ABOUT
Nestled quietly in the Sierra Nevada Foothills of Yuba County lakeside retreat Frenchtown Inn. Named after the nearby gold rush settlement of Frenchtown, the Inn offers a 3,500 square foot 5-bedroom main house overlooking a majestic seven acre lake.
We strive to offer a rural country experience for that special getaway family gathering, business retreat or wedding.
When you're seeking a once-in-a-lifetime retreat experience, consider Frenchtown Inn. A venue that offers more than most. More space, restfulness, tranquility, and rustic elegance. A venue that offers you more than just a location, but a quiet secluded retreat. Past guests have wondered how they were so lucky to have discovered this hidden jewel. Your own private lakeside retreat with the ability to have overnight stays within historic North Yuba.
Past guests have wondered how they were so lucky to have discovered this hidden jewel. Your own private lakeside retreat with the ability to have overnight stays within the historic North Yuba countryside.
After a refreshing rest, you can wander around the property at your leisure. You can take the path on a peaceful walk around the lake and may even spy the egret that finds the fishing good. You may visit the authentic stone pizza ovens or even find the ancient native grinding stones. If you hike up the big hill, you will be rewarded with a panoramic view of the surrounding country side.
By appointment, there are some special places to visit in the area. These include the wondrous studio of Linda Carter Holman, Apollo Olive Oil; a world class family run producer of olive oil from local groves, and Salvatore's water buffalo herd, plus six wineries within a few miles.
As for food, the fine dining experience at Cafe Collage, owned and operated by chef Salim Ben Mami, is known far and wide for its culinary offerings.
Frenchtown Inn can customize your stay to fit your needs, from company events, retreats, family reunions, weddings and more. We are ready to make your dream unique event come true.
The property was developed in the 1970's by Shakey (Sherwood) Johnson. Yes, the very same Shakey Johnson that founded the Shakeys Pizza Parlor franchise with establishments throughout the country. Shakey built three authentic stone pizza ovens on the property located in a secluded area on the other side of the lake. This area was the site of many parties that Shakey held here.
This house becomes your house, no matter what room you choose, your stay is guaranteed to be peaceful, relaxing and comfortable. The expansive house and grounds are well suited for family gatherings, and those special retreats. The kitchen is fully stocked and the massive 18 foot custom crafted oak dining room table easily seats 12.
April 2022 Farm Dinner
In April, Frenchtown Inn Hosted a Farm to Fork Dinner for 30. The food was all locally sourced. The wine was provided by Frenchtown Farms with winemakers Aaron and Cara serving behind the bar. Future dinners are planned.
Frenchtown Inn on History Channel
On July 8, 2020, Frenchtown Inn had the honor of hosting the filming crew of the History Channel's It's How You Get There. They were in town to do an episode on the Yuba-Sutter area. Here is the crew arriving at Frenchtown Inn ready to relax and unwind after shooting on a houseboat at Bullards Bar Emerald Cove Marina. This show will air on August 16. (Note, Amanda, on the far left and Cindy in the middle with the brown shirt on, and Michael, the tall person with the dark glasses on, are part of the Yuba Sutter Lodging Association staff that were accompanying the crew).
Promo Video Link
Frenchtown Inn: A Remote, Tranquil Lakeside Retreat in Yuba County
Following the trail along the lake at Frenchtown Inn, I started a sleeping doe. She was hidden from view in a thicket beside the water and bolted upon hearing my footsteps. A few yards into her dash, she glanced behind and must have assumed I posed no theat. She slowed to bounce over the high grasses and then stopped about 50 feet away to return my gaze. While i admired her nimble beauty, she quickly lost interest in me and started nibbling on the grass. It was a lovely introduction to the abundant wildlife on this 100-acre retreat in a remote swath of Yuba County. Further along the trail, the second of my footsetups triggered a cascade of activity as birds and animals dove under the water, darted through the grasses, and flew up through the branches of the trees lining the lake. Dragonflies and hummingbirds greeted me along the path. A white egret stood watch over the lake as ducks and geese skimmed lazily across the surface. When I stopped walking to look back across the lake, a frog jumped onto my foot and stared up at me. He was cute, but i told him he was no prince.
Written by Ranee Ruble-Dotts as a travel writer for CABBI.
Patio overlooking the lake at the Frenchtown Inn
Frenchtown Inn is a little-known retreat in a virtually unknown destination. It's located about an hour and a half northeast of Sacramento, in the northern Sierra Foothills near the western edge of the Rohoe National Forest. While the main attraction is the remote setting With idyllic lake view and rich wildlife, there are a handful of other nearby attractions including Collins Lake, Bullard's Bar, vestiges of pioneer Gold Rush towns, and the South Yuba River State Park and historic Bridgeport Covered Bridge.
Winery at Frenchtown Inn
In 2021, this building functioned as the winery for Frenchtown Farms which used the building to process their grapes from Renaissance Vineyard. This vineard can be seen from the Frencthown Inn property.
In-suite bath of the Rose Room
The Frenchtown Inn offers five habdsomely-furnished guest rooms, including two with private, in-suite baths. The largest room, Dahlia, offers a king-size bed, a private bath with a jetted spa tub, a fireplace, and large sliding glass windows that opens to a view of the lake. The Rose room also offers a private bath, large sliding glass window, and view of the lake, but with a queen size beds. Two other rooms are furnished with queen beds while the fifth room offers two twins.
The kitchen and the dining room
The Inn features a large great room with a communal dining table and an adobe-style fireplace, a full kitchen with provisions for making breakfast, and a wall of glass sliders that open to a covered patio overlooking the lake. The table and chairs on the patio provide a quiet perch for watching the lake throughout the day by changing the light. At dawn, mist rises and rolls across the glassy water. Later in the day, the surface of the lake ripples with afternoon breezes. At dusk, the lake becomes still again as the stars shine overhead and the frogs and crickets serenade the inn's guests.
Christmas in the Foothills 2019
Anticipation for this year’s Christmas in the Foothills was high. Getting an earlier start, chief organizer Christine Mills had organized planning meetings. In October postings on Facebook began appearing. As the fateful days of December 7 and 8 began to approach, more social media postings, local newspaper ads, and signs were seen. The 28 venues were ready for the big day. Then, anticipation begin turning into worry, rain was being forecast. And, indeed, on Saturday and Sunday, the raid did come. Still, some people did venture out but not nearly as many as was hoped for. That is just how it goes sometimes.
Talented Artist Reception
In early February, the Frenchtown Inn Tasting Room hosted a reception for the very talented sketch artist Auguste Haboush. It was quite festive, there were catered hors d’oeuvres, wine, and even a local jazz band to liven up the afternoon. It was a merry time for all. On April 27 and 28, the Tasting Room will host the North Sierra Wine Trail with Renaissance Winery, Grant-Marie Winery, and Frenchtown Farms. There will be music and more tasty tidbits.
North Sierra Wine Trail
Once again Frenchtown Inn is hosting local wineries on the North Sierra Wine Trail. This year, 2019, three wineries, Renaissance Winery, Grant-Marie Winery, and Frenchtown Farms will be at the Tasting Room, on April 27 and 28 from 12 to 5 pm.
The legend of Shakey Johnson
As some of you might know, the 100 acres that are the Frenchtown Inn site was developed in the early 1970s by Shakey (Sherwood) Johnson. Shakey opened the first "pizza parlor" in Sacramento in 1954 and went on to create Shakey's Pizza Parlor, the first pizza franchise ever.
Shakey had certainly had a sense of humor. When I first bought the property, there were parking meters in the parking lot. Across the lake was his party area, where built three authentic stone pizza ovens. They still work quite well to this day.
As another example, Black Bart was a notorious bandit in the 1870s and 80s. He roamed around Northern California holding up Wells Fargo stagecoaches left and right. Shakey officially designated the entrance easement driveway as "Black Bart Trail".
As some of you might know, the 100 acres that is the Frenchtown Inn site was developed in the early 1970's by Shakey (Sherwood) Johnson. Shakey opened the first "pizza parlor" in Sacramento in 1954 and went on to create Shakey's Pizza Parlor, the first pizza franchise ever.
Shakey had certainly had a sense of humor. When I first bought the property, there were parking meters in the parking lot. Across the lake was his party area, where built three authentic stone bread ovens. They still work quite well to this day.
As another example, Black Bart was a notorious bandit in the 1870's and 80's. He roamed around the Northern California holding up Wells Fargo stage coaches left and right. Shakey officially designated the entrance easement driveway as "Black Bart Trail".
If you visit the Inn, I have a copy of this book written by his friend Burt Wilson.
~ Charles
Black Bart Trail
About a quarter-mile northwest from the Frenchtown Inn property, just east of the bridge over Dry Creek, is situated the town of Frenchtown. The Frenchtown Inn property was originally developed by Shakey Johnson, the founder of the Shakey’s Pizza Parlor franchise in 1954. Indeed, the house reflects a pizza parlor-type atmosphere.
Shakey had a sense of humor. The dully recorded easement for the entrance driveway was designated by Shakey as Black Bart Trail. Who was Black Bart you might ask? He was a bank robber of some notorious reputation in the late 1800s. Here is a post from the Yuba County Get Out and Explore Facebook page:
On this day 142 years ago in Yuba County history (December 28, 1875), Charles Earl Bowles committed his second holdup when he robbed the North San Juan Stagecoach to Marysville just a few miles north of Smartsville. Known as "Black Bart," Charles was an English-born outlaw noted for the poetic messages he left behind after two of his robberies. Considered a gentleman bandit with a reputation for style and sophistication, he was one of the most notorious stagecoach robbers to operate in and around Northern California and southern Oregon during the 1870s and 1880s. The first stagecoach robbery committed by Black Bart was in Calaveras, the second put Yuba County on the map
North Sierra Wine Trail
About a quarter-mile northwest from the Frenchtown Inn property, just east of the bridge over Dry Creek, is situated the town of Frenchtown.
The History of Yuba County, California (Chapter XXIX: Parks Bar Township) by Thompson West, 1879, describes Frenchtown as "The once flourishing little town lies on Dry creek, one-half mile south the New York Township line. Mining was first done in the vicinity in 1852 on Rich Gulch. The first permanent settlement on this site of the town was made in 1854 by Paul Vavasseur. He build a hotel and kept a store and bar. The town in a few years became quite a center, almost five hundred men making this their headquarters. There were four stores, three salons, three hotels, two blacksmith shops, one bakery, and one barbershop. Since 1870 the place had been virtually abandoned. There are now several dwelling-houses in the town, and a hotel and bar kept by Paul Vavasseur. Some good quartz ledges have been discovered at the head of Rich Gulch. Some mining is still being done there. In 1861, Vavasseur built a small arrastra, which still stands there. In 1878, he built a larger one, which is now in use. Vavasseur makes considerable wine every year. The town derived its name from the large number of French people who settled there."