The Doyenne Gris dates to 1750 in Paris and was introduced to the US by Gillet in 1884. Large to medium in size, globe-like fruit. Skin rather thin and wrinkled, yellow–ocher, nearly entirely covered with cinnamon colored russet so that little of the true color is visible. It has a redish-orange blush toward the sun. This pear has an utterly delicious, rich flavor. Flesh is tender, melting, very buttery, fine-grained texture. One of the best dessert pears. In every respect the very excellent pear. Ripens mid-October. Stores well for weeks.

The mother tree is a very healthy 110+ year young specimen growing at 2800’ in a mixed Gillet homestead orchard in Camptonville, Yuba County, a vibrant mining town of the mid 1800’s, still populated with many Gillet trees. Camptonville was also the home of Lester Pelton, who in 1870 invented the Pelton wheel. Lester changed the course of human evolution by inventing the device for making hydroelectric power. Camptonville is a fascinating old mining camp, with many Gillet trees. We will be introducing more from this area in coming years.