Shanghai - French Concession

The French Concession is the area of Shanghai once designated for the French. Today, the area's central Huaihai Rd is a busy shopping street, but the tree-lined avenues and their many Tudor mansions still retain an air of the "Paris of the East".

Travel to Shanghai - French Concession - Visa Requirements

Metro Line 1 runs along Huaihai and Hengshan Roads. Most useful stop is probably the Shan Xi Nan Lu station, which is fairly central.

Shanghai - French Concession tourist attractions and sightseeing

• Xintiandi(新天地, near Metro Huangpi Nanlu) - Xintiandi is a popular spot for young people, particularly well-heeled yuppies. It is a place where you can find a lot of restaurants and clubs. Besides these pubs you can also see some traditional Shanghai-style lodgings (Shikumen) which are a unique blend of European and Chinese design. There is a nice miniature museum, showing the configuration and interior of a recreated 1930s shikumen house.

• Old French Concession Streets - Get away from the busy streets and explore the area between Julu Lu to the north and Huai Hai Lu running through the center, plus Mao Ming Lu and surrounding area to the south of Huai Hai Lu. Pleasant tree-lined streets and local Shanghainese bustle, combined with a growing number of trendy boutiques and restaurants. Chang Le Lu and Xin Le Lu are rapidly becoming the places to find small designer clothing shops. Interesting architecture built with French and Belgian money and showing mixed Chinese-European styles.

Shanghai - French Concession city tours

• Explore the sylvan streets of the French Concession and admire Shanghai's Art Deco residential architecture, reputedly the world's largest (although not the most well-kept). Most historic buildings have a bronze plaque that details their original use. The area sandwiched between Fuxing Rd. and Huaihai Rd. is particularly interesting with a sprinkling of tucked-away shops and discreet cafes, a refreshing alternative to the city's generally megalomaniac streetscape.
• Experience the nightlife in one of the many bar and club districts: Julu Lu, Hengshan Lu, Xintiandi. Pick up a copy of City Weekend or That's Shanghai or other local free magazines in English for local listings.

Shanghai - French Concession souvenirs and shopping

• Ruijin Erlu (瑞金二路, "Ruijin 2nd Road") is a tree-lined boulevard in the heart of the French Concession, where you can experience the real Shanghai longtang (a narrow alley from house to house, which is a distinctive Shanghai architecture style).

• Diva Life Nail & Beauty Lounge, Ruijin Erlu (near Jianguoxi). A 2,700-square-foot-house, mixed with Chinese and European style, is located on Rui Jin Er Road. Established in 1933, this three story complex was once the home of the Jewish wine merchant H.L. Menken.

• Huaihai Road (淮海路 Huáihǎilù) - The main commercial street, with mainly international brand stores.

• Xujiahui (徐家汇) - Enormous shopping malls are found here. You can get here by metro.

• Julu Lu, Chang Le Lu and Xin Le Lu - These two parallel east-west streets and the surrounding neighbourhood are gradually acquiring some outstanding boutiques and shops.

• An Fu Lu - Interesting boutiques (and bars and restaurants) both in the eastern and western ends of this street.

• Garden Books - near to the junction of Chang Le Lu and Shanxi Nan Lu. Good selection of Chinese travel guides, as well as aromatic coffee and flavorful ice cream. Their monthly bric-a-brac sales are a popular local social event.

• Torana House formerly in Shan Xi Nan Lu, now at #164 An Fu Lu (just west of Wu Lu Mu Qi Lu). Has Tibetan and Chinese carpets and Tibetan furniture in a contemporary gallery.

• Spin Ceramics - Designer ceramics by Chinese artists but with a Japanese flavor, in a stylish minimalist space off Julu Lu. Bit difficult to spot since it is set back off the street: it is next to Mesa restaurant (known to many expats for its excellent Sunday brunch).

• Silk QiPao shops - A row of shops along Chang Le Lu, between Mao Ming Lu and Shan Xi Nan Lu specializes in silk Qi Paos (traditional Shanghai-style silk dresses), which can be made to measure. The shops are especially popular with Japanese visitors staying at the nearby Okura Garden Hotel.

• eno, 139-23 Changle Lu (between Ruijin Lu and Chengdu Lu) [1]. Two storey shop featuring t-shirts, sweatshirts, bags and shoes designed in conjunction with China's hottest up and coming artists. Also has a cafe with Illy coffee.

• Mme Mao's Dowry in Fu Min Lu. Cultural Revolution nostalgia.

• Ferguson Lane, in a narrow alley off Wu Kang Lu in the western end of the French Concession District. Is a '30s building filled with restaurants and boutique shops.

All these streets and the connecting north-south streets are worth a stroll, and something new seems to open every week. This is also the area to see Shanghai style Deco architecture that has been getting a lot of press lately.

• Other nearby areas:
• Posh Shopping along Mao Ming Nan Lu, by the Jin Jiang Hotel. Designer shops and art galleries. Don't forget your platinum Amex card.

Shanghai - French Concession Restaurants: cheap, moderate and expensive

Budget

• Vegetarian Lifestyle, 77 Song Shan Rd (in a fabulously decorated alleyway just south of Huai Hai Rd), 21-6384-8000. Every day until 10PM. A beautifully appointed modern restaurant where everything is vegetarian. You won't find much in the way of fake meat that pervades most of the other vegetarian places. Instead you'll enjoy beautifully cooked dishes from all over the country, and juices from the juice bar. They serve beer as well, but careful, one bottle will double your bill! ~30 RMB (18 RMB Lunch special).

• Xintiandi, at the southeast corner of Huaihai Park. This is not the trendy district, but a small 24 hour coffee/dumpling shop just next to the park. They sell steamed-and-fried soup-filled dumplings that are famous for squirting across the room if you don't suck out the juice beforehand. Four dumplings for RMB 1.50 is a steal.

Mid-range

• Shanghai Uncle is a famous chain of three restaurants known for the Shanghai flair with some Western accents. Known for their spare ribs, smoked fish and fatty pork with garlic. (Phone: 6464 6430) Locations: 211 Tianyaoqiao Lu, others.

• Hailaogui (海老亀 Hǎilǎogūi, 41 Yandang Rd 雁蕩路41号) is a cafe that specializes in sweet Chinese desserts with all sorts of beneficial effects for your health (or so they claim), particularly dishes made with turtle. No English menu, but try the milk pudding with ginger (Y10).

• Saleya Chang Le Lu, between Xiang Yang Lu and Shanxi Nan Lu: your neigbourhood French Restaurant. By Chinese standards the prices would be in the "splurge" category, but for a foreign restaurant the prices are very reasonable. Unpretentious and you can close your eyes and imagine you are on the Isle de la Cite...

• Secret Garden Chang Le Lu, a short distance west from Garden Books, serving Cantonese food in pleasant surroundings. The veranda-like space near to Secret Garden has been home to a succession of restaurants, the latest incarnation being a Greek restaurant.

• Di Shui Dong(滴水洞), 56 Mao Ming Road (near Chang Le Rd.) metro Shaanxi Nan Rd., ☎ 62532689. Fiery cuisine from Hunan, the birthplace of Mao Zedong, thus a menu full of "Mao's Shrimp", "Mao's Chicken" and such. Very popular with foreigners. 

• Enoteca An Fu Lu. An excellent wine bar specializing in Argentinian and South African wines. Food is fairly basic with cheese and meat plates, salads and the wine is outstanding.

• Amokka An Fu Lu (west of Wu Lu Mu Qi Lu). A coffee bar and restaurant, good for lunch stops.

Splurge

• Xintiandi (see See) has many of Shanghai's hippest (and most expensive) restaurants, especially for international cuisine.

• Mesa on Julu Lu, short distance west from Xiang Yang Lu junction. Excellent Western and fusion food accented by a fine wine list. Quite pricey, but the flavorful dishes make it worth it. The stunning view from the balcony is at its best in the spring and fall.

• Dome at the corner of Xiang Yang Lu and Xin Le Lu in the North French Concession area. Luxurious restaurant housed in a very interesting building; a converted Russian Orthodox church, complete with domes and painted ceilings. It has now been converted from Dome into Boca, a Spanish tapas, cum French restaurant.

• Casanova- Very competent Italian fare at the far western end of Julu Lu.

• Shintori- Japanese design restaurant with stunning features on Julu Lu. Serving Japanese and fusion kitchen, at prices that are expensive but worthwhile.

Shanghai - French Concession nightlife, bars, clubs and pubs

• Judy's Too, 176 Maoming Nan Lu (Metro: Shaanxi Nan Lu), tel. 6473-1417. Doors open at 6PM, but the party doesn't really get started 'till at least 10PM. A somewhat cheesy but fun favorite among expats. Locals dance it up here here too, but mostly before 11PM. Some feel this place offers all that is bad about older Western men and younger Eastern girls in Asia - at times there is some pretty unpleasant letching to be seen here unfortunately (No cover).

• Jenny's Blue Bar [2], 7 Dong Hu Road (Metro: Shanxi Road (S)), tel: 6415-7019. A friendly bar, run by Jenny in its present location since 2000. A wide choice of drinks, good music and sports coverage mean that it is popular both with expats and with visitors. Jenny and her staff will make you feel welcome; look out for the two cats that make themselves at home behind the bar, frequently sleeping on top of the television or the display units.
• Otto(Restaurant & Wine Bar), 85 Fumin Road. An sophisticated Italian restaurant. 
• Otto, 85 Fumin Road. An sophisticated Italian restaurant. 

Shanghai - French Concession cheap and luxurious hotels, youth hostels and lodging

• Old House Inn, No 16, Lane 351, Huashan Rd, French Concession, ☎ 021 6248 6118. With only a dozen rooms, its advisable to book ahead to secure one of these charming rooms, furnished in traditional Chinese style. All rooms have internet access and breakfast, which is included, is served in a lovely outdoor courtyard. 

• Mason Hotel, 935 Central Huaihai Rd, Luwan, French Concession, ☎ 021 6466 2020. This boutique hotel is cozy and comfortable and great for quiet nights sleep. All rooms have internet access and there's a 2nd floor lounge, a rooftop beer garden, a variety of restaurants and a Starbucks on the ground floor. 

• Jin Jiang Hotel [3] is a 4-star business hotel located in the French Concession area offering cozy and luxurious accommodations with world-class amenities and services. Address: 59 Maoming Road South, Luwan District, Shanghai, China.

• Hilton Shanghai, 250 Huashan Lu, French Concession, ☎ 021 6248 0000. While still popular with business travellers for its recognizable name, the Hilton Shanghai has lost some of its lustre, although its still considered a top end hotel in this area. Rooms are spacious and modern, and the staff are friendly, but the Hilton needs to step up its game. 

• Hengshan Moller Villa, No 30 Shanxi Road South Jing. Housed in a 1936 stunning piece of architecture, the Hegnshan impresses all with its brilliant facade that continues with its impeccable stylings inside. Rooms are frequently booked out so be sure to try and get one of the main rooms which contain wood panelling or business rooms that are much larger and come with a huge balcony that overlooks the garden. 

• Letour Traveler's Rest Youth Hostel (乐途静安国际青年旅舍)[4] Tel: 86-21-62671912; Building 30, No 319, Jiaozhou Rd, Jingan District. A YHA bed and breakfast hostel in downtown Shanghai, and 10 min walk to Subway Jingan Temple/Airport City Terminal. The building was built in 1930s as a towel factory and is deliberately refurbished to maintain its unique details: narrow lane, Stone-frame, packing case etc. They have double rooms, twin rooms, apartment rooms and shared single-sex dormitory. Cafe and bar, free internet, bike hire, laundry, luggage lockers.

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