Anfu Road

If you've spent any time apartment-hunting in the Former French Concession, you've seen the word. Hengfu (衡复). It's in listings, on heritage plaques, in the name of the area's own museum. But most people — including plenty of long-term expats — couldn't tell you exactly what it means or where its edges actually are. Here's the real answer, with the numbers checked. What Hengfu Actually...

Some neighborhoods have date spots. The Former French Concession is one — a district seemingly designed by a committee of hopeless romantics: plane-tree tunnels lit gold at dusk, lane-house doorways glowing with candlelight, and a density of wine bars, bistros and late-night corners unmatched anywhere in China. At the centre of it all: Anfu Road and its orbit — Wukang, Wulumuqi, Fumin, Changle —...

Chevalier Place is not a large compound. It is a single 33-story tower with only 113 units . But what it lacks in size, it makes up for in exclusivity and service. The building sits on Anfu Road, one of the most desirable streets in the Former French Concession. You are steps from the cafes on Anfu, the boutiques on Wukang Road, and the consulates on Wulumuqi Road . Yet the building itself is...

The elevator opens directly into your apartment. No shared hallway. No neighbors walking past your door. That is the first thing you notice about Kingsville. The building sits at 198 Anfu Road, tucked back from the street behind a small courtyard. The twin towers are 29 stories each, but there are only 102 units total. Most floors have just two apartments. On some floors, there is only one. The...

Some compounds in Shanghai feel like they could be anywhere. Glass towers. manicured but sterile grounds. A lobby that could be in Singapore or Shenzhen. The Summit (汇贤居) is not one of those places. You feel the difference the moment you walk in. The central garden takes up nearly half the land. There is a walking path that loops around the edge. Parents push strollers. Kids kick a ball. Dog...

If you’ve spent any time searching for luxury housing in Shanghai‘s Former French Concession, you’ve undoubtedly encountered the “Big Three” compounds on or near Anfu Road: The Summit (汇贤居), Chevalier Place (亦园), and Kingsville (金苑). These three properties sit within a stone‘s throw of each other and have dominated the high-end expat rental market for nearly two...

There is a specific corner in Shanghai that has become something of a pilgrimage site. At the intersection of Huaihai Middle Road and Wukang Road, a wedge-shaped building shaped like a ship's bow slices through the traffic. Tourists crowd the opposite sidewalk, phones held high, all trying to capture the same perfect shot. This is the Wukang Building. And it is the gateway to one of the most...

Imagine landing at Shanghai's Pudong or Hongqiao Airport after a long flight. You're tired, jet-lagged, and slightly overwhelmed. But as you walk toward the arrivals hall, someone hands you a cup of freshly brewed coffee. It's free. It's warm. And it's your first taste of something that defines modern Shanghai. Welcome to Shanghai – the undisputed coffee capital of the world. This isn't just...

There is a particular kind of magic that happens when you turn off a busy Shanghai thoroughfare and duck into a quiet lane house neighborhood. The noise of the city softens. The plane trees grow thicker overhead. And suddenly, you are walking through history. Lane houses – or lilong (里弄) in Chinese – are the architectural soul of Old Shanghai. For decades, they have been the backdrop...