The departmental road 17 (D17) comes from Laprade in the north passing through the village and then forming the western border of the commune as it goes south to Bonnes.

[7] The Dronne River forms the entire eastern border of the commune as it flows south to join the Isle at Coutras.

[6] 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 lower part of the commune in the Dronne valley is covered with alluvium from the Quaternary period, the oldest of which have accumulated in terraces and the most recent is on the flood plain.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

[20] Percentage Distribution of Age Groups in Aubeterre-sur-Dronne and Charente Department in 2017 Source: INSEE[22][23] 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.

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 upper parts include a Zodiac, a 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.

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.

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.