In October 1991, Hunan Province officially established a friendship province-region relationship with the Centre-Val de Loire Region in France. In April 2024, Changsha County forged county-level friendship city ties with Montargis, a city in the region.

Located in central France, the Centre-Val de Loire Region governs six departments (administrative subdivisions), with Orléans as its capital. As one of France's core regions, it boasts profound humanistic heritage and robust industries. Serving as the central birthplace of the French language, the region is home to the Loire Valley Châteaux, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Ranked as France's second-largest tourist destination, it features time-honored culture and stunning natural scenery. 

Scenery of the Centre-Val de Loire Region 

Boasting a solid industrial foundation, the region ranks among France's most economically developed areas, with the per capita GDP standing at 35,541 euros. In 2025, its imports and exports reached 28.5 billion euros and 29 billion euros respectively. Its major export products include pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, food products and mechanical equipment. The region is home to 600 foreign-funded enterprises, employing over 53,600 workers. A total of 32,598 new enterprises were set up in the region in 2025.

The Centre-Val de Loire Region is one of France's major agricultural regions, boasting 4 million hectares of arable land. As France's fourth-largest industrial region, it excels particularly in cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, aerospace and defense, agricultural processing, and healthcare. In addition, the region features well-connected transport links and a mature multimodal transport network, enabling easy and rapid access to Paris and other parts of Europe.

The region shares deep historical ties with Hunan Province. Montargis, a city under its jurisdiction, serves as a "red" bond linking Hunan and France in their century-long friendship. A group of young Hunanese, including Cai Hesen and Xiang Jingyu, participated in the Work-Study Movement in France in the 1920s, where they sought truth for national salvation and convened the renowned Montargis Conference, sowing seeds for the Chinese revolution. On the basis of this history, Hunan established the Historical Museum of French-Chinese Friendship (Musée Historique de l'Amitié Franco-Chinoise) in 2016. This has become an important venue for people-to-people exchanges and mutual visits of youths between the two countries.

Chinese source: Foreign Affairs Office of the Hunan Provincial People's Government