Gers

Gers (; or , ) is a department in the region of Occitania, Southwestern France. Gers becoming the largest producer of foie gras in France, known for its rural scene and bastides. Gers is bordered by the departments of Hautes-Pyrénées and Pyrénées-Atlantiques to the south, Haute-Garonne and Tarn-et-Garonne to the east, Lot-et-Garonne to the north and Landes to the west. Named after the Gers River, its inhabitants are called the Gersois and Gersoises in French. In 2019, it had a population of 191,377. History In the Middle Ages, the Lordship of L'Isle-Jourdain was nearby. Gers is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on 4 March 1790. It was created from parts of the former provinces of Guyenne and Gascony. In 1808 it lost Lavit on its north-eastern side to the newly created department of Tarn-et-Garonne. Culture The culture is largely agricultural, with great emphasis on the local gastronomical specialties such as: