Pear varieties : There are more than two thousand varieties of pears, divided according to their use between edible pears (to be eaten as is, raw) and pears to cook or to ferment.
Table pears are grouped under generic names such as “Beurré” (chair melting), “Bon-Chrétien” or “bergamot pear”.
They are currently classified by period of maturation.
Characteristics of the main varieties of pears
| Variety | Origin | Era | Aspect | Flavor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summer pear | ||||
| Dr Jules Guyot or Guyot | South East | mid-July-mid-September | quite large, light green to lemon yellow skin, ivory, juicy flesh | quite fine, pleasant |
| Bon-Chrétien or Williams | South East Southern hemisphere | September October March April | big, stocky, smooth, shiny, yellow skin, juicy flesh | fine, sweet, a little acidic, melting |
| Buttered Giffard | West, Maine-et-Loire | July-early August | gibbous and pot-bellied shape, medium size, smooth epidermis, greenish yellow washed with red | melting, sweet, tangy and fragrant |
| Perouille | Pays Basque | August | golden yellow skin small size | flesh, yellow, sweet and hard |
| Pear Senator Vaïsse | Lyonnais | August | medium size, yellow-orange skin speckled with gray | whitish flesh, sweet and juicy |
| Buttered Chaboceau or Jefke | Belgium | end of August | small size, pale yellow skin | firm flesh, very fragrant |
| Autumn pear | ||||
| Abbot Fétel or Abate | Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, Switzerland | late September-early October | fairly large size, elongated, irregular, thin epidermis, rough, tanned, spotted with pink | sweet, juicy, slightly musky flesh |
| Alexandrine or Alexandrine Douillard | Southeast, Southwest | October-December | medium, yellow skin, a little golden or tan, firm flesh | fine, sweet, slightly fragrant |
| Belle Épine du Mas | Haute-Vienne | October November | medium, yellow and pink skin, juicy flesh | fine, meltingly sweet |
| Buttered Hardy | Val de Loir, South-East, Île de France Southern hemisphere | September-December March April | medium to large, thick skin, yellow | sweet, fragrant |
| Buttered Ramegnies | North of France, Belgium | October | quite large, turbined, a little elongated towards the top yellowish-green epidermis, flushed with red on the sun side | soft, very juicy, sweet, fragrant |
| Concord | North, Val-de-Loir, South-east, South-west | November | very elongated, thick skin, spotted with red, juicy flesh | fragrant, fine, a little tangy |
| Louise-Bonne d'Avranches | South East | mid-September-December | medium, slightly plump, smooth skin, rosy face, slightly juicy | a little tart |
| Packam's triumph | South East Southern hemisphere | October-January March-July | large, bumpy, pale yellow skin, juicy flesh | sweet but tangy |
| Conference | North, Loire Valley, South-west, South-east, Belgium, Netherlands | october-april | very elongated, thick skin, mottled with russet, marbled, juicy flesh | fragrant, fine, a little tangy |
| Curé or Belle or Curette | The whole of France | mid-October-December | elongated, gourd shape, white or greenish white flesh | sweet, pleasantly fragrant, a little bitter, semi-soft |
| Deanery of the Comice or Comice | Île de France, North, South-East, South-West, Loire Valley Southern hemisphere | October-February April May | large, bumpy conical, greenish to yellow epidermis | melting, sweet, very fine |
| Winter pears | ||||
| Angelys | Loire Valley, North | December to April | large, thick tanned skin, tanned | fine, semi-soft, juicy flesh |
| Crassane pass | The whole of France Italy | December to April | large, thick skin, yellow, tan, very juicy flesh | melting, slightly sour |
| Deanery Ramegnies | Belgium | October November | large, flat at its base, a little attenuated at the top. smooth green epidermis, yellowing when ripe flesh fine, buttery, tender, vinous | sweet, slightly tangy |
| Colmar de Chin | Belgium | December | green epidermis, yellowing when ripe, prickly and slightly washed with red melting white flesh | very juicy, sweet, very pleasant |
| The Episcopal | Belgium | February March | big size epidermis yellowish-green, purple side of the sun fine, very melting and juicy flesh | sweet and aromatic, excellent |
| cooking pears | ||||
| Fairy pear or red rocket | Normandy | November | oblong, slightly rough skin of greenish-yellow color, with small gray dots flesh is white but becomes reddish when cooked | fine, slightly sweet, tangy |
| Martin Sec or Saint-Martin pear | Haute-Savoie, Switzerland, Italy | december-february | Small size, very hard flesh in the center, turns red when cooked | Juicy, sweet, with a slight anise flavor |
| Pear in Botzi (PDO) | Friborg (Switzerland) | September October | cluster of fruits, small size, skin from green to red-brown with red cheeks, slightly rusty. light to dark yellow flesh | crunchy, juicy, green notes of fermented fruits |
| Injury or blosson or blossom or rissole pear | Savoy | November December | small size, very tough flesh, turns bright garnet red when cooked | Juicy, sweet |