Though there seems to be no record of its origins, it was believed to have originated in the Loire River Valley several centuries ago. In his "Dictionnaire de pomologie: Pommes" (published in 1873), French pomologist André Leroy states that this apple was widely grown in the Maine et Loire Departments situated west of Paris. It was a favoured item in the region's markets through the 1800s and early 1900s. The flesh is white, fine-grained and melting. Juicy, very sweet with a slight tartness, and aromatic with a nutty flavor.