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The French Concession was established in 1862 in the southwest part of Shanghai as a product of the Treaty of Nanjing. It was a place of lawlessness and debauchery in the 1920’s and 30’s. The whole French Concession now covers up the Luwan and Xuhui districts in Shanghai which offers a lot of sightseeing for tourists and locals alike.
The French Concession was once designated for the French people in Shanghai and is often called the “Paris of the East”. Today, the central part of the concession, Huai Huai Road, has been turned into a busy shopping street with a pleasant mix of wide tree lining the streets and many interesting European styled structures from the past still remain. This landmark has become a popular tourist shopping destination especially for European tourists. Foreign diplomat quarters, high class hotels, top shopping malls and international cuisine restaurants can be found here. The former residences of popular people in China like Sun Yatsen and Song Qingling can also be found in the French Concession. One of the most famous and favorite shopping street in this area is the Huai Huai Road or the Avenue Joffre. This street is adorned with French styled buildings that sell the finest cuisines, to designer clothings and jewelries. After a shopping spree, you may sit in and relax at Xintiandi; another first class tourist hangout where you can find restaurants, clubs and small café’s that offers unique blends of European and Chinese dishes. To get away from the busy streets, you can go to the old French concession streets between Julu road to the north and Huai Huai road and the surrounding areas of Mao Ming road. If you decide to enjoy your Shanghai tour to the fullest, night life at the French Concession usually starts at 6 o’clock in the evening, so plan your night outs after that time. If you want to splurge on your dinner meal, Mesa restaurant is one out of the many restaurants which offer a great fusion of Western and Oriental style cuisine with very fine wine list. |
