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The Famous
Shanghai
French Concession and Tour
The Shanghai French Concession was a foreign concession in Shanghai,
China from 1849 until 1946, and it was progressively expanded in the
late 19th and early 20th centuries. The concession came to an end in
practice in 1943 when the Vichy French government signed it over to the
pro-Japanese puppet government in Nanking. The area covered by the
former French Concession was, for much of the 20th century, the premier
residential and retail districts of Shanghai, and was also the center of
Catholicism in Shanghai. Despite rampant re-development over the last
few decades, the area retains a distinct character, and is a popular
tourist destination.
Lokawei:
"Lu's Bay", an area named after a bend on the Zhaojiabang creek. The
main police depot and prison of the French concession was located here.
Today's Luwan District is named after this locality. Since the 1990s,
this area has seen high volume residential developments.
Zikawei:
Now Xujiahui, "Xu's Confluence", an area named after the family of Xu
Guangqi and the confluence of two local rivers. While Xujiahui was
technically not part of the French Concession (lying immediately west of
the boundary of the concession), it was the centre of Catholic Shanghai,
featuring St Ignaitus Cathedral, the Observatory, the Library, and
several colleges, all of which were French-dominated. Today, Xujiahui is
a busy commercial district. Today's Xuhei District is named after this
locality.
Avenue Joffre:
Now Central Huaihai Road, was a boulevarde stretching across the French
Concession in an east-west direction. The road was renamed after Joseph
Joffre in 1916, with the new name unveiled by the marshall himself in
1922. Avenue Joffre was a tram route. Its eastern section featured
Shikumen residences. Its western part featured high-end residential
developments, including stand-alone houses and apartment blocks. The
central section was - and is - a popular shopping area, with many shops
opened by the Russian community. The former Avenue Joffre remains a
high-end retail district.
Avenue Petain:
Now Hengshan Road, was a major boulevarde linking Xujiahui with the
centre of the French Concession. It represented the centre of the French
Concession's high-end residential district, featuring a large number of
mansions and expensive apartment buildings. Since the 1990s, some of the
former houses were converted into bars and nightclubs, making Hengshan
Road one of Shanghai's premier night entertainment districts.
PAINT:
The former French Park ©
Great Wall Adventure Club 2010
TOUR TO FRENCH
CONCESSION
Shanghai Tour B (2-day,
2-night):
Expo China Pavilion,
Yuyuan Garden/Financial Center
Birdsview, Hengshen Bar Street & French Concession,
Xintiandi (New Horizon Blocks)
 Click
to learn details of this package...
You'll see what those tourist attractions mean to you.
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SHANGHAI TOUR
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