Aubeterre, one of the « Most Beautiful Villages in France », is an ancient town overlooking the Dronne. It is built in the shape of an amphitheatre on a white cliff which is the origin of its name [alba terra = white land]. Walk into Aubeterre. Centuries-old houses open onto balconies with balusters and wooden columns just like in Andalusia.
Low dry stone walls mark out the terraces.
Lower down in the village stands the church of Saint-Jacques. All that remains of the church building where pilgrims came to rest on their way to Santiago del Compostella is a magnificent Romanesque façade. Covering more than eighteen metres, decorated with ornamentation inspired by oriental art, it is a remarkable proof of the imagination and sculptural skill of the sculptors in the Middle Ages.
At the top of the village, the castle which greeted Henri IV, Louis XIII, Anne of Austria, Louis XIV, was not able to withstand one of its last owners who transformed it into a stone quarry. All that remains today is a square tower dating from the 16th century and one wing of the outbuildings.
At the heart of the village, the church of Saint-Jean is the largest troglodyte church in Europe : its semicircular vault stands over 20 m high. Many a mystery still surrounds this monument. Its Its origins seem to date from the 6th century but it took on its current form in the 12th century. At one end of the nave, a monument in the Romanesque style has been carved out of the rock. Is it a mausoleum or a reliquary ? A doorway leads through to a necropolis also carved out the rock. It contains 80 sarcophagi set in the limestone rock.
The Dronne is a tranquil river. At Aubeterre, it forms a loop which sweeps round the village.
There is a sandy beach lined with trees, a weir which is a great source of fun for the children and obviously great bathing. Bathing is supervised from 14 July to 20 August.
Canoeing : outings are organised on the Dronne starting from Aubeterre.
Rambling : there are numerous routes to explore the countryside using country lanes and paths across the fields. Itineraries are available from the Tourist Information Office.
