It is often eaten raw, but holds its shape well when baked, and is a common choice for canned or other processed pear uses.

"Bon Chrétien" (Good Christian) is named after Francis of Paola, a holy man whom King Louis XI of France had called to his deathbed as a healer in 1483.

Francis offered the king a pear seed from his native Calabria with instructions to plant and care.

"[2] In 1799 James Carter imported several Williams trees into the United States, and they were planted on the grounds of Thomas Brewer in Roxbury, Massachusetts.

[6] Height: 4.5–6 m (15–20 ft) with slightly less spread Flowers: White flowers grouped in a corymb Blooming time: April–May (in the Northern Hemisphere) Fruit and seeds: Large, golden yellow skin, brownish red blush, classic shape with smooth, white flesh.

They grow up to 8 cm (3 in) long, are thick with slight midrib curves folding the edges inwards.

Bartletts are traditionally known as the canning pear due to their "definitive flavor and sweetness," making them well-suited for many forms of processing.

[17] The pear is also very popular in the western Balkans, where it is distilled into a brandy known as viljamovka, similar to Poire Williams but often with a higher alcohol percentage.