Barenton-Cel is located some 10 km north by northeast of Laon and 40 km southeast of Saint-Quentin. It can be accessed by the D547 road from Verneuil-sur-Serre in the northeast continuing southwest through the commune and the village to Aulnois-sous-Laon in the southwest. There is also the D545 road from Barenton-Bugny on the southeastern border. The commune consists entirely of farmland with no other villages or hamlets.[3]
The Ru des Barentons stream forms the southeastern border of the commune and flows northeast to join the Souche river in the north.[3]