Located in southwest France, Gers used to be part of Midi-Pyrénées, a former administrative region of France. In 2016, Gers was included in the newly established Occitanie. Gers owns 463 towns, with a total area of 6,300 square kilometers and a population of 228,000. Its capital Auch is 66 kilometers away from Toulouse.
Gers is characterized by fickle weather, low rainfall, and abundant sunshine, with an average temperature of 12 °C and an annual rainfall of 690 millimeters. There are hills and valleys, fertile land, fascinating scenery, and numerous historical sites. The province mainly develops planting, animal husbandry, poultry farming, food and beverage production, fruit and vegetable preservation and processing as well as brewing. Barley, canola, garlic, grapes, and other fruits abound in the province. It is especially developed in agriculture, with a per capita cultivated area of 36 hectares. Ducks and gooses in Gers are known for their short feeding periods, large livers, and heavy bodies, with the weight of each reaching five kilograms to eight kilograms. Their livers are usually for export.
Tourism is well developed in the province by virtue of its architectural art from the 11th to 14th centuries and a large group of ancient castles. Sainte-Marie d'Auch Cathedral, as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, serves as a key stop on the Way of St. James. Lectoure, 33 kilometers away from Auch, was established in the ancient Rome period. The famous Lectoure Hot Spring lies at a grand manor built in the 18th century. The hot spring gushes out from rock formations at a depth of more than 1,000 meters underground, and the water temperature is around 42 °C throughout the year. The water contains more than a dozen minerals and trace elements beneficial to human health, such as sodium, magnesium, radon, potassium, and calcium, so that it is popular with the locals.
In October 1988, Wanzhou District formed sister city relations with Gers.
Exchanges between Wanzhou and Gers
In 1988, based on friendly exchanges and visits, Wanzhou signed an agreement with Gers to establish sister-city relations. In November 2007, the Wanzhou delegation visited Bordeaux, France, to attend the 2nd High-Level Forum on China-France Local Governments Cooperation and visited Gers later. The two sides signed an agreement to further strengthen sister city relations. In 2018, an achievements exhibition commemorating the 30th anniversary of international friendly exchanges was held in Wanzhou during the 9th China Yangtze River Three Gorges International Tourism Festival. The exhibition displayed pictures of Gers' landscapes and its friendly exchanges with Wanzhou.