The French Concession was established on 6 April 1849, when the French Consul to Shanghai, Charles de Montigny, obtained a proclamation from the Governor (Daotai) of Shanghai, which conceded certain territory for a French settlement.
Its borders were expanded twice, in 1900 and 1914. During the 1920s, the French Concession was developed into the premier residential area of Shanghai. In 1943, during the Second World War , the government of Vichy France announced that it will give up its concessions in China. The French concessions of Tianjin, Hankou and Guangzhou were handed over to the Wang Jingwei Government on June 5, and the last, the Shanghai French Concession, was handed over to the Wang Jingwei Government on July 30. While neither Vichy France nor Wang's Nationalist Government were universally recognised as legitimate, the fait accompli was acknowledged after the war by the governments of France and the Republic of China in the Sino-French Accord of 1946.
In 1902, the Concession introduced London Planes as a roadside tree on Avenue Joffre. Because this tree, now popular as a roadside tree throughout China, was first introduced in the French Concession in Shanghai, it is known in Chinese as the "French Plane".
The French Concession remained largely unchanged in the early decades of Communist rule in China. In the late 1980s and the early 1990s, however, largely unregulated re-development of the area has torn apart many neighbourhoods. For example, the London Planes that graced the former Avenue Joffre were removed in the 1990s, only to be later replaced after public outcry. The old French Club building and its gardens, which used to be a sports field in the early days, were renovated and got in use as part of the Okura Garden Hotel.
After the 2000s, the government enforced more stringent development and planning controls in this area.
Shanghai 2 Days Highlights Tour
- Tour Code: SH0078
- Duration:2 days
- Market Price:$122
- Our Price: $109
- Highlights:
- Main attractions of Shanghai are included in this two days tour. This is your best choice if you don’t have more than 2 days in Shanghai but you want to see its highlights. We try to offer you the chance to see a comprehensive Shanghai in two days.
