Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
4
The Old French
Concession
S
hanghai might be changing furiously but one thing always stays the
same: the
Old French Concession
is its most charming area. More
than anywhere else in the city it has retained its historic feel; w hen
people call Shanghai the Paris of the East, this is the area they're
thinking of.
The Old French Concession is predominantly low rise, thanks to a colonial
ruling that no building be more than one and a half times taller than the road is
wide, and lined with glorious old mansions - many of which have become restau-
rants, boutiques, embassies and galleries. Certain French characteristics linger here,
in the local chic and in a taste for bread and sweet cakes, and in the many old
plane trees providing shade. The district invites leisurely strolling, with a little
shopping, people watching, a good meal and lots of coffee the order of the day.
Less crowded than Nanjing Dong Lu but more upmarket,
Huaihai Zhong Lu
is the main street running through the heart of the area. The most interesting
streets are the quieter ones leading off it. To the south you'll find the
Xintiandi
development, a zone of rebuilt traditional houses (
shikumen
), housing that even
critics of its yuppie ambience admit has great architectural charm, and further
south, the quaint
Taikang Lu
; both are well worth exploring. Heading west from
here, there are plenty of
former residences
and boutiques to poke around in the
area of
Ruijin Er Lu
,
Maoming Nan Lu
and
Fenyang Lu
. As the street heads
towards
Hengshan Lu
, embassies, bars and restaurants start to predominate.
A great way to explore is by
bike
(for rental places, see p.26), though note
that bikes are not allowed on Huaihai Lu. Otherwise, take the metro to Huangpi
Nan Lu, Shaanxi Nan Lu or Changshu Lu and walk.
Some history
Established in the mid-nineteenth century, the former French Concession lay
to the south and west of the International Settlement, abutting the Chinese
City (see p.63). Despite its name, it was never particularly French: before 1949,
in fact, it was a shabby district mainly inhabited by Chinese and White Russians
- what is now Huaihai Lu was then Avenue Joffre, after the French general, but
it was nicknamed “Little Moscow”. Other Westerners looked down on the
White Russians as they were obliged to take jobs that, it was felt, should have
been left to the Chinese (see box, p.76).
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