The drive onto Ryan Smith’s family estate in the Sacramento foothills begins by crossing a narrow bridge over a creek, and continues winding up a long driveway lined with mature olive trees.
The storybook entrance ends at a brick motor court in front of his French countryside residence perched on a ridge overlooking the North Fork of the American River and Folsom Lake.
The home’s slate roof, copper gutters and rock-solid foundation signal a different kind of luxury — one rooted less in square footage and more in construction, craftsmanship and permanence. The estate was the passion project of Ryan’s father, Auburn builder and developer Tom Smith, who spent years fine-tuning every detail…