Gers (river)

Gers
Gers River in Auch
Location
Country	France
Physical characteristics
Source
• location	Plateau de Lannemezan
Mouth
• location	Garonne
• coordinates	44°8′40″N 0°38′52″E
Length	175.4 km (109.0 mi)
Basin size	1,227 km2 (474 sq mi)
Discharge
• average	7.06 m3/s (249 cu ft/s)
Basin features
Progression	Garonne→ Gironde estuary→ Atlantic Ocean Gers→ Garonne→ Gironde estuary→ Atlantic Ocean

The Gers (French: [ʒɛʁ(s)] ^ⓘ) is a 175-kilometre (109 mi) long river in southern France, left tributary of the Garonne.

Its source is in the foothills of the Pyrenees, near Lannemezan. It flows north through the départements Hautes-Pyrénées, Gers and Lot-et-Garonne. It flows into the Garonne in Layrac, near Agen. The city Auch lies along the river Gers. It gives its name to the Gers département.

Toponymy

The name of the Gers appears in the sixth century as Ægirtius, de Egircio flumine and Gircius. It is known as in flumine Gersio in 817 and as Iercius in the 13th century.

Departments and cities

The Gers river in Ornézan

The Gers passes through the following departments and main towns:

• Hautes-Pyrénées : Lannemezan, Monléon-Magnoac
• Gers : Chélan, Panassac, Masseube, Seissan, Pavie, Auch, Preignan, Montestruc-sur-Gers, Fleurance, Lectoure
• Lot-et-Garonne : Astaffort, Layrac