The French word for pineapple comes from the genus of the South American Bromeliaceae family, derived from the word nanas (‘excellent fruit’ in Tupi) that was first recorded by André Thevet, a French Franciscan priest in 1555. Ananas comosus is the full name of the pineapple.
Other Europeans thought it looked like a pinecone, hence the name in English.
Two kinds are readily available in France, ananas Cayenne the large ones, that are very juicy and the smaller ananas Victoria which has a more perfumed flavour.
A pineapple upside down cake is a gâteau renversé à l'ananas.
Image by Victoria Rachitzky Hoch