The San Joaquin River and French Camp Slough are adjacent to Weston Ranch on the west and north sides of the community. The areas around Weston Ranch were first settled by French Canadian trappers who were attracted to the area because of the abundance of beaver and raccoon, whose pelts were used for clothing.

In 1828 Jedediah Smith, who had traveled through the area just south of Stockton, told the Hudson Bay Company about this area and its abundance of wildlife. The Husdon Bay Company sent trappers from Vancouver to the area in 1832 and established the encampment, which today is known as French Camp.

The community is named for Michael la Frambois, one of the trappers with the Hudson Bay Company. The French trappers would float the pelts down the San Joaquin River to Yerba Buena (now known as San Francisco) where they were sold to make clothing, hats and other garments.