The
Shanghai French Concession (; ) was a
foreign concession in
Shanghai, China from 1849 until 1943, which progressively expanded in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The concession came to an end in 1943 when the
Vichy French government signed it over to the pro-Japanese
puppet government in
Nanking. For much of the 20th century, the area covered by the former French Concession remained the premier residential and retail district of Shanghai, and was also one of the centres of
Catholicism in China. Despite re-development over the last few decades, the area retains a distinct character, and is a popular tourist destination.