Originaly from Burgundy, I have been asked and puzzled about Shanghai Cité Bourgogne. Here is the story of this icone of Old Shanghai. Like many people, I first heard about Cité Bourgogne when I walked the streets of Shanghai, specificaly the corner of Shaanxi lu (Avenue du Roi Albert) and Jian Guo Lu (Route Frelupt). … Continue reading Cité Bourgogne, Shanghai

With latitude in the range of to Casablanca, Baghdad and New Orleans, Shanghai is much more associated with warm summer than cold winters. Harsh winters happened every few years. I saw a little bit of snow in January 2005, but it’s nothing compared to the snow in January 2008 (see pictures in my photo albums). … Continue reading Snow in Shanghai

1925 was the year of the “exposition internationale des arts décoratifs”, showcasing the style that was later named as “Art Deco”. The exhibition lasted from 28th April 1925 until end October 1925. The 100 years anniversary is the opportunities for many events and exhibition to Art Deco all over the World. The center of the … Continue reading 1925-2025 One hundred years of Art Deco

One of the reference book about Shanghai history French book “Histoire de la Concession Française de Changhai” by Charles Maybon & Jean Fredet. I recently got an original copy during my last trip to France. Although written in Shanghai, the book was published in Paris in 1929 by Paris publishing house Plon. It covers the … Continue reading Histoire de la Concession Française de Changhai

Evening Times, 1932-10-11. RADC: https://radc.hoover.org/newspapers/RADCaacg19321011-01.1.3 This charming piece from Shanghai’s Vechernee Vremia (Evening Times) profiles a 100-year-old resident of Yu Yuen Road, Mrs. Gu Yaozi. The centenarian says she enjoys long walks — though she prefers to be…

Luxury brands have been using old Shanghai houses to make stores or customer experience centers for a few years now. Although renovation does not always follow historical lines, it’s a great opportunity to preserve and open those old buildings to the public. The earliest I can remember the opening of Three on the Bund, the … Continue reading Longchamp house in the former French Concession

Although they were at most 1500 French people in Shanghai in the 1920s and 1930s, they were keen on getting together in regional groups. This was made clear in previous post. “French regional associations in Old Shanghai“. Amongst the French regions, Brittany has long had an history of emigration with a strong diaspora and support … Continue reading Bretons association in Old Shanghai