I hear that Col de Dame Gris is a little tough to start from cuttings , could someone give me some info on this. 

My nephew has a CDDG and rather than have him send me cuttings he could make me an air layer in the Spring 

Have him send you cuttings AND air layers.

He's generous but I don't know if he is that generous

Dave,
If you are not in a hurry, I would vote for an air layer any time on any fig.

If you do cuttings, I would give them a good dormancy period and cut them around February and try start them then. I had a batch last fall, they were the most difficult(and expensive!) cuttings I have dealt with.

CdD white and black gave me fits last winter but I think a lot depends on your rooting methods. I am getting gris cuttings next month, the mother tree grows like a weed, so I am expecting good things this season.

Air layer, IMO.  You will be ahead of the game once you cut it off, and a small air layer rarely (never?) fails if done properly on a fig.

Hi Dave,
What is the shape of the tree ? How big ? Any root-shoots at the base ?
Rooted material is easier so airlayer or root-shoot are the easy paths .
In which usda Zone is the tree ? Any risk of winter kill ? If yes, take cuttings in November .
If no risk, try airlayering in April .

Jdsfrance I am not sure how big his tree is I am in CT and he is in Mass and I don't get a chance to get there very often,

I realize air layering is definitely the way too go I was just curious if the CDDG was a tough rooter?