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Francois Lake is situated in the geographical center 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. Its altitude is 715m (2346 ft). Francois is cold and deep - some reports reaching as much as 1000 feet. The lake provides excellent fishing for rainbow trout and char(lake trout). There are several campsites and bed & breakfasts spread out along its shores. Tourists will find a variety of service outlets and craft shops to browse. Nadina River feeds the lake at its west end and the Stelako River drains from the east end. Fishing on this lake is spectacular with rainbow trout and char (lake trout) in abundance. Access to the lake is via highway #35 running south from Burns Lake. One may cross the lake using a new modern ferry equipped to carry all sizes of vehicular traffic. This free ferry connects between the Northbank and Southbank. 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. Ferry Schedules 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 century. |
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Lake Depth Chart [495KB]
Fish Species Area Map |
