PICK EARLY

Quand la poire est mûre, il faut qu'elle tombe: literally, when the pear is ripe, it has to fall; meaning that when things get to a certain point, they have to explode or come to an end.

Tip:  pick pears early and let ripen off the tree!

Wrought-iron decorative ensign at the Musée Le Secq des Tournelles, Rouen.