Shanghai is a very French city. Back in colonial times, the streets of Xuhui and Luwan sounded more like boulevards in Paris (Avenue Petain, Rue Lafayette, Avenue Joffre – now Hengshan Lu, Fuxing Zhong Lu, and Huaihai Zhong Lu) and the Gallic influence is still strong today. Thanks to the large French expat community, there are lots of bars, bistros, and cafes that cater for anyone looking for a taste of France.

Jean Georges’ eponymous restaurant at Three on the Bund (4/F, Three on the Bund, 3 Zhongshan Dongyilu, near Guangdong Lu 中山东一路3号外滩3号4楼近广东路) is the epitome of French Shanghainese glamour. Famed for its eel skin sofas, amazing views of Lujiazui, and top class French food with an Asian twist, this is the place to splash the cash. If your budget is lower, Café Montmartre is a better choice. Of their two venues, the one on Wulumuqi Lu is the most popular, but the other (on Hongmei Lu) offers the same fare – Breton crêpes, salads, café snacks and bistro food.

Unsurprisingly, the former French Concession is home to many restaurants and bars with a distinctly Gallic feel. Franck’s Bistro in the Ferguson Lane complex (376 Wukang Lu, near Hunan Lu 武康路376号近湖南路) has daily specials along with its regular dishes, and focuses on serving high quality food. Saleya (1, 570 Changle Lu, near Xiangyang Bei lu 长乐路570弄1号近襄阳北路) is similar, with its rotating selection of daily specials. Tucked behind a wall and gate, it’s easy to miss, but well worth looking for.

Latitude/Longitude (1 Yueyang Lu, near Dongping Lu 1 岳阳路近东平路) bridges the gap between bistro and bar. Latitude is a mid-range restaurant serving up Gallic classics, while Longitude’s terrace is a popular place for cocktails, especially in summertime. Then there’s Nova on expat haven Dagu Lu (418 Dagu Lu, near Chengdu Bei Lu 大沽路418号近成都北路), which has a long wine list and decent bistro food.

A staple of French cuisine is the crêpe. The best place to find the Brittany variety is the aptly named Crêperie at 1 Taojiang Lu, near Dongping Lu 桃江路1号近东平路. There are both sweet and savoury crêpes on offer, served up in a very European environment. Another good pancake place is the newly opened Voila! Bistro (173 Fumin Lu, near Julu Lu 富民路173号近巨鹿路) which serves a variety of crêpes along with main courses and drinks.

For a baguette on the go, or a coffee and cake, the popular Paul chain is a good choice. The Xintiandi branch (opposite Starbucks on Taicang Lu) has outdoor seating where you can watch the beautiful people walk by, while the French Concession shop (6 Dongping Lu, near Hengshan Lu 东平路6号近衡山路) has plenty of old world charm.

No French experience would be complete without wine. Wine bars like Enoteca (with a branch at 49 Anfu Lu 安福路49弄1 and another at 58 Taicang Lu complex 太仓路58号) are great for sampling and savouring, but to buy in bulk, there’s Globus Wine (Room 101-103, Building 5, 283 Jianguo Xi Lu, near 1，Xiangyang Lu, and inside the Ferguson Lane complex 建国西路283号LOFT5101-5103 室近襄阳南路). They run regular wine tastings and offer homemade snacks. Carrefour supermarkets stock imported wine too, as well as French food.

As for French cultural activities, there’s always a lot going on at the Alliance Française. There are two centres – one in Hongkou at 297 Wusong Lu 吴淞路297, and one in Changning at 155 Wuyi Lu 五一路. Both centres run regular film nights, art exhibitions, talks, and activities. Visit www.afshanghai.org for details.

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