Berstheim

67170 Berstheim

The village is situated on high ground between the Zorn and Moder valleys, 25 kilometres north of Strasbourg. It has a population of around 437 and forms part of the Haguenau Urban Community. From the road linking Berstheim to Wintershouse, Strasbourg Cathedral is clearly visible on a clear day. Formerly an imperial and then royal village, it was administered by the grand bailiffs until 1713. In 1793, the village was the scene of fierce fighting between the troops of the Republic and the émigrés: this was the Battle of Berstheim. The village lay in ruins: of sixty houses, only four remained standing. The church, the vicarage, the guardhouse and the school were devastated. The farmhouses were rebuilt a few hundred metres to the west of their original locations. In the 20th century, Berstheim was the first commune in France where oil was extracted. The first oil deposits were discovered in 1914 and, by the late 1940s, Berstheim had the largest oil field in the Pechelbronn network and was connected to it by an underground oil pipeline. At that time, our village was the largest oil-producing area in France. The following monuments and historic buildings form part of our heritage: the church, the vicarage, the town hall, the local nickname (‘D’Barchmer Sôjkewel’), the calvaries, the monumental crosses and the wayside crosses. Our St Martin’s Church celebrated its 250th anniversary in 2019.

Automatically translated

Is this your business?

Claim this listing free of charge to complete it, add your photos and publish your offers for residents and visitors in Berstheim.

Manage this listing

Listing provided by Office de Tourisme du Pays de Haguenau (updated by the source on 19/06/2021).

Tourist office data: DATAtourisme, Licence Ouverte (French open licence), updated 28 October 2026.