Tribute to Jean-Marie Lespinasse

In 2000, as he retired from a remarkable career as a researcher at INRA, Jean-Marie Lespinasse launched a program of apple tree breeding and varietal innovation. Retirement did not mean rest: his lifelong work—brilliant, prolific, and driven by observation, intuition, and invention—had to go on. He made it his mission to ensure that the knowledge he had gained would serve the arboriculture of tomorrow.

Born in 1940 in La Brède, in the wine-growing region of Graves, Jean-Marie left school at 15 to work on the family farm. At 22, he joined INRA as a farmworker, later becoming a research engineer through internal competitions—an atypical path for a researcher, one that deeply shaped the uniqueness and practicality of his methods.

He was an exceptional observer, able to “read” trees, understanding their physiological behavior directly in the orchard. Scientific demonstration followed intuition, not the other way around. His research laboratory was not a closed academic space but the field, beside growers, technicians, and workers. This close loop between research and practical application led to a rapid and far-reaching transformation of orchard practices from the 1970s onward, not only in France but internationally.

He was a brilliant teacher, a gifted illustrator of trees, fruiting branches, and coursonnes. Humble, passionate, generous—Jean-Marie became a guiding light for generations of fruit growers. His work on fruiting types, vertical axis training systems, the management of fruiting branches, and the Solaxe method—all grounded in an ever-deepening understanding of apple physiology—paved the way for 50 years of continuous innovation.

Though the apple tree was central to his research, many other fruit species benefited from his discoveries: pear, chestnut, plum, walnut, cherry. His natural garden, a living expression of his philosophy, lives on through a best-selling book, among many others that testify to his botanical knowledge.

He also co-founded Mafcof, an informal, creative group of researchers and technicians committed to fast, effective innovation beyond traditional structures.

Then came Vernoge (New Generation Orchards), launched in 2000. Jean-Marie envisioned apple varieties with outstanding flavor, good shelf life, natural disease tolerance, fewer fruits per inflorescence, a harmonious balance between growth and fruiting, drought resistance, and the ability to grow on their own roots. This ambitious vision drew on 40 years of research and 25 years of dedicated breeding. Today, some promising Vernoge varieties are emerging, with more to come.

Last September, Jean-Marie joined us in Reignac for a field visit to present Akita, a Vernoge variety. I had invited him to share his life’s work with our visitors, and we recorded his presentation with the help of a filmmaker. With Jean-Marie’s and Pierre-Éric Lauri’s approval, we completed an English-subtitled version—a document that now holds profound value.

As a self-taught arboriculturist, I discovered Jean-Marie’s work in 1976 with wonder. Later, I met him and was immediately struck by his clarity, brilliance, and deep humanity. His commitment to people in the field, his associative engagement, his solidarity and care for others—all left a lasting impression.

As we say goodbye to Jean-Marie, it is this generous spirit that stands out above all. His legacy is immense. His kindness and wisdom will remain with us.

To his wife Bernadette, to his brother Yves—whom I admire and cherish deeply—to his children, grandchildren, family and loved ones, I offer my heartfelt condolences.

I associate my family, my company, and the entire French Apple and Pear Association (ANPP) with this tribute.