (13 and 14 May 1562) and was almost completely rebuilt in 1710. Nevertheless, it has an imposing Saintonge Romanesque facade dating to the 12th century. 18.40 metres long and 12 metres high, it is divided into three horizontal and vertical sections punctuated by large arches and spaces between the columns.

The lobed arch in the portal shows Hispano-Moorish influences and includes five arches decorated with geometric patterns. The upper parts include a [[Zodiac]], a [[Romanesque architecture|Romanesque]] arch (which probably once held statues of the twelve apostles, now gone), and symbolic representations (e.g. Coquilles Saint-Jacques) of a stage on the [[Way of St. James]] to Saint Jacques de Compostela.

The interior of the church is very sober and divided into three aisles - the whole being covered with exposed timbers. The flat [[Apse#chevet|chevet]] is pierced by a large bay in which modern stained glass was installed in 1970. The south aisle houses a Madonna with child from the 16th century.

The Church of Saint-Jacques contains many items that are registered as historical objects:
*2 Bronze Bells (1673){{Palissy Icon}}<ref>Ministry of Culture, Palissy {{Palissy|PM16000063|PM16000063 2 Bronze Bells}} {{in lang|fr}}</ref>
*A Bronze Bell (1600){{Palissy Icon}}<ref>Ministry of Culture, Palissy {{Palissy|PM16000062|PM16000062 Bronze Bell}} {{in lang|fr}}</ref>
*A [[Lectern]] (17th century){{Palissy Icon}}<ref>Ministry of Culture, Palissy {{Palissy|PM16000588|PM16000588 Lectern}} {{in lang|fr}}</ref>
*A Statue: Virgin and Child (18th century){{Palissy Icon}}<ref>Ministry of Culture, Palissy {{Palissy|PM16000478|PM16000478 Statue: Virgin and Child}} {{in lang|fr}}</ref>
*2 Statues: Angels adoring (18th century){{Palissy Icon}}<ref>Ministry of Culture, Palissy {{Palissy|PM16000477|PM16000477 2 Statues: Angels adoring}} {{in lang|fr}}</ref>
*An [[Altar]] with two tiers (18th century){{Palissy Icon}}<ref>Ministry of Culture, Palissy {{Palissy|PM16000476|PM16000476 Altar with two tiers}} {{in lang|fr}}</ref>
*A Winged [[Church tabernacle|Tabernacle]] (18th century){{Palissy Icon}}<ref>Ministry of Culture, Palissy {{Palissy|PM16000475|PM16000475 Winged Tabernacle}} {{in lang|fr}}</ref>
*A Statue:Virgin and Child (19th century){{Palissy Icon}}<ref>Ministry of Culture, Palissy {{Palissy|PM16000474|PM16000474 Statue:Virgin and Child}} {{in lang|fr}}</ref>
*2 Choir Candlesticks (13th century){{Palissy Icon}}<ref>Ministry of Culture, Palissy {{Palissy|PM16000401|PM16000401 Statue:2 Choir Candlesticks}} {{in lang|fr}}{{Camera}}</ref>
*A [[Capital (architecture)|Capital]] (12th century){{Palissy Icon}}<ref>Ministry of Culture, Palissy {{Palissy|PM16000395|PM16000395 Capital}} {{in lang|fr}}{{Camera}}</ref>

;The Church of Saint-Jacques gallery
<gallery>
File:Aubeterre-sur-Dronne church 02 (4738243533).jpg|Entrance to the Church
File:Aubeterre-sur-Dronne church 04 (4738248045).jpg|Church Capitals
File:Aubeterre5.JPG|The exposed timber ceiling
File:Aubeterre 16 Intrados polylobé 2013.jpg|Lobed arch over the entrance
</gallery>

[[File:Reliquary Church of Saint-Jean Aubeterre.jpg|thumb|Reliquary in the Church of Saint-Jean, Aubeterre-sur-Dronne.]]
*The '''Subterranean Monolithic Church''' (7th century){{Mérimée Icon}}<ref>Ministry of Culture, Mérimée {{Mérimée|PA00104234|PA00104234 Subterranean Monolithic Church}} {{in lang|fr}}{{Camera}}</ref>

The subterranean monolithic church of Saint-Jean is an underground church carved into a cliff overlooking the Dronne in the 7th century and greatly enlarged in the 12th century by a community of [[Benedictine]] monks. From the [[nave]] to the centre of the [[Vault (architecture)|vault]] with its semi-circular arches is nearly 20 metres. At about 15 metres high it is bordered on three sides by a gallery, a kind of [[triforium]], which is accessed by a staircase carved into the rock. A series of large arches and massive columns (from an octagonal base to a square at the top level) mark the separation with the lateral nave.

This cave church has unique furniture comprising an imposing stone reliquary (6 metres high) - a masterpiece of Romanesque art, a cave of relics, an early Christian baptismal font decorated with a Greek cross, and a crypt. The original chapel, carved in the 7th century contains nearly 80 medieval sarcophagi. These tombs were discovered between 1958 and 1961. Burials were performed in the nave until 1865 when the practice was prohibited for reasons of public health.<ref>''Archeologia'', No. 51, "The Monolithic churches of Aubeterre, Gurat, and Saint-Émilion", 1972 {{in lang|fr}}</ref>

[[File:Crypte de l'église monolithe Saint-Jean.JPG|thumb|Crypt of the Subterranean Church of Saint-Jean where there is an image]]

The Subterranean monolithic church of Saint-Jean is one of the main rock-hewn churches of France. It has two "sisters" in the region: the ''Monolithic church of Saint-Émilion and the Chapel of the Hermitage of Saint-Martial at [[Mortagne-sur-Gironde]]''.

The Church of Saint-Jean contains the tomb of François d'Esparbes de Lussan, Marshal of Aubeterre, and Hippolyte Bouchard which is registered as a historical object.{{Palissy Icon}}<ref>Ministry of Culture, Palissy {{Palissy|PM16000061|PM16000061 Tomb of François d'Esparbes de Lussan and Hippolyte Bouchard}} {{in lang|fr}}{{Camera}}</ref>

;The Subterranean Monolithic Church of Saint-Jean Gallery
<gallery>
File:Aubeterre-er-9.jpg|15 metre high galleries
File:Aubeterre-er-1.jpg|Looking down from the galleries
</gallery>

[[File:016 Aubeterre-sur-Dronne (Charente) L'ancien hospice.JPG|thumb|The old Saint Francis Hospice]]
*The '''Convent of the [[Poor Clares]]''', founded in 1620, is now privately owned. It has a military aspect to its entrance with battlements and a parapet. This former Saint Francis Hospice, which dated from the 14th century, was originally built to help pilgrims, the sick, and the needy.

==Education==
The school is an intercommunal educational grouping between Aubeterre, [[Bonnes, Charente|Bonnes]], and [[Laprade, Charente|Laprade]]. Aubeterre hosts the primary school while Bonnes and Laprade have elementary schools.<ref>[http://web16.ac-poitiers.fr/ia16/admin/etabs/ecoles/rpi.php Academic Inspection of Charente website] {{in lang|fr}}</ref>

==Notable people linked to the commune==
[[File:Ludovic Trarieux Aubeterre-sur-Dronne.jpg|thumb|Statue of Ludovic Trarieux]]
*'''François d'Esparbès-Lussan''' (around 1571–1628), Viscount of Aubeterre, [[Marshal of France]]
*'''[[Henri Joseph Bouchard d'Esparbès de Lussan d'Aubeterre|Henri Joseph Bouchard d'Esparbès de Lussan]]''' (24 January 1714 – 28 August 1788), [[Marquis]] of Aubeterre, [[Marshal of France]]
*'''[[Ludovic Trarieux]]''', founder of the [[Human Rights League (France)|Ligue française pour la défense des droits de l'homme et du citoyen]]
*'''[[Pierre Véry]]''', born in [[Bellon, Charente|Bellon]] on 17 November 1900 and died in Paris on 12 October 1960, was a French writer and screenwriter, author of among others: ''Disparus de Saint-Agil''. A small museum was opened on 21 June 2008 in his second home in Aubeterre on the instigation of his son Noël Véry, himself a famous cinematographic operator and promoter in France of the ''Steadycam'' process.
*'''Paulette Merval''', born Paulette Riffaud (an old family in Aubeterre) on 3 November 1920 at La Roche-Chalais and died on 21 June 2009 at Bordeaux, and '''[[Marcel Merkès]]''' born on 7 July 1920 at Bordeaux and died on 30 March 2007 at Pessac. They were the "golden couple" of operetta, marrying 10,500 times in their scene. They owned the Baisevigne Domain where they liked to come and rest between performances at the Théâtre Mogador in Paris.

==See also==
*[[Communes of the Charente department]]

===Bibliography===
*Pierre-Rémy Houssin with Jean Combes and Michel Luc, ''Charente from prehistory to our times'', (collective work), St-Jean-d'Y, Imprimerie Bordessoules, coll. "History by documents", 1986, 429 p. ({{ISBN|2-903504-21-0}}, BnF No. FRBNF34901024 {{in lang|fr}}

==Notes and references==

===Notes===
<references group="Note"/>

===References===
{{Reflist|2}}

==External links==
*[http://aubeterresurdronne.com/ Aubeterre-sur-Dronne Official Website] {{in lang|fr}}

{{Commons category|Aubeterre-sur-Dronne}}

{{Geographic location
| title = '''Neighbouring communes and villages'''
|width=auto
|Centre    = Aubeterre-sur-Dronne 
|North     = 
|Northeast = [[Laprade, Charente|Laprade]]
|East      = 
|Southeast = [[Saint-Antoine-Cumond]]
|South     = 
|Southwest = [[Bonnes, Charente|Bonnes]]
|West      = 
|Northwest = [[Saint-Romain, Charente|Saint-Romain]]
}}
{{Charente communes}}
{{Les Plus Beaux Villages de France}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Aubeterresurdronne}}
[[Category:Communes of Charente]]
[[Category:Plus Beaux Villages de France]]