Francois Lake is situated in the
of beautiful British Columbia. At 110 kms (68 miles), it is the second longest natural lake in the province. This pristine lake is located 30 kms (19 miles) south of Burns Lake BC and 10 kms (6 miles) west of Fraser Lake at its east end. Its altitude is 715m (2346 ft).
- some reports reaching as much as 1000 feet. The lake provides
excellent fishing for rainbow trout and char(lake trout). There are several
and bed & breakfasts spread out along its shores. Tourists will find a variety of service outlets and craft shops to browse.
feeds the lake at its west end and the
drains from the east end. Fishing in both river systems is available.
Access to the lake is via highway #35 running south from Burns Lake or from Fraser Lake following the road along the Stelako River . One may cross the lake using a new
modern ferry operating between
and
. The free ferry is equipped to carry all sizes of vehicular traffic. It's normal for Francois Lake to freeze over during the winter; some years thick enough to drive on. The ferry, however, has a bubble system at both docks, and its strong hull is capable of breaking up the ice and maintaining an open channel and allowing the ferry to operate year round.
According to the Encyclopedia of British Columbia; "Francois Lake got its current name by mistake. Traditional territory of the Carrier First Nations, they called it Nitapoen, or 'Lip Lake' because of its shape." "Early settlers mistook Nita for neto or 'white man' and the lake was named Lac des Francais because most of the early visitors to the area at that time were French Canadian voyageurs. It was then corrupted to Francois over the years." The lake and its several small communities have a long and interesting history beginning before the turn of the 20th century.
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